BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The SEC Office has conducted a comprehensive review of the end of regulation play of the Arkansas at LSU men’s basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., on Wednesday, Jan. 19, including interviews with various individuals involved and the viewing of several different video tapes of the play in question.
With LSU leading 58-56, Arkansas’ Michael Jones made a shot with 1.8 seconds remaining. One official signaled a two-point shot as the shot was taken and another signaled a three-point shot after the shot was made. The official scorer recorded it as a two-point shot, while the scoreboard operator recorded it as a three-point shot. The official who signaled a three-point goal never communicated his call to the other official. As a result, in the judgment of the official who had signaled a two-point goal, the ruling on the floor at that time was that the shot was a two-point goal.
In accordance with NCAA Basketball Rules 2.5.7 and 2.10.2, the officials watched a number of replays of the shot in question to review the call and saw nothing to support a change to a three-point goal.
The conference office review of the same videotapes available to the officiating crew at courtside concurs with the officials’ judgment that the replays were not sufficiently conclusive to support a change to a three-point goal.
However, the miscommunication that occurred among the officiating crew and between the officials and the Arkansas coaching staff immediately following regulation play resulted in confusion about the initial ruling. The conference office is taking appropriate action regarding the miscommunication issue.