K-State coach Bruce Weber upset with Big 12 refs for questionable calls at Texas Tech
Bruce Weber refused to criticize the Big 12 officiating crew that worked Texas Tech’s 73-68 victory over Kansas State on Monday at United Supermarkets Arena, but he hopes unbiased observers of the basketball game will point out their mistakes.
“There were obviously some calls down the stretch,” Weber said during a video conference with reporters. “I just watched them. You guys, I hope you watch them and I hope you say something, because I can’t. It’s disappointing, and I feel for the guys.”
Weber was referring to a pair of questionable decisions that were made by game officials John Higgins, Gerry Pollard and Bert Smith in the final 30 seconds that significantly impacted the outcome.
The first occurred with 24 seconds showing on the clock when Texas Tech tried to get the ball to Adonis Arms with a lob pass in front of the rim. Arms spun past his defender on the left side of the paint and called for the ball. K-State guard Mike McGuirl read the play and came from the other side of the paint to jump up and deflect the pass before it could reach Arms.
McGuirl tipped the ball to the perimeter and then grabbed it for an apparent steal with Texas Tech clinging to a 69-68 lead.
Or so it seemed. McGuirl and Arms collided with each other as they both tried to secure the ball. Arms fell to the floor. McGuirl stayed on his feet. Much like in football, the referees had to determine if either player committed pass interference.
The officials wasted no time to blow their whistle and assess a foul to McGuirl, which sent Arms to the free-throw line for a one-and-one. McGuirl crouched to the floor in disbelief, thinking he had every right to go for a loose ball in that situation.
“Honestly, I don’t know if I should say why (that happened),” McGuirl said later. “So I’m going to just keep it to myself. But, I mean, as coach said, you guys can watch the video.”
Arms made both free throws to give the Red Raiders a 71-68 advantage.
Then came another questionable decision from the officials. Nijel Pack tried to tie the game on the ensuing possession when he came off a ball screen set by Mark Smith and launched a deep three-pointer with Mylik Wilson contesting the shot.
Wilson blocked the shot, Texas Tech grabbed the loose ball and clinched the game by making a pair of free throws on the other end. But the Wildcats thought they were the ones who deserved to be going to the foul line because Wilson made contact with Pack twice during his game-tying attempt.
Replays show that Wilson grabbed onto Pack’s left arm as he came off the screen. Then he crashed into Pack after blocking his shot from the side.
ESPN analyst King McClure shared his thoughts during the game broadcast.
“That is a foul,” he said. “That is an absolute foul. You have to let the shooter land. You cannot touch the shooter. That is a foul.”
There is no telling how the game would have ended with different foul calls in the final 30 seconds, but those two officiating decisions clearly hurt the Wildcats.
“It was a crazy game,” K-State guard Selton Miguel said. “I think at the end we we got a call there wasn’t a foul but the refs called it a foul.”
It was a costly defeat for K-State (14-15, 6-11 Big 12), which was in desperate need of a victory against a team like No. 12 Texas Tech (23-7, 12-5). The Wildcats found another way to lose a close game. They are now 4-8 in contests decided by five points or less, or that end in overtime.
“I watched it and I don’t understand it,” Weber said. “I watched it in the game. I didn’t understand it. I watched it on the video board. I didn’t understand it. If you really study and look at the slow motion of Nijel’s shot, I think you’ll see something, too. But it didn’t go our way and it’s just disappointing. We can’t can’t change it.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.