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SEC Sports
SEC wants more game-ending situations reviewed
SEC suggests rule change to review last-second plays
247sports.com
On Tuesday, No. 5 Kentucky lost at home to No. 19 LSU when Kavell Bigby-Williams tip-in at the buzzer gave the visiting Tigers a shocking win. Upon further review of that final shot – well actually there was no review, and UK and the Southeastern Conference have a bit of a problem with that, according to a new report.
The Athletic learned this week that the SEC would like a rule change that would allow officials to take a closer look – via video – on plays like the one that sank the Wildcats.
“The Southeastern Conference has been proactive in experimenting with collaborative instant replay and will recommend further exploration of the use of instant replay in game-ending situations, including the ability to evaluate basket interference," the SEC wrote to The Athletic. "The SEC will use its position on relevant committees to introduce discussion on video replay related to game-ending situations, and SEC Associate Commissioner for Men’s Basketball Dan Leibovitz has already initiated conversations with the NCAA National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Editor on future use of replay in end-of-game situations.”
Kentucky's Keldon Johnson, who finished with 16 points, had made two free throws to tie the game at 71 with six seconds left Tuesday against LSU. Skylar Mays drove the length of the floor and put a shot up that missed and it appeared Bigby-Williams touched the ball while it was still on the cylinder, but the officials were unable to review whether offensive goaltending might have occurred.
Bigby-Williams tipped the ball in before time expired to give the Tigers a major victory.
CBS Sports rules analyst and former NCAA referee Gene Steratore tweeted after the game that the Bigby-Williams shot should have been waved off. Officials reviewed the play afterward, but only to make sure Bigby-Williams got his tip off in time (he did), because offensive goaltending calls are non-reviewable.
“Two things to consider at the end of #LSUvsUK,” Steratore tweeted. “The contact by the UK player isn’t basket interference as the ball is not on the rim and the contact didn’t alter the outcome of the shot. However, the contact by LSU is goaltending because the ball is within the cylinder.”
With the win, LSU moved into second place in the SEC. Kentucky dropped to 9-2 in league play.
"You hate for it to come down to the last play, but that happens sometimes,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said afterward. “You hate that that play becomes questionable, but I will say that it should not take away from what LSU did. They beat us.”
The Wildcats next host College GameDay and the lone remaining undefeated team in SEC play in No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday. Kentucky can't afford to dwell on the LSU defeat as a loss to UT would put Calipari's squad three games behind the Volunteers in the standings while a win would leave Kentucky just one game back.
