LISTEN: Mike Francesa Goes Ballistic Over SMU Goaltending Call
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Talk about a brutal way to lose.
Sixth-seeded SMU fought all the way back against underdog UCLA on Thursday only to get sent home on a controversial goaltending call that had WFAN host Mike Francesa red-hot and incredulous.
"OH MY GOD!" Francesa said, reacting in real-time to SMU's heartbreaking 60-59 loss. "It isn't even close to being a goaltend! You cost them the game on this, this isn't -- it wasn't even near the rim!"
Bruins guard Bryce Alford's three-pointer down 59-57 in the closing seconds was way off-line. It looked like an airball in one replay. In another, the ball could have had a chance to graze the rim. Mustangs center Yanick Moreira grabbed it at just the wrong time, the refs called him for goaltending and UCLA would move on in unbelievable fashion.
Twitter was going bananas -- and so was Francesa. Though all parties eventually learned that the call was unreviewable, controversy still raged.
"It does not cover goaltending?" Francesa said. "Then these guys have to live with one of the worst calls we've ever seen."
After the break, Francesa dissected the goaltending rule and let the NCAA have it some more.
"The bottom line is, if you aren't going to insult America here, you have to admit that they made a terrible call. You can't correct it now. ... This ball had no chance of ever going in. This is a horrific call. Absolutely ridiculously bad. I will never watch another game as long as I live if you tell me this ball could go in the basket, OK?"