Though the Final Four is over, the sting of a controversial call against the UConn Huskies in the closing seconds of their matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes lingers. Even ESPN’s Andraya Carter couldn’t hold back her frustration, using a word she wasn’t sure was fit for live TV to express her feelings.
But Scott Van Pelt informed the former Tennessee Lady Volunteers star on the late edition of SportsCenter that “sucked” was an OK word and that it was justified in this situation. Unsurprisingly, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma felt largely the same, but Carter offered a neutral perspective.
In the closing seconds of Friday’s long-awaited matchup, UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards set a screen on Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall, trying to clear space for Paige Bueckers, and was whistled for an illegal screen. Opinions on the call were all over the map. Some saw it as a fair decision, others a clear error, and a significant portion felt the timing, regardless of technicality, was questionable.
“I agree, SVP; I hated the call,” Carter told Van Pelt. “You gotta give Gabbie Marshall credit for trying to fight over the screen; that’s what drew the ref’s attention in. But to me, now that final play, it’s not about Iowa’s defense; it’s about the call that the referee made. Maybe there was a slight lean. Maybe Aaliyah Edwards’ elbow was slightly out. But to be honest, the calls weren’t even on both sides. There were missed calls for Iowa. There were missed contacts for UConn.
“And to make that call, at the very end of the game — to me — it just felt like it took away an opportunity for players to make plays, be it UConn, or be it Iowa. But again, give Gabbie Marshall credit for fighting over the screen. You don’t want to see that call made, but there are technicalities to the game that referees try to hold themselves to. So, you have to give Iowa credit, but that call, to be honest — I don’t even know if I can say this on TV — but that call sucked.”
“I don’t even know if I can say this on TV, but that call sucked, SVP.” – Andraya Carter
“Yeah, you can say it, and I agree.” – Scott Van Pelt https://t.co/5GqUUsB8Fj pic.twitter.com/qtJNwdc4pG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 6, 2024
Regardless of the call’s validity, Van Pelt argued it robbed UConn, who were on a comeback surge, of the chance to decide their own fate. He emphasized that this is the kind of situation neither he nor anyone else wants to see in sports, and Carter clearly agreed.
“But then, listen to this, I believe in basketball Gods,” Carter explained. “So the basketball Gods, they gave UConn one more opportunity with Caitlin Clark, who is incredible from the free-throw line; she misses the second free-throw. And you gotta give Iowa credit for capitalizing on the opportunity to get the offensive rebound. That would’ve been UConn’s chance; they had the timeout. Again, the call, we don’t love it, but UConn had another chance. You gotta box out at the free-throw line to take that opportunity. They missed that one.”
[Awful Announcing on X]
