NCAA: Tripping Over a Defender

[Nevadaref]

It was the Kentucky/UNLV game.

Illegal contact which causes a dribbler to fall to the floor and lose the ball is one of the two "abolutes" which new officiating coordinator John W. Adams established this year. If such takes place, it must be called a foul.

The problem with the play in this game was that even after seeing several replays I don't believe that the contact was illegal or caused by the defender. The dribbler seemed to step onto the foot of a defensive player who was not even attempting to guard him and had arrived at his spot on the floor first. Therefore, although there was contact between the two players and the dribbler definitely went to the floor, I don't believe that there was illegal contact.

[181174]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

It was the Kentucky/UNLV game.

Illegal contact which causes a dribbler to fall to the floor and lose the ball is one of the two "abolutes" which new officiating coordinator John W. Adams established this year. If such takes place, it must be called a foul.

The problem with the play in this game was that even after seeing several replays I don't believe that the contact was illegal or caused by the defender. The dribbler seemed to step onto the foot of a defensive player who was not even attempting to guard him and had arrived at his spot on the floor first. Therefore, although there was contact between the two players and the dribbler definitely went to the floor, I don't believe that there was illegal contact.

I agree, I was watching the game and saw the replays, didn't look like anything but incidental contact. The defender was leaving the spot and turning away from the dribbler to go guard someone else. Looked like the dribbler just stepped on his foot and fell. Contact was not caused by the defender and there was no intent to trip the ballhandler, the defender didn't extend the foot or leg or anything. Jimmy Dykes the color man was wrong on his comments on this one. I enjoy listening to him call games but I think he was off on this one. The no call did change the momentum of the game but it was a good no call.