RALEIGH, N.C. — Jewel Spear banked in a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left within the second-round NCAA match sport Monday. It minimize NC State’s result in 74-70, and a visit to the Candy 16 was on the road for Girl Vols basketball.
On the inbounds move, the Wolfpack handed the ball straight to Spear. It was a miracle that Tennessee wanted with the sport hanging within the stability. She had a wide-open lane. Then the official blew the whistle.
NC State had known as a timeout. The official awarded it to educate Wes Moore.
Girl Vols coach Kellie Harper regarded on the officers in disbelief. She walked over to at least one and fought to maintain herself calm as she pleaded her case. It did not work.
No. 6 seed Tennessee was in a position to rating simply as soon as extra earlier than it misplaced 79-72 to the third-seeded Wolfpack.
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After the sport, Harper stated she was informed the whistle received blown earlier than the ball was inbounded.
“I do not know in the event that they checked it. I requested them to test. I am unsure if they might,” she stated. “For us, the video games aren’t simply singular. We had that very same scenario earlier this yr, and it was the reverse. I used to be calling a timeout, whistle blew, however they did not give it to us. That was actually what I used to be saying.”
Harper was referring to Tennessee’s eight-point loss at South Carolina within the regular-season finale. On the finish of the third quarter, she known as for a timeout earlier than Girl Vols guard Kaiya Wynn inbounded the ball. An official blew the whistle, however they did not cease the sport. MiLaysia Fulwiley stole the inbounds move, and Wynn was compelled to foul her.
Harper received emotional when she was requested how exhausting it was to abdomen that these calls might have altered the result of two postseason video games.
“In these video games, these groups are actually good,” she stated as soon as she gathered herself. “One mistake, one missed shot, one missed task at any level within the sport can change it.”
Cora Corridor covers College of Tennessee ladies’s athletics. E mail her at cora.corridor@knoxnews.com and comply with her on Twitter @corahalll. For those who get pleasure from Cora’s protection, contemplate a digital subscription that permits you to entry all of it.