Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports
The spotlight was on Aaron Craft after Ohio State's last-second victory over Iowa State, not because of his cold-blooded game-winner, but because of a controversial charge he took late in the game that could have swung the game for his Buckeyes. With 1:15 remaining and Iowa State holding a one-point lead, Cyclones guard Will Clyburn drove to the basket, made contact with two Ohio State defenders, including Craft, and laid the ball off the glass for a tough basket.
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If the basket had counted, Iowa State would have been on the free throw line, up three points with 1:41 remaining. But officials believed Craft had set himself in a legal area before Clyburn released the ball. His heel was just above a restricted area under the basket and it looked like he had narrowly positioned himself to take the charge.
The Iowa State player was whistled for the foul, the basket was nullified and Ohio State gained possession. The Buckeyes tied the game seconds later, then won on Craft's three-pointer in the final second.
Analysts on CBS and across the Internet disagreed with the call. Jay Bilas called it a "failure." Greg Anthony, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley disputed the ruling on the court. John Adams, the national coordinator of officiating for the NCAA, admitted it was probably a missed call, but said it was so quick that it's hard to say for certain.
During the game's broadcast, the legitimacy of the call was less clear. Clark Kellogg and Jim Nantz praised Craft for raising his heel so that it didn't touch the restricted area under the basket, where charges can't be called. There were multiple problems with that statement.
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First, if Craft's heel was still moving, then he wasn't properly set. That means it was a block and Clyburn should have been awarded the basket, plus one free throw.
Second, a defender standing over the restricted area is considered to be in the restricted area. The application of the rule isn't like a ball handler standing with his heels over the out of bounds area. If Craft's foot was above the semi-circle, then he can't take a charge. (The ruling is similar to how it's considered a touchdown if a football crosses the plane of the end zone, but not out of bounds if a ball crossed the plane of the sideline.)
It's a tough to call to make either way.
After the game, the NCAA national coordinator of men's basketball officiating, John Adams, gave his explanation.
"I spoke with the official, and he determined the defender established legal guarding position outside the restricted area prior to the offensive player leaving the floor to start his shot," Adams told reporters. "When asked, the official said he did not see the defender's foot over the restricted area line. By rule, this is not a reviewable play."
Clyburn, the player called for the charge, wasn't even sure what happened.
"I really can't see where he was," he said after the game. "I felt like it was a good play. I'm not sure if he got position or if he was there or not."
The problem, perhaps, isn't with the call, it's with the idea that college basketball rewards defensive players for sliding into position and standing still rather than playing defense.