Michigan State Beats Ohio State, Big Ten Refs Do Big Ten No Favors

Michigan State beat Ohio State today in the Big Ten Tournament, allowing the Spartans to move on and perhaps bursting the Buckeyes' bubble.

And since Ohio State might have needed a win to get into the Tournament and Michigan State didn't, an intriguing storyline emerged: Might the Big Ten referees working the game favor the Buckeyes, on the theory that an Ohio State win would likely put them in the NCAA Tournament and give the Big Ten five teams in the Big Dance instead of four? Joe Sheehan wrote at Basketball Prospectus:

It should be interesting to see how this one is called. Fair or no, it's clear that the Big 11 has a lot invested in the outcome of that game.

It was a plausible idea, but I think the above clip should put that conspiracy theory to bed. The clip shows a Big Ten referee giving Ohio State's Othello Hunter a questionable foul, followed by an even more questionable technical. Almost every questionable call in this game went against Ohio State.

Still, give credit to Michigan State for winning it. Drew Neitzel had an outstanding game, scoring 28 points, and the Spartans are back on track after looking shaky a couple of weeks ago.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-14-2008 @ 5:23PM

jff5325 said...

Michigan State, refs defeat Ohio State..

3-14-2008 @ 5:24PM

Gary Mayer said...

Your disrespect for Big Ten refs is out of ignorance. They made a bad call in both the MSU/OSU game and the UW/UM game. Bo Ryan got called for a T for hollering at his own player. The ref later explained that Bo got called for stomping his foot, an unlikely scenario. Other than the two bad calls they were both well-officiated games and the commentators were superb.

3-14-2008 @ 6:01PM

Martin said...

All of the "conspiracy" buffs apparently leave Area 51 in March to focus their paranoia on college basketball refs. Some rules for everyone to remember.

1. Refs are human, and therefore fallible (just like the players). When players make every shot they try, people can complain when a ref blows a call. Until then, remember that officiating is part of the game, and usually averages out during the game.

2. Sometimes refs are actually in a better position to see a foul than a stationary T.V. camera.

3. Television cameras use telephoto lenses which distort distances, and can mislead the viewer.

4. Refs don't have slow motion instant replay and I don't think the average fan wants to give every basketball coach a red flag to throw out on the court every time he feels that a ref has made a bad call.

5. Most refs are honest, hardworking people (just like the rest of us) who are striving to do a very difficult job and generally do it very well.

So just sit back and enjoy the game and recognize that, as in every sport, to become the champion, a team must have a lot of skill AND a lot of luck.

3-14-2008 @ 7:00PM

KC said...

The refs do not win or lose games the players and coaches do.

3-14-2008 @ 7:33PM

JC Rivers said...

OSU No matter what should get they made it last year.if you get final 4 you should automaticly be in the following year.

3-14-2008 @ 7:49PM

G. Hale said...

If you look at the history of the Big Ten and refs you see they do not do well in big games or with coaches who are bigger than the game. I get sick of the Ted Hillary name dropping like he is some kind of ref god. Truth is the game, the players are to fast and to big for these old guys to catch all that needs to be caught. The big ten refs show that every game, they miss things because they are slow and out of position. Other conf. probably have some of the same wipes. Worst part is Delaney answer whe they screw up is no comment meaning...he has his head up his ass and can't see. Watch the big ten final on Sunday you will see a banner up in the rafters that says....Delaney Sucks!!!!!!!!!!

3-15-2008 @ 11:21AM

tibojo said...

This is a big conversation for anyone who has watched BigTen basketball as a fan. I am a MSU fan and I did think that tech was ridiculous there was also many moments I was going crazy because of bad calls Bucky's way. All the calls under the basket were wrong.
The BigTen refs make the Bigten a mockery of all the talk show hosts. They say BT basketball is unwatchable and I agree. We are capable of running with the ACC or being as tough as the Pac10 but our refs prefer to slow the game down and steal all momentum and fun. There is no flow to our games and they end in the 40s and 50s, while other leagues end in the 80s and 90s.
There is no conspiracy. There is only bad officiating. This will prove out when our league is let loose in the big dance; the leg irons will come off, the tiky taks will be play ons, and they are allowed to run and punch like BigTen men. I only they know how to adjust to there new found freedom.