It was the basket that wasn’t. The basket that should have been.
With five minutes to play Saturday and Northwestern trailing Gonzaga 63-58, Dererk Pardon took a shot near the rim. Gonzaga freshman Zach Collins put his hand through the cylinder to block it, but basket interference was not called. Instead NU coach Chris Collins charged onto the court and got hit with a technical foul.
“It would have been a three-point game; we had all the momentum,” Collins said after the Wildcats’ 79-73 loss in the West Region second-round game. “It’s a very easy call, in my opinion. But it’s an honest mistake. Referees are human beings, and they’re here for a reason, because they’re outstanding officials. They made the calls. We have to live with them.”
The NCAA released a statement acknowledging the foul-up, saying Pardon’s shot “should have resulted in a basket scored by Northwestern.”
“They issued a statement,” Collins said. “I appreciate the apology.”
He added with sarcasm: “It makes me feel great.”
The officiating crew made a number of questionable calls.
“I’m not going to criticize anybody,” Pardon said of the refs. “We’ve been up against the odds all year. We can’t expect anything. Just had to play through it.”
The Bulldogs attempted 36 free throws to NU’s 13. Nigel Williams-Goss hit both after Collins’ technical.
Asked if he regretted the “T,” Collins said: “If I see a guy from another team put his hand through the rim and block a shot going through the basket, I’m going to react. I’m a human being too. I think all of you would.”
