Officiating in this year's NCAA tournament

[rtnorthrup]

No this is not solely about block/charge (there is a thread for that), and no this is not solely about the Duke-Creighton game.

As I was watching the Temple-Indiana game yesterday I was simply amazed at the inconsistency of the officiating. Early in the game, a Temple player went for a steal and nearly knocked the Indiana player's shoulder out of socket and no foul was called. At times during the game it looked like a rugby scrum and at times they called touch falls on entry passes. As a player and coach, there is almost no way to adjust to this type of officiating. That game was the final straw for slew of poorly officiated games in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

As for the Duke-Creighton game, for the most part I had no problem with the way they were calling the game in the paint, with ONE glaring exception. The officials allowed both McDermott and Echineque to use both hands when establishing their position in the post. Several times, Plumlee, Kelly, Hairston and Jefferson beat their man to the post position, but the offensive player was allowed to move them off the block with a double armed swim move and establish position. The defensive player was then penalized when the offensive player made an aggressive move to the basket. Again, I think most all of the fouls on our bigs were in fact fouls, but it is a competitive advantage to allow the offensive player to use his upper body, including hands, to establish post position.

Again, this is not just about the Duke game. The officiating in this tournament has been questionable at best and I think it is a major factor in the lack of any offensive cohesion. We are seeing games in the 50s and 60s with terrible shooting percentages in large part because players are allowed to clutch and grab shooters coming off screens. Watch the end of game situations when the winning team is trying to inbound the ball. The defense is practically allowed to mug any guard trying to get open for an inbound pass.

This site used to post regular articles from an official. I would be curious to hear his take on the officiating so far in this tournament.

[drcharl]

Louisville rattled CSU with the press but the defender that was on the inbounder after a basket repeatedly was allowed to defend with his feet part way over the endline. Saw this violation several times as the inbounder's space outside the court was more limited than it should have been.

[uh_no]

Louisville rattled CSU with the press but the defender that was on the inbounder after a basket repeatedly was allowed to defend with his feet part way over the endline. Saw this violation several times as the inbounder's space outside the court was more limited than it should have been.

for those who are curious, it's not just the feet over the endline, but no part of your body may be over the endline


No opponent of the thrower-in shall have any part of his or her person over
the inside plane of the boundary line

I believe, though I couldn't find quickly, that if the player continues to do this, it can be considered a delay of game technical.

[SoCalDukeFan]

if we need some rules changes or emphasis changes to make the game easier to officiate.


About 75% of the charge/block calls look like they could go either way. There is so much physical play underneath that you wonder why ever call a foul under there.

I know that the officials are human and will miss things but it seems like the game is so fast and so physical that its almost impossible to be consistent.

SoCal

[weezie]

if we need some rules changes or emphasis changes to make the game easier to officiate.


Well, why not start with the officiating trio make-up? How about one from each team conference and then a neutral? That game last night was absurd. I don't know exactly which high school league those refs were from but they were influencing the game way, way too much. Two totally different impressions at each end of the floor; one side pure physicality, no holds barred but at the other, walking in high heels on eggshells. We began to think that there was something wrong with the rim at the Creighton bench side, too.
These games are too intense, too important for refs to screw them up. The players and the coaches deserve far better.

[TexHawk]

Louisville rattled CSU with the press but the defender that was on the inbounder after a basket repeatedly was allowed to defend with his feet part way over the endline. Saw this violation several times as the inbounder's space outside the court was more limited than it should have been.

YES!!! I noticed this too, and the worst part was Siva was doing it DIRECTLY in front of the CSU bench, and nobody said anything. He had both feet over the line completely.

[CDu]

for those who are curious, it's not just the feet over the endline, but no part of your body may be over the endline

I believe, though I couldn't find quickly, that if the player continues to do this, it can be considered a delay of game technical.

You are correct. There are lots of things wrong with officiating at the college level right now, including:

- complete incompetence on the block/charge call. This has largely gone to our benefit, but the charge call has gotten out of hand. For the most part in the tournament, the officials have erred the other way (which I like), but it's still being called incredibly poorly.

- total inconsistency on what is and isn't being called. Slight hand check or bump on the perimeter? In this tournament, you can almost guarantee that will get called. Hold a guy trying to cut off-ball? Likely won't be called. Body checks in the paint? 50/50. Wild slaps at the ball on shooters inside (like the assault Thornton got away with on one of McDermott's layup attempts)? Have at it.

- continuation baskets left and right. In college, you are not supposed to get the continuation step into your shot like you get in the NBA. But college officials have become VERY generous with what they consider to be "in the shooting motion."

- delays after made baskets. I'm not sure when this became acceptable, but at some point along the way officials stopped giving delay of game warnings for an offensive player catching the ball after a made basket and preventing the opposing team from initiating their offense. I guess it started with the "I'll catch it and throw it to the official" nonsense. But there is just no justifiable reason that a player should be allowed to grab the ball after a made shot by his team. Sometimes (when the opposing team makes no effort to quickly start their offense) it's okay. But I've seen numerous examples of a player grabbing the ball away from the opposing team and throwing it to the official. That should be a delay of game warning.

[Bluedog]

Well, why not start with the officiating trio make-up? How about one from each team conference and then a neutral? That game last night was absurd. I don't know exactly which high school league those refs were from but they were influencing the game way, way too much. Two totally different impressions at each end of the floor; one side pure physicality, no holds barred but at the other, walking in high heels on eggshells. We began to think that there was something wrong with the rim at the Creighton bench side, too.
These games are too intense, too important for refs to screw them up. The players and the coaches deserve far better.

Two out of the three refs in the game last night were actually some of the most experienced in the NCAA. Ed Corbett has done several Final Fours, if I recall correctly. Officiating is hard and they simply call it the best they can - but it's a pretty striking contrast that in one game, IU only gets called for 8 fouls in the entire game, while Duke-Creighton was a foul fest. It's not like Indiana doesn't play physically. Just got to see how the officials are calling it and adjust accordingly. I hope the refs don't let our game vs. MSU get too physical because that would be to MSU's advantage.

[TNDukeFan]

I wonder -- are there any corrective mechanisms for officiating during the tournament? Conferences have league offices that try to monitor the performance of officials; does that go on at the NCAA level?

[Bluedog]

I wonder -- are there any corrective mechanisms for officiating during the tournament? Conferences have league offices that try to monitor the performance of officials; does that go on at the NCAA level?

The officials in the NCAA tournament get graded on EVERY game. And the ones with "top scores" (and previous experience doesn't hurt) advance. There is somebody with the NCAA at each game whose responsibility it is to grade the officials. I'm sure the officials feel the pressure to call a good and fair game.

[MChambers]

You are correct. There are lots of things wrong with officiating at the college level right now, including:

- complete incompetence on the block/charge call. This has largely gone to our benefit, but the charge call has gotten out of hand. For the most part in the tournament, the officials have erred the other way (which I like), but it's still being called incredibly poorly.
A corollary to this is that if the defender jumps straight up, he should not be charged for the foul, what used to be called the principle of verticality. This has always been an issue, but it seems to me know that the defender has to try for the charge, because if he tries to block the shot and leaves his feet he'll be called for a foul.

I agree with all of your other points, but wanted to focus on the block/charge issue.

Having complained mightily, let me agree that officiating basketball is a tough job.

[weezie]

Two out of the three refs in the game last night were actually some of the most experienced in the NCAA. Ed Corbett has done several Final Fours, if I recall correctly.....Just got to see how the officials are calling it and adjust accordingly. I hope the refs don't let our game vs. MSU get too physical....

That is indeed a sad state of affairs. Ed Corbett might be a paragon but it only takes one stiff to change everything. There was quite a bit of discussion between coaches and refs last night. The adjustment to the refs was like trying to speed-read hieroglyphics.

[johnb]

Fouling Peeves

The shooter leaps into the defender because the defender has left his feet (it should be a charge)

The defender aims only to get a charge call rather than to make a defensive play (it should be a block)

The defender who flops (fakes should be a foul)

Palming, especially when it provides an advantage.

Grabbing the ball after a made shot. Occasionally it's reflexive and doesn't impede play, but with some leeway, I'd go with a single warning and then a foul and then a technical shooting foul

Fouling out after 5 fouls. I'm tired of watching games influenced by whether a star player gets his 2nd foul in the first 5 minutes of a game; it's especially irksome when it is almost impossible to play inside without committing theoretical fouls as often as an offensive lineman theoretically holds.

Most of the above are central decisions, not determined by the officials. To make their job easier, I'd want them to all come from the same conference--hard enough to make calls, so might as well give them the advantage of knowing their colleagues (and their colleagues' tendencies).

[Mal]

A corollary to this is that if the defender jumps straight up, he should not be charged for the foul, what used to be called the principle of verticality. This has always been an issue, but it seems to me know that the defender has to try for the charge, because if he tries to block the shot and leaves his feet he'll be called for a foul.

This one always bothers me, too. I'm sure we benefit from it plenty, too, but I tend to notice and start steaming when one of our bigs holds his ground, goes straight up and is called for a block when the offensive player puts his left elbow into our guy's face. This happened to Mason (I think) against Albany. Guard for Albany comes down the lane, Mason goes straight up to bother the shot, offensive player literally had his knee in Mason's chest and his foot was close to his waist and it's a defensive foul because there was contact. The gamesman-y jump horizontally into a leaping defender at the three point line after a pump fake thing drives me nuts, as well.

I also can't stand the tie-ups these days. Just because your hands are touching the ball doesn't mean you get to jump on the opposing player with possession. Most of the loose ball scrums should be fouls on the defense, but the refs seem to want to give it 5 seconds to play out and err on the side of calling a jump ball.

[91_92_01_10_15]

The officials in the NCAA tournament get graded on EVERY game. And the ones with "top scores" (and previous experience doesn't hurt) advance. There is somebody with the NCAA at each game whose responsibility it is to grade the officials. I'm sure the officials feel the pressure to call a good and fair game.

Is there any transparency at all in this process? I have seen nothing describing how they are graded, let alone the results.

[oldnavy]

I thought last nights game was over officiated. I know, call me Captian Obvious!

I have never understood why it is an automatic foul when a guard places two hands on the dribbler, yet a post defender can always put two hands, torso, etc... on a post player with the ball and that is fine???

Should be called both ways IMO. Why can centers beat the stuffing out of each other, yet guards cannot touch each other??? Weird.

[TexHawk]

Should be called both ways IMO. Why can centers beat the stuffing out of each other, yet guards cannot touch each other??? Weird.

Post players do indeed beat the tar out of each other, but when a guard who is 75 pounds lighter drives to the basket? Pfft... a slight breeze puts them on their back.

[Bluedog]

Is there any transparency at all in this process? I have seen nothing describing how they are graded, let alone the results.

It's not a super transparent process, but here's an article that describes some of it:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/tourney/2013/03/14/officiating-john-adams-evaluation-criteria/1989433/

Criteria: Mobility, get the plays right, adequate communicator, manage major moments.

"After the first weekend of games, Adams and his regional advisors have a conference call discuss the performances of officials and choose referees for regionals by Monday afternoon, at which time they notify officials. The same process is duplicated a week later to pick Final Four officials."

And here's a more detailed article talking about officiating inconsistencies:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/tourney/2013/03/14/ncaa-tournament-john-adams-march-madness-officiating/1987291/

"Despite assessment procedures, officiating is largely subjective.

Even with the training and feedback available for officials, some coaches don't see consistency between leagues. Most of that, they say, comes down to familiarity between officials and the teams they're used to seeing in league play."

[NSDukeFan]

I disagree with some of you about perimeter defense. I believe way too much hand checking / pushing is let go on drives to the basket. I greatly enjoyed the IU-Temple game, but anytime anyone tried to drive they were pushed off their path. That game was not an exception and is part of the reason Sulaimon struggled some once conference play started. Strength gets rewarded more than speed and skill and it is at its worse in the "let 'em play" tournament. At least that's my opinion. Fortunately Duke has learned to play that game and they showed the toughness to win that type of game vs Creighton, I just wished it was a little more basketball and a little less wrestling.