Rule Book & A No Call Helps Beat Liberty 73-72 In “Big Dance” Opener

Liberty University the only team with a losing record 15-20 in the Big Dances field of 68 teams loses to North Carolina A & T in the first of four playin games 73-72 because of a very poor rule in the rule book and a no call when a Liberty player was fouled before the gun went off in the act of shooting and the official swallowed his whistle and there was a no call by the lead official who had the play right in front of him and there was enough body contact to effect the results of the shot.

There was BODY contact on the shot which SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED.

The rule I am talking about is the rule that any jump ball situation or held ball has to go to the alternating possesion arrow to see who gets the ball out of bounds for a throw in.

The rule should be that if there is team control which there was on this throwin from underneath Liberty’s basket situation when Liberty tied up the throwin, then the defense show get the ball without having to go to the arrow.

The offense never ties up the defense to cause a jump ball, it is always the defense that ties up the offensive player with the ball. It is impossible for the offense to tie up a defensive player becasue the defensive playewr does not have the ball.

This rule was tried years ago for a season in high school basketball, but was taken out the very next year, because officials had a hard job determining who tied up who, which is not that hard if you think that team control means the offense has the ball until a field goal is attempted or on a jump ball or the other team gains control of the ball.

Therefore Liberty would have had the ball at their offensive end line instead of NC A & T. with 11 seconds left in the game. Instead they had to foul on the next throw trailing 73-70. NC missed the front end of the one and one and then Liberty had team control and got off the layup shot when the foul was not called and the shot was gotten off and would have counted if made.

THen to top it off there was a no call which should have been a foul call in the act of shooting a driving layup…2 shots.

Liberty who finished 6-10 in conference play and 11-20 overall had to win a playin game and then win 3 more to win their conference tourney and win their conference’s automatic qualifer bid.

Liberty finishes the season at 15-21 when they deserved a legitimate chance of winning if they had not had to go to the arrow wih 17 seconds left oor if a foul was called with less then 2 seconds to go.

Liberty came from 7 down at the half 40-33, then closed to three before falling behind again by 10 and then rallied to lose by only l with a chance to win at the buzzer.

Basketball rules in my opinion with being in the game over 65 years as a player, coach and official, have usually favored the offensive player.

With no jump ball toss, the offensive teams player whoi is tield up for a held ball/jump ball should lose the ball and the defense should be rewarded for a good defensive play to tie up the offensive player with the ball.

I have never liked the alternating possession arrow. What a poor rule that forces a defendsive payer making a good defensive play and ties up the offensive teams player and they have to look at the tablew to see which team is going to get the ball. This rule should be changed and reward the defense.

While there is no team control on any field goal attempt and that is the only time there is no team control as the team throwing the ball in is in team control even though the clock is stopped.

THe only other time there is no team control is when the game or an overtime is started with a jump ball.

Liberty deserved to win this game, but a poor rule and a no call did them in. If the foul had been called it would have been two shots with little or no time on the clock and would have had 2 shots trailing by 1 point.

This was a great game to start the “March Madnesses, Big Dance”, but it would have been better if the Conderella Team had won, which they could have but for a por basketball rule and a no call. They would have a chance at least to win the game if they scored a ewo or made two foul shots.