Audio By Carbonatix
SMU is out of the NCAA Tournament. After trailing by as many as 10 in the second half, the Ponies led by two in the final minute against UCLA. The Bruins Bryce Alford chucked up an off-balance three that had no chance. As it approached the plane of the front rim, Yanick Moreira, SMU’s senior center, went up for the rebound, touched the ball and was called for a goaltend.
As Deadspin’s Tom Ley points out, by the letter of the NCAA’s goaltending rule, the call is bullshit.
Goaltending occurs when a defensive player touches the ball during a field-goal try and each of the following conditions is met: 1. The ball is on its downward flight; and 2. The ball is above the level of the rim and has the possibility, while in flight of entering the basket and is not touching the cylinder.
Here’s a still and Vine so you can judge for yourself.
