Just in case anybody hasn't seen the play yet, here's the call that we've all been talking about:
The call got Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim ejected from the game, allowing Duke position, all but sealing the victory. There have been quite a few debates that have been made over the call itself. The most notable debate is to whether or not the call was the right one. A lot of people have been saying it was a bad call and that there was bias towards Duke by the refs when they made the call. I'm sorry people but there's really no argument to be made over the call. It was a judgement call by the officials that could have really gone either way, it was a bang bang play if you take another look at it. So did the refs get the call right? They might have yes.
What also has been sticking in the craw of a lot of Syracuse fans was the non call that was made earlier in the game when Jabari Parker of Duke did the exact same thing to Michael Gbinije of Syracuse when Parker went up for a dunk. The ref called it a block and a turnover. So there was inconsistencies among the calls, I'll back the complaints that have been made by Syracuse fans about that. If you are going to call one then call the same thing in the same situation later in the game that's all. And if your not going to call the first play a charge, when it looked almost exactly the same as the video above, then don't call that a charge, call it a block and allow the bucket to stand.
Aside from whether or not the play was a bad call or not, there have been other questions that have arisen from that. The biggest question has to be did that call and the technical fouls to Jim Boehim cost Syracuse the game. The answer is no and I'll tell you why. First of all, there was still 10.4 seconds left on the clock, and had the shot counted, there would have been a free throw which in all likelyhood would have been made and given Syracuse a one point lead. There was still plenty of time for Duke to inbound the basketball, make a charge down the court and try to hit a game winning bucket. So there is no way you can honestly tell me that the call would have blown the game because Duke still would have been able to run down the court and score.
Another reason the call didn't cost Syracuse the game is because, in a way, Syracuse cost themselves the game. The reason I say this is because Syracuse got into foul trouble quite often in the basketball game and sort of took themselves out of it before this call could be made. If Syracuse had played the way they did in the first meeting between these teams back at the Carrier Dome at the beginning of February, then the Orange could have easily won the game. Both teams got into foul trouble at Cameron Saturday night, it wasn't just the Orange. Duke had foul trouble too, just like they did in the first meeting.
As far as the Boeheim ejection, there as no disciplinary action to come of it from the NCAA. It was the call that was made on the court nothing more nothing less. This also had an effect on the coaches polls, as both teams fell in the national rankings. Syracuse has fallen from #1 in the country to #4, as they had also been upset by Boston College earlier in the week. As for Duke, they fell from #4 to #6 in the nation, coupling the Syracuse game with the loss two days before to rival North Carolina. It's worth noting that both Boston College and North Carolina were not ranked in the top 25 teams in the nation in the Associated Press Coaches Polls, which is what lead to both Syracuse and Duke falling in the polls.
This game wasn't as intense as the first meeting that's for sure. And this one, more than likely, won't be the last time these two teams face off this season. Duke and Syracuse are the two best teams in the ACC, which I think is a safe assesment, and will more than likely, if everything goes right, face off again in the ACC tournament, even possibly the big dance and the NCAA tournament. So there is another chance for a rubber match between these clubs again this season!
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