It wasn't the invasion of the Hessian Army but UNC-Asheville was victimized by incompetent officiating in their bid for the ultimate NCAA Tournament upset, a 16 beating a 1 seed. Instead the Syracuse Orangemen with the benefit of the officiating gaffs escaped their second round game with the Bulldogs with a 72-65 win.
Along with the usual tick-tack fouls that usually favor the top seeds there were two egregious officiating fubars that cost UNC-A, included a missed goal tending call early in the second half and the big one with 34 seconds left and Syracuse up by three Syracuse guard Brandon Triche fumbled an inbounds pass that went out of bounds near the UNC-Asheville bench. Inexplicably, the official watching the play from 10 feet away ruled that the ball went off a UNC-A player. The UNC-A player, Jaron Lane was no where close to the ball as it went out of bounds...
John Adams, NCAA director of men's basketball officiating, acknowledged the mistake.
"I'm not going to alibi for the gentlemen in the game," he said. "When you see this call, it's either a foul or you give it to the other team that didn't knock the ball out of bounds. He didn't get it right."
UNC-A didn't exactly make the most of their opportunities but were certainly not given a fair chance due to the gaffs...
Post game one of the UNC-A players accurately summed it up saying "somtimes you have to play everyone in the building"...It's unfortunate but true...UNC-A head coach Eddie Biedenbach told reporters he thought his squad was the better team on Thursday.
Postgame Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim decided rail on the academic issues and pretty much make an ass out of himself as if he didn't already have enough problems. When told of Biedenbach's assertion that the Bulldogs were the better team Thursday night, Boeheim predictably responded. "That's what they make scoreboards for."
In other action, the VCU Rams continued their winning ways in the Big Dance that they started last year as they upset 5th seeded Wichita State 62-59...
11th seeded Colorado survived a late game surge by 5th seed UNLV to upset the Runnin' Rebels 68-64. The Buffalo's were up by over 20 points ant one time in the game before UNLV rallied in the closing minutes...
For now it's time for day 2 and the ACC teams are in action today...So now I getting ready for the N.C. State Wolfpack's lunch date with San Diego State...GO WOLFPACK!
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