Effectively, it would not be the ladies’s NCAA Match if there wasn’t some controversy.
Iowa beat UConn within the second nationwide semifinal Friday night time, however the buzz after the sport wasn’t on Caitlin Clark or the championship matchup Sunday with undefeated South Carolina.
It was on a foul name. And this time, it wasn’t in regards to the lack of a whistle.
Aaliyah Edwards was known as for an offensive foul whereas making an attempt to set a display screen on Gabbie Marshall with lower than 4 seconds remaining.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma confirmed his excessive frustration.
Nominating this GIF for Finest Brief Movie on the subsequent Oscars. Geno’s response within the foreground + Gabbie Marshall within the background = Cinema pic.twitter.com/kf30903io2
— Ella Brockway (@ellabrockway) April 6, 2024
ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and Andraya Carter didn’t agree with the decision, both.
“I hated the decision. You’ve obtained to offer Gabbie Marshall credit score for making an attempt to battle over the display screen. That’s what drew the refs’ consideration in,” Carter mentioned on “SportsCenter” after the sport. “However to me, now that ultimate play it’s not about Iowa protection. It’s in regards to the name the referee made. There was a slight lean, possibly Aaliyah Edwards’ elbow was barely out. However to be trustworthy the calls had been even for each side. There have been missed requires Iowa. There have been missed contact for UConn. To make that decision on the very finish of the sport – to me it took away the chance for gamers to make performs. … To be trustworthy, that decision sucked.”
MORE: The place’s accountability, transparency in ladies’s officiating? Coaches need to know
Clearly, ideas had been divided in the course of the post-game information conferences and within the locker rooms.
Edwards mentioned she thought the play was “clear.”
Paige Bueckers took a broader strategy to what transpired within the ultimate 4 seconds.
“Gamers play. Gamers determine the sport.
“All people could make a giant deal out of 1 single play however one single play doesn’t win or lose a basketball recreation,” Bueckers mentioned. “… You possibly can take a look at one play and say oh that killed us or that harm us. We must always have completed a greater job, I ought to have completed higher job ensuring didn’t go away the sport as much as that.”
Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke praised Marshall, who’s among the many nation’s prime defenders. “Gabbie is nice in these conditions. She at all times comes up with massive performs, a block or no matter.”
Marshall advised USA TODAY Sports activities within the locker room that she might really feel the elbow. “There’s video of it.” She added she remembered three or 4 of these calls Friday night time.
The officiating throughout this event has come below the highlight earlier than.
Hannah Hidalgo sat out greater than 4 minutes of Notre Dame’s Candy 16 recreation to take away her nostril ring. This after officers advised her earlier than the sport she might cowl it as a substitute of eradicating it. Hidalgo mentioned she had performed with the piercing all season. She known as it “BS” and mentioned it disrupted her recreation.
And in a second-round recreation in Raleigh, North Carolina, an official was changed at halftime when it was found she had acquired a level from one of many colleges enjoying, however did not disclose it earlier than tip-off.
Lindsay Schnell and Nancy Armour reported from Cleveland
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Ultimate 4: Controversial foul name mars finish of Iowa-UConn
