Lipscomb files a complaint over the ending to the Arizona game

On Monday, Lipscomb played Arizona at Arizona. The game ended up going to overtime, where Adnan Hodzic gave the Bisons a two point lead with a free throw with 4.7 seconds left. But at the other end, Nic Wise hit a three at the buzzer that presumably gave the Wildcats the win.

The refs went to the monitors to review it, and eventually ruled that the shot counted.

But did Wise actually get the shot off in time? If you watch the replay, it looks like the ball is still in his hand when the light goes on.

See for yourself


Lipscomb coach Scott Sanderson didn't argue the call after the game, but has since changed his stance. He told the Tennessean:

I don't want in any way, shape or form to sound like there's sour grapes on our behalf, but the clock showed 0:00 and the ball was still in (Wise's) hands. The red light on top of the backboard was on. We looked at it frame-by-fame.

The issue appears to be the angle that was used. When looking from behind, it seems that the ball is clearly in Wise's hand. But from that angle it is impossible to have any depth perception. From the side, it becomes a much more difficult call, and one that cannot be made using the youtube video above.

As with football, the original ruling stands unless there is sufficient visual evidence on the replay to overturn it. In this case, the original ruling is that Wise got the shot off, and since the angle from the side does not (according to the officials on the court) give indisputable evidence of the ball still being in Wise's hand, the officials did not overturn the call.

There is another issue.

The clock didn't start on time.

If you watch the video, you will see that the clock starts a half second late off the rebound. Taking that into account, Wise's shot probably should not have counted.

The most ironic part of all?

The refs asked for glasses at one point while reviewing the shot.

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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Point Guards

The season is fast approaching. The first games are on Nov. 9th, and the BIAH live blog during ESPN's season kickoff is just two weeks away. So with just a week until actual games are played, we figured the best way to finish up our 2008-2009 season previews is to give you our Top 10 players at each position. You know how much we love a good Top 10 list here.

A few caveats. First, we're talking about how good these guys are as college players, not how well they project as a pro. Second, while it may be too much power for me, I am making the executive decision on what "position" a player is (and it may not necessarily be what he is listed as on a roster). Third, I am not putting the freshman in the list. As much as I've read about these guys and as many Youtube clips as I have watched, I have yet to see many of them play a real game (the all-star games don't count), and I don't think that I could give an accurate assessment until I see them play. Lastly, I love me a good argument, so if you think someone is too low or too high or the wrong position, leave a comment and let me hear about it.

Here are the point guards.

Best Freshman:

• John Wall, Kentucky
• Abdul Gaddy, Washington
• Maalik Wayns, Villanova

Best of the Rest:

• Charles Jenkins, Hofstra
• Chris Warren, Ole Miss
• Courtney Fortson, Arkansas
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU
• Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin
• Mac Hobson, Idaho
• Corey Fisher, Villanova

Top 10:

• 10. Talor Battle, Penn State: Talor Battle was the major reason that Penn State was relevant down the stretch last season. Battle's offensive game is based on his ability to shoot, where he is excellent, especially in the clutch as he knocked down a couple game-winners last year. When he puts the ball on the floor, Battle is good at getting into the paint and is a solid finisher in the lane despite lacking outstanding explosiveness. If he improves his ability to create for his teammates (he averaged 5.0 apg last season, but a lot of that was simply the result of moving the ball around the perimeter), this ranking may end up being too low by the end of the year.


• 9. Shelvin Mack, Butler: Mack is one of the more underrated point guards in the country. Playing on a team with Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard in the Horizon League will do that to you. But don't doubt his ability. Mack is an effective scorer, capable of carrying the Bulldogs if Hayward and/or Howard happen to be struggling. A big, strong kid (6'3", 215 lb), Mack is an excellent defender and a good rebounder from the guard spot. He needs to improve on his quickness getting into the lane, as well as add some consistency to his perimeter jumper, but the bottom-line is that Mack is the guy that runs the shows for Butler, who most believe will be a top 10 or 15 team this season.

Shelvin Mack is one of the most underrated point guards in the country.
(photo credit: Horizon League)

• 8. Nic Wise, Arizona: Arizona caught a huge break when Nic Wise decided to return to school. With all the turnover in the Arizona program, Wise declared for the 2009 NBA Draft and expected to end up playing overseas this season. But when Sean Miller was able to sign five top 100 recruits this summer, Wise decided that the Wildcats just might have enough talent to be a factor this year. Arizona is going to go as far as Wise carries them. After slimming down before his junior season, Wise had an exceptional junior campaign, at times carrying a Wildcat team with two NBA draft picks on it. While he is capable of creating opportunities for others, Wise is going to be asked to shoulder much more of a scoring load this year as the young Wildcats adjust to the college game.


• 7. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova: Reynolds doesn't get the national credit that he deserves. He's not a guy that is going to be a great pro, as his athletic limitations will limit his effectiveness at the next level. But at the collegiate level, his smarts allow him to get by. Reynolds is a deadly three-point shooter, but when he is playing his best, he is putting the ball on the floor and going to the rim. Despite an underwhelming vertical, he finishes well in the paint because he is able to use his body to shield his man. He has had his play-making duties reduced with the emergence on Corey Fisher along side him. Where Reynolds is at his best in the clutch. He is the guy that Jay Wright is going to go to when he needs a basket.


• 6. Jerome Randle, Cal: I've said it before and I'll say it again - Jerome Randle might be my favorite player in the country to watch. The catalyst for Cal's resurgence last season, Randle should once again carry the team that was picked to win the Pac-10. Randle is the perfect fit for the spread system that Mike Montgomery is running in Berkeley. Very solid with the ball in his hands, Randle is adept at beating his man off the dribble thanks to his fantastic ability to change speeds. But you cannot lay off of him as he is one of the best shooters in the country. If Cal is going to win the Pac-10, it will be Randle's play that will carry them there.

Despite his small stature, Jerome Randle is one of the best scorers in the country.
(photo credit: DailyCal)

• 5. Devan Downey, South Carolina: Downey is small, even for a point guard, but he is unbelievably quick. Downey can flat out score. He is at his best when he is attacking the rim, where an effective floater and an impressive ability to create space through contact with the defender allows him to finish inside. Downey tends to settle for threes, but when he is on he can hit four or five in a row from deep. Downey is a high-risk, high-reward kind of guy. He takes a lot of tough shots, but makes a good number of them. He tries quite a few risky passes and gambles for steals on the defensive end, but again, he is successful enough of the time that it isn't a huge issue. Expect big numbers once again from Downey, as his speed and ability to create in the open court will be instrumental in Darrin Horn's uptempo, pressuring style of play.


• 4. Kemba Walker, UConn: Walker came into UConn as a much-herald recruit out of NYC's Rice High, but was stifled a bit last season by UConn's slower tempo and the presence of all-american AJ Price. With UConn being a smaller, more athletic team this season, expect Jim Calhoun to play a much faster pace with Walker being the catalyst. He is an absolute menace on the defensive end as he may be the quickest player in the country. Offensively, he is near impossible to stay in front of. Despite his small size, Walker can finish at the rim, but he is at his best when he collapses a defense and finds an open man - be it a big at the rim or a shooter on the perimeter. While his jump shot could still use some improvement, Walker is going to be the motor that makes the Huskies engine run this season.


• 3. Greivis Vasquez, Maryland: Simply put, Vasquez will be the most exciting player in the ACC this season. While his time in College Park has been maddeningly inconsistent, Vasquez improved his decision making last year. He didn't force as many tough shots and more often settled for the smart, easy pass as opposed to the highlight reel play. When he is playing well, Vasquez can completely take a game over, even against a much more talented team (see his triple-double is MD's win over UNC last year). He still will need to focus on making the smart play this year, but in terms of pure talent, Vasquez is good enough to carry an undermanned Terp team to a second straight NCAA tournament.


• 2. Kalin Lucas, Michigan State: Lucas is the perfect fit for the team-oriented offense that Tom Izzo likes to run. He can play on the ball or off, and is excellent at picking his spots to attack. Not the quickest player in the world, he is excellent at changing speed and direction when putting the ball on the floor. Lucas is going to be instrumental for the Spartans this season as Izzo is going to look to play a quicker pace than he did last year. Lucas is valuable for a talented MSU team because he can run a team and keep an offense moving without dominating the ball, but if the shot clock is winding down, he is more than capable of creating a good shot, either for himself or for a teammate.

Sherron Collins and Kalin Lucas are the two best point guards in the country.
(photo credit: daylife)

• 1. Sherron Collins, Kansas: Collins is an easy pick atop these rankings. First team pre-season all-american and the star player and leader for the consensus best team in the country. Collins is a great scorer at this level. He is strong enough to get to the rim on just about anyone, but he has three-point range well beyond NBA line. What makes Collins so good is he really developed into a point guard last season. While he had to shoulder a bulk of the scoring load for a young Jayhawk team, he was a good decision maker. He knew when he should pass and he knew when he needed to shoot. But the biggest difference between Collins and anyone on this list is his ability to make a big play when you really need it. If you are down one with 15 seconds left on the clock, is there anyone in the country you would rather have with the ball in their hands?

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Shawn Taggart to stay in the draft; Nic Wise heading back to Arizona

Last week, Shawn Taggart posted a facebook status that seemed to indicate he was going to keep his name in the NBA Draft.

Once that message hit the blogs and the message boards, Taggart clarified the situation with Jeff Goodman, saying that he was going to stay in the draft only if he was going to go by the middle of the second round.

I guess Taggart got his guarantee.

"I think it's my time to go," the 24 year old forward, who played his freshman season at Iowa State, told FoxSports. "You never know what can happen during a season where I'm going to have to carry the load. We've done a lot at Memphis I feel as though I'm opening a lot of eyes of people who didn't think I could do anthing but dunk. Plus, I've got to provide for my family."

While Taggart is unlikely to be taken in the first round, he is 24 years old. Even if Taggart doesn't end up getting drafted, he seems like one of those guys who is simply done attending college.


We also mentioned in Friday's Morning Dump that Nic Wise was reconsidering his decision to leave Arizona. Originally, it was assumed that with the coaching change and the players leaving Arizona, Wise was going to stay in the draft. If he didn't make an NBA roster, he was planning on heading to Europe.

It seems that is no longer the case, as Wise will be heading back to Arizona.

"We went from thinking the team wasn’t going to be good and not knowing the coach to now realizing that they have a chance to be really good and have a great coach," Greg Wise, Nic’s father, told FOXSports.com. "We also got positive feedback from NBA teams that if he works hard, he’s got a chance to put himself in good position next year."

In reality, Wise has a chance to become the Pac-10 player of the year with the number of players entering the NBA ranks, either through graduation or early entry to the draft.

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College Basketball Week In Review: Blake Griffin and Hasheem Thabeet, please come the front of the class

What We Learned This Week: There may only be three teams playing for the national title this year: UNC, UConn, and Oklahoma.

Why?

You can't slow down UNC, but they are starting to play some defense. You can't score on UConn, but they are starting to look more efficient offensively. Oklahoma has Blake Griffin, as well as a supporting cast that gets deeper and better every day.

Beyond that, I don't really see too many teams with all the tools to contend for a title. Pitt is too inconsistent offensively. Wake Forest has a tendency to not show-up every other game. Michigan State has been impressive, but they have yet to play with a squad at full strength this year. Duke? Ehh. Louisville? Maybe. Marquette or Memphis? Please.

Along those same lines, the list for player of the year candidates should really be shrinking as well. Blake Griffin is your pick right now, and there shouldn't really be too much of an argument. I mean the numbers speak for themselves (averages of 23 and 15, 22 double-doubles, not to mention the 40 and 23 he put on Texas Tech the other night).

Thabeet's numbers are not quite as impressive on the season, but it is because he is a different player. UConn is winning because of the way that they play defense, and the way that they play defense is a direct result of Thabeet's presence. Don't believe me? Check out his numbers over the last five: 15.8 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 7.2 bpg. Sound POY worthy?

So if that is two of the all-american first-teamers, who are the other three? I would put Stephen Curry, Jerel McNeal, and James Harden, although leaving guys like Jodie Meeks and Luke Harangody off that list is going to be difficult.

The Pac-10 is wide open this year.

Wide open.

There are five teams within two games of first. Washington, who is sitting atop the standings at 10-3 in the league, doesn't exactly strike fear in the heart of opponent's. Arizona has gone from Pac-10 also-ran to one of the hottest teams (and one of the best stories or 2009) with a seven game winning streak and, most recently, and shellacking of UCLA on Saturday. UCLA is not the same UCLA as the last three years, but they still are a Ben Howland coached team. Cal, when they are hot, can run with just about anyone in the league.

But my pick to win this is Arizona State. Not only do they have the best player on the west coast on their roster, but they have a solid, in unspectacular, supporting cast (Derek Glasser, Jeff Pendergraph, Rihard Kuksiks) and an excellent coach in Herb Sendek.

But like I said, the Pac-10 is wide open. A week ago, I would've put money on the fact that UCLA was getting ready to run away with the title. There is only one thing I am sure about in the Pac-10:

Russ Pennell needs to get rid of that goatee.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU

Mitchell had one of the most dominating performances of the season this week as he went for 41 points, 11 boards, and 5 assists against Mississippi State. Mitchell also went 12-15 from the field, 15-18 from the line, and had 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 0 turnovers. LSU would go on to win 97-94 in 2OT, and it was Mitchell who scored the biggest basket, an and-1 lay-up with less than a minute left to give LSU the lead for good. Mitchell followed that up with a 20 points, 9 rebound performance in a win over Ole Miss, which combined with another MSU loss put the Tigers up three games in the joke of a conference that is the weak SEC West.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Arizona

Is there anyone playing better basketball right now that the Arizona Wildcats? Three weeks ago, they were 11-8, 2-5 in the league, and down big to Houston at home. But then Aubrey Coleman stepped on Chase Budinger's face, the Wildcats made a comeback, and have since reeled off seven straight wins, sliding into fifth in the Pac-10 and into the NCAA tournament discussion. The biggest reason for the improvement has been the play of Nic Wise. During the winning streak, the most under-appreciated of Arizona's big three has averaged 20.3 ppg, 4.3 apg, and 1.9 spg. This past week, 'Zona swept USC and UCLA at home, the latter coming in a game that was in the high teens and low twenties for most of the contest. (WARNING: If you are an Arizona fan, do not read this next sentence) Seeing how the Wildcats have been playing, can you imagine how good they would be if Jerryd Bayless, Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Negedu, and Jeff Withey were playing?

MATCH-UPS OF THE WEEK:
2/16 - Pitt @ UConn: Anyone that doesn't appreciate watching DeJuan Blair go against Hasheem Thabeet is not a true basketball fan.

2/17 - Michigan State @ Purdue: Neither team is at 100% as Raymar Morgan is battling pneumonia and Robbie Hummel is dealing with a hairline fracture in his back.

2/19 - Washington @ UCLA: Watching the senior Darren Collison going against freshman Isaiah Thomas should be fun.

2/21 - Oklahoma @ Texas: This game has lost a lot of luster since Texas has fallen off, but it is still the Red River Rivalry.

2/21 - Butler @ Davidson: The headline of Saturday's BracketBusters. Full schedule here.

Great line-up of games on Sunday:

• Wake Forest @ Duke
• Wisconsin @ Michigan State
• Villanova @ Syracuse
• Arizona @ Arizona State
• Illinois @ Ohio State
  

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