The NCAA has released a statement from J.D. Collins, the national coordinator of officiating, on the call at the end of the 63-62 Virginia win over Auburn in the Final Four that sent Kyle Guy to the free-throw line for the eventual game-winning points.
“With 0.6 seconds remaining in tonight’s national semifinal game between Virginia and Auburn, Virginia’s Kyle Guy was fouled on a three-point attempt by Auburn’s Samir Doughty. The call was made by official James Breeding, who ruled that Doughty moved into the airborne shooter, making contact with Guy while taking away his landing spot. The foul was a violation of Rule 4, Section 39.i, which states, ‘Verticality applies to a legal position and also to both the offensive and defensive players. The basic components of the principle of verticality are: the defender may not ‘belly up’ or use the lower part of the body or arms to cause contact outside the vertical plane or inside the opponent’s vertical plane.”
Gene Steratore breaks down the crucial foul call. pic.twitter.com/qFyetJmt59
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 7, 2019
Auburn guard Bryce Brown didn’t mince words on the call after the game: “I just didn’t think it was a foul, but the refs thought otherwise. Can’t go back and rewind it, so …”
Teammate Jared Harper: “I would just say that I think it was a tough call, but that’s not where we lost the game, I don’t think.”
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl: “My advice, as an administrator of the game, is if that’s a foul, call it. Call it at the beginning of the game, call it in the middle of the game, call it at the end of the game. Don’t call it any more or less at any other time during the game. That was the call.”
Guy, for his part, said he knew it right away: “Yeah, I heard him call it right away. They were asking me did I know, because I put my hand, my face into my jersey, but that was me focusing. I knew they called a foul. I knew that I got behind the line for three shots because I practiced that.”
Column by Chris Graham
Augusta Free Press coverage of the 2019 postseason is presented by Bear Creek. Serving Waynesboro, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and surrounding communities, Bear Creek provides a hassle-free process to help homeowners create outdoor living spaces that bring people together. Schedule a consultation at BearCreek.co.
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