Refs Botched Last Night's UConn-Marquette Overtime, Had Teams Shoot At Wrong Baskets, May Have Cost UConn The Game

Officials mutilated the start of an overtime period last night in Milwaukee, casting doubt on the outcome of what would eventually be a 82-76 Marquette victory over UConn and tarnishing the already-black reputation of referee Karl Hess.

Hess, last seen in this space ejecting former NBA players Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani from the stands, lined the teams up in the wrong direction to start overtime—which was then complicated by a Marquette goaltend on a UConn shot.

After several minutes of debate, the goaltend was waved off (as UConn had been shooting at their own basket) and Marquette awarded the ball on the alternating possession. The opening tip blunder notwithstanding, did Hess and his fellow officials follow the right procedure to right the ridiculous wrong? No, says NBC Sports' Rob Dauster. His interpretation of the rules (and we're inclined to believe it) states UConn's basket should have counted, since it occurred before referees recognized the mistake. Color us unsurprised Karl Hess made a bad situation worse. [ESPNU]