Overinflated Balls?

JayWill said:
Then the team that loses will claim the gauge reading was rigged. The game was stolen. Endless litigation will ensue. Bubba will declare UNC the tournament champion, and NCAA rules commission will declare that Bubba has immunity, and give the Cheats the trophy.

I know that something like that could never happen in real life, but, just in case, let's not open that can of worms.
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Why not open the can? Someone inflated the ball. As of now it may be the head custodian of the building. Who knows. If everyone is responsible then no one is responsible. Give the issue a reasonable structure and it can become a non-issue. 10 or 20 minutes before the game have the head ref and a designated representative of each team meet in the inflation room and confirm the air pressure in the ball. The ball remains with the head ref until game time. No more issue. It ain't rocket science.
 
The Officials for NCAA Men's Basketball are required to check the game ball before the game starts and there is a standard for 'bounciness'...

Rule 1 - Court and Equipment
Section 16. The Ball
Art. 7. The ball shall be inflated to an air pressure such that when it is dropped to the playing surface from a height of 6 feet, measured to the bottom of the ball, it will rebound to a height, measured to the top of the ball, of not less than 49 inches when it strikes its least resilient spot, nor more than 54 inches when it strikes its most resilient spot. The air pressure that will give the required reaction shall be stamped on the ball.
Rule 2 - Officials and Their Duties
Section 5. The Referee—Pregame Duties
Before the game starts, the referee shall:
Art. 1. Inspect and approve all players’ uniforms, including making a determination that the home and visiting teams have contrasting uniforms. Also, inspect all equipment, including playing court, baskets, ball, backboards, and all electronic equipment used by timers/operators/scorers.

The NBA uses a slightly different criteria...

RULE NO. 2: Duties of the Officials

Section I – The Game Officials Section II – Duties of the Officials Section III – Elastic Power Section IV – Different Decisions by Officials Section V – Time and Place for Decisions Section VI – Correcting Errors Section VII – Duties of Scorers Section VIII – Duties of Timers...
official.nba.com
Rule No. 2: Duties of the Officials
Section II - Duties of the Officials
f. The officials must check the game balls to see that they are properly inflated. The recommended ball pressure should be between 7 ½ and 8 ½ pounds.
 
Does anyone remember the game last year in which Coach Lawson claimed that FSU provided a men's basketball for the first half of the women's game on January 25, 2023? To me, it is inconceivable that the officials did not catch this before the game. The players noticed it, but nothing was done until the 2nd half.

www.espn.com

Duke's Lawson says men's ball used in FSU game

Duke coach Kara Lawson said the teams played with a men's basketball for the first half of a loss to Florida State on Sunday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson said the teams played with a men's basketball for the first half of a loss to Florida State on Sunday.

The 16th-ranked Blue Devils lost to the Seminoles 70-57 in Tallahassee, Florida -- the team's second ACC loss of the season.

After her team beat Pittsburgh 53-44 on Thursday, Lawson ended her news conference by speaking animatedly about Sunday's game.

"This would never happen in a men's game. This would never happen," she said. "It's embarrassing for our sport."

The circumference of a women's ball is about an inch smaller than a men's ball, and it is typically 2 ounces lighter. While it might not seem like a lot, that's a big difference.
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As a current NCAA coach in another "round ball" sport, the issue is not the officials/tournament staff checking the ball pressure, the issue is with Wilson balls. Wilson won the contract to provide all of the NCAA Championships the game ball. The specs on the ball for Wilson are extremely high compared to other manufacturers. Our players complain all the time about the ball pressure and the officials simply say "we followed the specs on the ball."
 
niKole_Cameron said:
As a current NCAA coach in another "round ball" sport, the issue is not the officials/tournament staff checking the ball pressure, the issue is with Wilson balls. Wilson won the contract to provide all of the NCAA Championships the game ball. The specs on the ball for Wilson are extremely high compared to other manufacturers. Our players complain all the time about the ball pressure and the officials simply say "we followed the specs on the ball."
Click to expand...
Right, although the NCAA rules state that the ball should have the inflation pressure written on it, the officials should perform a bounce test before the game. That also accounts for temperature and ball condition. I believe the players are also permitted to inspect the ball and if necessary ask for a different one.
 
DoubleBlue said:
Does anyone remember the game last year in which Coach Lawson claimed that FSU provided a men's basketball for the first half of the women's game on January 25, 2023? To me, it is inconceivable that the officials did not catch this before the game. The players noticed it, but nothing was done until the 2nd half.

www.espn.com

Duke's Lawson says men's ball used in FSU game

Duke coach Kara Lawson said the teams played with a men's basketball for the first half of a loss to Florida State on Sunday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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This story is so bonkers.

not that the refs didn't make a mistake...mistakes happen

....but nobody asked the officials to....look at the ball....or had any of the players just look at the ball when inbounding...and that the stories between the oficials and duke don't line up at all. There's just no way to reconcile it all, and it never will be.
 
DoubleBlue said:
Right, although the NCAA rules state that the ball should have the inflation pressure written on it, the officials should perform a bounce test before the game. That also accounts for temperature and ball condition. I believe the players are also permitted to inspect the ball and if necessary ask for a different one.
Click to expand...
this makes sense. there are probably a larger variance in floors in NCAA vs nba.
 
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