San Diego State is heading to the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history, but how it got there won’t rank up with the most thrilling of NCAA tournament moments.
We thank can the officials for that.
With time winding down in a tie game against Creighton, San Diego State’s Darrion Trammell drew a foul with 1.2 seconds lefts in the game (after a review). Trammell missed the first free throw but knocked down the second, giving SDSU a one-point lead and leaving Creighton with little time for a desperation play.
The foul itself was awfully questionable given how the game was called. There was a hand on Trammell’s hip, but it didn’t seem to impact the shot in any significant way.
SDSU DRAWS A SHOOTING FOUL WITH 1.2 SEC LEFT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TpmU9krzI1
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 26, 2023
After the free throws, Creighton ended up having Baylor Scheierman attempt a full-court pass to set up a last-second shot, but that pass deflected out of bounds as time appeared to expire. That should have been the moment for San Diego State to celebrate, but everything was put on hold because college basketball officials insist on reviewing everything.
Solid throw on the inbounds, IMO pic.twitter.com/41GmkEc80n
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) March 26, 2023
Like, that should have been it. The ball was deflected and went out of bounds as time expired. The officials would review the play and determine just that, breaking out a stop watch because the clock actually started late.
This was how the game really ended:
FIRST #FINALFOUR IN SCHOOL HISTORY FOR THE AZTECS 👀#MarchMadness @Aztec_MBB pic.twitter.com/CZTZxgLcIh
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 26, 2023
So dull, so anticlimactic. College basketball fans didn’t love how the officials took over those final sequences of the game.
This was how Twitter reacted
Refs called a physical game. Can’t call that in that moment knowing you let them play all game. Ref made a mistake. https://t.co/zxNVAWnWcS
— marcus zegarowski (@MZegarowski1) March 26, 2023
There is technology to review when a clock should start/stop exactly that would take so little time. The fact that there isn't a replay center for CBB (at least on the biggest stages) is absurd. It would take reviews significantly less time and be more accurate
— Nick Juskewycz (Sked) (@NickJuskewycz) March 26, 2023
I want a One Shining Moment montage of all the replay reviews from the tournament.
— Sean Keane (@seankeane) March 26, 2023
Ref show
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) March 26, 2023
Refs stealing the show this tournament 😔
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 26, 2023
Forget the foul… it's the 5 minute review over everything as the clock is at 0.0 is the real blunder here. Replay is killing the spirit of sports while forensic referees take mounds of time to look for fingernail fragments on every play that happens
— Jeff Hansen (@rakoto10) March 26, 2023
One Shining Moment this year just going to be shots of refs looking at monitors.
— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) March 26, 2023
Refs have let Creighton and San Diego State play like a 90s NBA game. Then call a touch foul with 1 second left deciding a trip to the Final Four
— Payne (@PayneInsider) March 26, 2023
The ULTIMATE replay review sucking the emotion out of a moment. Wow.
— Bill Trocchi (@billtrocchi) March 26, 2023
