The absolute last thing any fan wants to see is a national championship settled — or at least impacted — by officials. Unfortunately, the 2023 NCAA women’s national title game won’t be a game we remember for the right reasons.
What was supposed to be a must-see matchup between Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark and a deep LSU team turned into one of the worst officiated games we’ve seen this tournament. And no sequence topped what happened at the end of the third quarter.
Shortly after the officials missed a clear over-the-back on LSU, Iowa’s Monika Czinano was called for a foul on the other end. Then, as the Iowa players were huddling up, the officials called a technical foul on Clark. In college basketball, a technical also counts as a personal foul, so the T would end up being Clark’s fourth foul.
When you make a game-changing call such as that, it better be blatant. But no, this was what happened.
Caitlin Clark got a technical foul for … this pic.twitter.com/inXeaY84Wx
— Kyle Boone (@Kyle__Boone) April 2, 2023
"Here's the T on Caitlin Clark… I mean… you have GOT to be kidding me." – @RyanRuocco
"No player in this game should get a technical foul for that." – @RebeccaLobo pic.twitter.com/qQuJD6bUTz
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 2, 2023
Clark tossed the ball backwards towards the baseline. Under some circumstances, it could be seen as a delay of game. But this was the national championship. You have to have the awareness as an official to not let something like that drastically impact a title game.
These officials, though, just didn’t care. LSU got four free throws from those calls, making two of them.
The entire sequence justifiably had fans furious. It was shameful officiating across the board.
This was how Twitter reacted
anyone who thinks this is a technical foul is a dope
sorry not sorry. you don't make that call in a close national championship game.
completely ruined the game. https://t.co/sI0Y9yN7ld
— ☨ Wolverine Devotee 45-23, 42-27 〽️ (@UMichWD) April 2, 2023
Can we just have no refs in the 4th
— Alysha Tsuji (@AlyshaTsuji) April 2, 2023
NCAA have a backup crew that can work the 4th qtr?
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 2, 2023
Giving Caitlin Clark her 4th foul on a Technical is the worst
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 2, 2023
that was a very bad sequence for iowa and, i mean, come on with that technical foul call
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) April 2, 2023
These refs need to never be on a basketball court again https://t.co/F0ZD8u2A1q
— Ryan DiPentima (@Ryan_DiPentima) April 2, 2023
Kim mulkey pushed a ref and it’s fine but Caitlin Clark got a tech and picked up her 4th foul for tossing a basketball behind her back ? Refs have been so bad pic.twitter.com/GGWiR9Wb7N
— John (@iam_johnw) April 2, 2023
everyone: we can't wait to watch this game because of all the star players!
the refs: no
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) April 2, 2023
can't remember a game where the refs so consistently, thoroughly & ceaselessly tried to destroy a Championship game
garbage from start to finish
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 2, 2023
Imagine having a chance to showcase absolute superstars on ABC for a national championship with arguably the most interest on a public level that we've ever seen…and you get this performance from the refs. It's embarrassing.
— Caroline Darney (@cwdarney) April 2, 2023
These refs and these technical fouls 😂🤦🏽♂️
— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) April 2, 2023
The Refs are stealing the show in this National Championship Game and that’s not a good thing.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 2, 2023
