Among the most critical moments in No. 6 Iowa State’s rally from 10 down in the second half of its men’s basketball game to beat No. 2 Houston, 70–67, on Monday night came with 6:12 to go in the second half.
Iowa State had possession at the time, trailing by eight, when star point guard Tamin Lipsey tried to slot a pass between two Houston defenders to big man Dominykas Pleta. The pass was deflected by Houston’s Joseph Tugler (aided by his hawking 7' 6" wingspan) and stolen by Isiah Harwell, who would’ve been off to the races in transition. But referee Kipp Kissinger, among the nation’s most well-regarded officials, called a kicked ball on Tugler, negating the steal and giving the ball back to Iowa State. Tugler raced to Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson to plead with him to challenge the call, but there was nothing Sampson could do; the play isn’t among the types of calls currently allowed to be challenged.
