Quote from: vu72 on January 31, 2021, 06:01:32 PMThe shot was not effected. The ball hit high off the backboard. Still a mistake and heartbreaking for the kid.
Actually the shot being wide right and hitting high off the backboard is an indication that the shot was affected in a major way by the foul. When a shooter is squared up 20 feet from the basket and the ball misses the basket by several feet, well that rarely happens especially when that shooter is an experienced, clutch guard. The replay from behind the shooter clearly shows the lower arm of the shooter being contacted and pushed to the right. Her arm position after the shot was considerably to the right and back not in a position that is anywhere near normal for a shooter. This coincides with the shot being wide right by a couple of feet and the lack of a follow through always sends the balls long as the fingers never end up on the top side of the ball which is when a shooter regulates the distance, So the contact was pretty significant as evidenced by the wild trajectory of the ball, the immediate reaction to the contact by the shooter, the almost immediate raising of the arm by the official to signal the foul and the reaction of the fouler. Believe me an official does not want to blow the whistle in that situation but given how obvious it was that there was contact and that the contact prevented the shot from being anywhere near the basket the call had to be made.
One does have to feel for the kid and Valpo. You simply have to not foul in that situation. A player like Calip may make a clutch shot like that but she is almost certainly going to make 2 or 3 free throws if you foul her . If Valpo would have made the 2nd free throw then it would have been in much better position and might have even considered fouling prior to the shot so that only 2 shots would have been awarded. Valpo gave it everything they had. Valpo is a hard team to play because of their 5 out offense. Missouri State is a legit Top 25 team as evidenced by their resume and especially by their win over Maryland. But they are a team which any of about the top 7 teams in the MVC can beat on a given night if most everything goes just right. The MVC is pretty good overall. Valpo almost did it. KUDOs to them for their effort.