Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 24, 1990 TAG: 9003242497
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS LENGTH: Medium
Given a reprieve when the technical evidence was against them, the Yellow Jackets forced overtime against Michigan State and then ousted the Big Ten champions 81-80 Friday night at the Superdome.
Tech freshman point guard Kenny Anderson, struggling to control the ball most of the way down the floor on a last-gasp possession in regulation, launched a jump shot from the left of the key.
Anderson's shot was released about the time the horn sounded, and when it went through the twine, at least one of the officials, John Clougherty, raised his arms to signal a game-winning 3-pointer.
Both coaches, Jud Heathcote of Michigan State and Tech's Bobby Cremins, ran onto the floor, and the Yellow Jackets mobbed Anderson at one free-throw circle.
But after consulting with fellow officials Mike Tanco and Charles Range and the alternate official, Richmond's John Moreau, at courtside, Clougherty and his crew ruled that Anderson's hoop was an overtime-forcing two-pointer.
But that was only part of the controversy on the last play in regulation. Did Anderson release the ball before the horn sounded?
The CBS Sports telecast replay showed Anderson's right foot was on the 3-point arc, meaning his shot should have been worth two points. But the replay, with accompanying audio, also showed that Anderson let the ball go after the horn had sounded.
The horn, not the :00 on the clock display, signals the end of a college game. It was the second NCAA regional semifinal decision involving the timer and an ACC team in two nights.
Clemson lost to Connecticut in the East Regional on Thursday night when Tate George beat the buzzer with a jumper for the Huskies.
The loss reminded the fourth-ranked Spartans (28-6) of their 1986 Midwest Regional loss to Kansas at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., when a clock malfunction caused the ticker to stop for about 20 seconds when State had a six-point lead in the final 2 1/2 minutes.
Heathcote couldn't say for sure whether Anderson's game-tying basket was worth two or three points. He couldn't definitively say whether the Tech wunderkind released it before the horn.
It was the previous play at that end of the floor that incensed Heathcote.
Tech called a timeout with six seconds left, trailing 75-73. When State passed the ball inbounds, Yellow Jacket guard Brian Oliver fouled Spartans' scoring leader Steve Smith.
The clocked stopped at :05 with the foul. Smith then missed the front end of a bonus free-throw chance. Johnny McNeil got the rebound for Tech and shuffled a pass to Anderson.
Anderson, whose 31 points led Tech, battled with Smith momentarily to retain possession of the ball. Then he curled left, around a pick at the top of the circle and fired.
"I don't know if it was good or not," Heathcote said, more dejected than disgusted. "But the clock got us again, just like in '86.
"Steve caught the inbounds pass and held the ball for two seconds before the foul was called, and only one second went off the clock.
"Based on how long he held the ball before he was fouled, that wouldn't have left time for [Anderson's] last shot.
"Three-pointer, two-pointer, who knows? It did look to me like he released it after time was gone, but who knows? I do know this is a tremendously disappointing loss for us."
Anderson disagreed. "When the buzzer sounded, the ball was out of my hands," he said. "I'm pretty much sure I beat the buzzer. The controversy was whether it was a three [pointer] or a two. Was my foot on the line? I'm not sure. I just pulled up. I know I beat the buzzer."
The victory sent ninth-ranked Tech (27-6) into Sunday's 1:40 p.m. Southeast championship game against Minnesota, which finished four games behind Michigan State in the Big Ten standings.
Anderson didn't just provide Tech's end-of-regulation heroics. He kept the Yellow Jackets in the game, as shooting star Dennis Scott had a miserable 7-of-22 night.
GET LONG BOX
by CNB