Pointing to late-game Georgia Tech 3-pointer, Bennett would like shot clock changed for college hoops

By Jerry Ratcliffe

In the aftermath of Virginia’s come-from-behind win over underdog Georgia Tech on Saturday night, was yet another proposal to change scoreboard clocks for college basketball.

The suggestion came from Tony Bennett after his Cavaliers made a dramatic comeback from 11 points down in the second half to beat the visiting Yellow Jackets, 64-62.

What precipitated Bennett’s proposition was a controversial decision with 1:30 showing on the John Paul Jones Arena clock. Virginia center Jay Huff had swatted away a layup by Tech’s Michael Devoe with the ball flying out of bounds just before the shot clock buzzer sounded.

Officials reviewed the play on TV monitors and determined there was one second remaining on the shot clock and awarded Georgia Tech the ball out of bounds. Virginia’s bench and fan base were incensed over the decision, because the Yellow Jackets managed to not only inbounds the ball, but Tech center Moses Wright received the pass on the right win, stepped behind the arc and drilled a 3-pointer that tied the game at 62-all with 1:29 to play.

Officials had to return to the TV monitor again to determine if Wright got the ball off in time, and after review ruled his shot was good.

Virginia went on to win off Kihei Clark’s basket with nine seconds to play, although Tech got off another last-second 3-point attempt that caromed off the rim at the buzzer.

After postgame analysis most of UVA’s fan base agreed that Wright got his game-tying shot off before the buzzer but thought the shot clock didn’t start on time.

Bennett has been an advocate for some time about college basketball switching their shot clock and game clock to the NBA version, which might give a better indication of how much time is really remaining, a full second or a split second.

“That’s the one thing we’ve been pushing for,” Bennett said after watching the Cavaliers improve to 10-2 overall and 6-0 in ACC play. “There shouldn’t be a ‘1’ on the shot clock. I digress, but it shouldn’t be just 1; it should be .5 or .8

“That’s what they do in the NBA. I don’t know why we have just a plain second. I think that’s not good for the game. I’ll say that in victory instead of complaint in a defeat. I think it’s something that should be changed, and the officials all agree with that.”

One Twitter follower commented that: “[Wright] released before the shot clock expired, BUT if the shot clock is started correctly when the player touches the ball, there’s no way [Wright] has time for a half step jump and release.”

Another Twitter follower said he put his stop watch on the play 10 times and got anywhere from .88 to 1.06 but the .88 showed up more than anything else.

College basketball should follow the NBA’s lead on the matter and eliminate any future controversies that are unnecessary.