Referee Bert Smith suffers a scary collapse during the USC-Gonzaga Elite Eight game. More Videos. Mike Reed, Brian OConnell, Courtney Green were the refs in the game. I wanted to make sure that I kept myself and everybody happy.. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Every one of us should value each day and not take it for granted.. This is the start of it. I steadily went downhill from there.. Jalen Carters arrest warrant for reckless driving and racing, explained. Bert Smith, veteran NCAA . A stretcher came out. If You Dont Have a Denim Shirt Yet, Whats Stopping You? Houston vs Villanova. The doctors convinced Smith to sit on the stretcher for just a moment. The NCAA has implemented strict protocols for players, coaches and staffers in this year's NCAA Tournament, including assigned seating for bus rides, to try and avoid contact tracing wiping out large swaths of teams and wreaking havoc on the bracket. Meanwhile, Ayers had to figure out how to deal with the immediate aftermath. The referee anticipated TCU driving to the basket, but Arizonas double-team prevented that. He convinced the doctors to not admit him to the hospital, returning home and enduring four days where he could barely get out of bed and walk to the kitchen to grab a Gatorade from the fridge. Early in the West Region final between Gonzaga and USC at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Smith hit the floor and stayed down for several minutes. STATE COACHES INFORMATION State Championship policies and procedures, deadlines, required forms, resources and more. Calling a timeout in crunch-time when your team doesnt have one? Email Marquel Slaughter at mslaughter1@gannett.com and follow hisTwitter @MarquelSports. Purdue won by 10. Don't show one of the most painful moments of someone's life like it's your favorite GIF. NCAA Tournament referees have taken their share of heat from fans, as well as the media, this March Madness. Yes. Take the case of Fatou Cissoko-Stephens, who was no stranger to the bubble environment and the challenges it posed. He was seen earlier in the game stumbling a bit as he regained his balance, just minutes before he would pass out and hit his head on the ground. The Alamodome court features a "Women's Basketball" logo (the NCAA does not use the term "March Madness" to refer to the women's tournament). I compiled a few of the side-by-side court photos here. He has to be near the midcourt line, in line with the TCU ball-handler. State Basketball Coaches Information GENERAL INFORMATION 2023 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A Basketball Schedule 2023 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball Schedule (Revised 2/1) 2022-23 ASAA State Basketball At-Large Selection & Seeding Process Those 120 officials faced stiff restrictions before even stepping on the floor at their tournament sites. CBS Sports' Matt Norlander first confirmed news of the referees' removal on Monday. Wonders is the call was "personal." The music lover also brought along her turntables and speakers, serving as the unofficial DJ for the womens officiating staff. The Cougars won the game, 68-53, to advance to the Sweet 16. March Madness BABY! UNC Barstool (@UNCBarstool) March 19, 2022, https://twitter.com/jms2442/status/1505265875854708736. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. I was in the building yesterday, witnessed Carolina build a 25 pt lead, the most investigation-deserving officiating Ive ever seen, the Heels blow said 25 pt lead with the lineup we had left, and a UNC OT NCAA win over top seed and defending champ Baylor. Referees have a very difficult job keeping up with kids half, to one-third, their age with 10 times more athletic ability. . All 58 of our officials would boo me in unison, he said with a laugh. I have officiated basketball, and the proper technique is to be in line with the ball, not in front of it. I remember starting to struggle, but the four minutes prior to that it was a normal game for me. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. If you were to imagine a scenario in which #USC loses a tournament game, the L to Oregon State in Vegas fit the description. March Madness Referee collapses on court at Gonzaga-USC March Madness game. We all look forward to and desire a normal year, whatever thats going to be.. Baylor will play Houston on Saturday evening, while UCLA will face-off with Gonzaga later that night. Hope he's okay pic.twitter.com/WZXo7V7nbv Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 30, 2021, Scary. Referee Bert Smith collapsed along a baseline Tuesday night during the Gonzaga-USC Elite Eight game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mar 24, 2022 at 9:36 pm ET 4 min read USATSI The 2022 NCAA Tournament restarts Thursday night with four Sweet 16 games. When he wasnt busy putting one foot in front of the other, he was employing a variety of techniques to pass the time. Update (March 24): The men don't get just one special court at each venue. 2 min read A full Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament provided an. More Videos. MARCH MADNESS BAD BEATS BLOG: No. The 2021 NCAA men's tournament continues with the Final Four this weekend. The NCAA said Tony Chiazza, who is scheduled to be the standby referee for Tuesday night's Michigan-UCLA game, also will serve as the reserve official for the Gonzaga-USC game. NFL referees do not get paid by a per game . This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. He awoke Monday morning to find he had three missed calls, all from an Indianapolis area code. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. It was later reported that Smith was awake in the locker room and was stable, but he was undergoing additional evaluations. Then, Baylor trapped UNC and forced many turnovers, using the same kind of aggressiveness that UNC was criticized for with the Manek call. Houston made a Final Four run last year. ET. They should be held accountable for such a terrible call. Theyve now advanced to at least the Sweet 16 in three straight times in the mens tournament. Asked about final foul call, Andy Enfield said he thought Drew Peterson was fouled on the other end the play prior, so he was wondering if you make a call on one end why not the other. Obligatory Final Four Jeff Anderson tweet. What happened to me on the court was going to happen to me somewhere again, and maybe I dont recover, Smith said. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Even during March Madness, one of the biggest televised college basketball platforms, the referees can still make game-changing mistakes. Anderson, 54, graduated from Franklin High School in 1985. Here are three things to know about the former Section Vref: Jeff and his high knees have made it to the Elite 8. The NCAA has notified these 11 individuals selected to work the 2021 Final Four, which will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana: Pat Adams, Mobile, Alabama Jeff Anderson, West. He called his doctor Wednesday. Let's provide bracket picks for the #Pac12WBB Tournament. Smith was standing near the baseline in front of the Gonzaga bench when he collapsed and hit his head on the floor. He was already getting plenty of physical exertion, and it had nothing to do with the number of tournament games he worked, culminating with the Womens Final Four semifinal clash between Arizona and UConn. An IU cheerleader kept Thursday night's NCAA Tournament game against Saint Mary's going by retrieving a . 1 Villanova defeated No. Fine. #MarchMadness @highkneesref pic.twitter.com/LEuYlFuShk. Some people watching from home quickly pointed out that, yesshowing the replay the same way you'd show a dude chucking up a buzzer-beater was fucked up. Meet Kayla Simmons, the world's sexiest volleyball player who loves posing topless, Ex-UFC star VanZant sends fans wild as she flashes bum while climbing tree, Veronika Rajek wows in figure-hugging top as she invites fans to 'happy time', Brady could star in 'Netflix roast' while still 'trying to win back Gisele', 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Referee Bert Smith fell on the court during the first half of the game between USC and Gonzaga. About 90 minutes later, he discovered it wasnt. Once that was finished, and not showing any symptoms, Ayers had to try to convince health officials to let him travel to his home in Roanoke, Va., rather than suffer through a 10- to 14-day quarantine in his hotel room. Gambling problem? Their appeals were finally heard, and after a shower at the J.W. RJ Melendez's technical. NCAA has some things to fix for next year #IUB, Barstool IU (@IUBarstool) March 19, 2022, Eddie Gonzalez (@bansky) March 19, 2022, https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ/status/1505258117411442688, Chris Milholen (@CMilholenSB) March 19, 2022. Injuries, sure, are the terms of engagement for anyone who puts a uniform on. Once Smith came to, he was ready to resume the game with partners McCall and Doug Shows. USC deserved better, and Andy Enfield is not wrong here. With the help of Collins and the NCAA staff, he was able to secure a rental car and made the eight-hour drive home. There was an error submitting your subscription. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Per Dellenger, Smith "was feeling light-headed" when he collapsed on the court. Early speculation was Smith had been dehydrated. I said, Uh-oh. Immediately after his fall, fellow officials, coaches and medical staff rushed to his aide. To know I had an influence on those guys not working, and it was not their fault, mentally, thats been the toughest part of this whole thing, Ayers said. It was almost like college-wise, youre going back to a college atmosphere.. We really enjoyed just getting that freedom more than anything. Smith was officiating his second Elite Eight, and was replaced by standby official Tony Henderson. All four officials rank in the top 12 of KenPom's season-long "officials rankings. After Six Refs Sent Home, March Madness. At that point, Smith was strapped in and taken off the court, with a now indelible image of him on the stretcher, arms crossed, a scowl etched across his face. He has the unique environment of the 2021 NCAA Tournament to thank for it. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Asked if media could receive comment from officials re. I felt so guilty, said Gonzalez with a laugh. Six referees have been sent. The referee had no chance to call a foul or a backcourt violation. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. (Collins) know. "One official tested positive March 15, and five other officials the person interacted with the day before were identified as exposure risks due to prolonged close contact. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The refs in the mens NCAA tournament have been an issue several times already, particularly in the North Carolina vs. Baylor game, and this is the most egregious call they have made so far. section: | slug: 2021-ncaa-tournament-six-referees-removed-from-march-madness-due-to-covid-19-protocols | sport: collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | The notion that a referee mistake is but another instance of quirky misfortune is an affront to all that sports fans hold sacred. Doesnt react quick enough and is straight-lined by 2nd Arizona defender. Copyright 2022 Referee Enterprises Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Please disable. Not only would it have tied for the the biggest comeback in March Madness history, but it would have been even more widely criticized as an example of how referees can unfairly change the outcome of the game. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Just as USC was bringing the ball down the court to lessen their 11-4 trail behind Gonzaga, one of the refs blew his whistle as soon as he saw Smith land on the floor. With leisure-time options limited for the 58 mens basketball officials who found themselves confined to an Indianapolis bubble due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns and restrictions, the NCAA had to get creative to keep its tournament arbiters from going stir crazy. Some people watching from home quickly pointed out that, yesshowing the replay the same way you'd show a dude chucking up a buzzer-beater was fucked up. It saved his life. We had a hallway dance party, and everyone was like, great, we can hear music, we can dance, we can live. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS. Since its about to be March Madness time.. ACT LIKE COACH BOBBY KNIGHT. Purdue earned probably 36-38 of its 46 free throws. Anderson has already officiated three other March Madness games this season. Lets take a look at all the officiating controversies in March Madness 2022. UNC playing both Baylor and refs. The refs need to realize the game isnt about them. Then they convinced him to swing his legs up onto it. Upon the completion of each round of tournament play that number would shrink, until eventually a crew of 10 officials got the call to report to whatever city was hosting the Final Four, the pinnacle of each respective tournament. The Rochester ref shows enthusiasm on his calls, whether he's firmlypointing toward a baseline to indicate change of possession or swinging his arm to the ground on a buzzer beating basket. The first thing you need to know is that March Madness is a college basketball tournament, run by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). ", "I mean, I was just shocked and scared for him," said Few, per ESPN, "but I was able to stick my head in there a little bit and see that he was talking and coherent and tried to say a quick prayer for him and just wished him the best.". It was like I had the plague, said Ayers, who earlier on Sunday had worked the championship game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament between VCU and St. Bonaventure at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. I really thought, This is a false positive.. There is both a . The . By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. Upon arriving Sunday, March 14, at the Le Meridien hotel in downtown Indianapolis, a group of six officials discovered their rooms were not quite ready and headed to Harry & Izzys, a nearby steakhouse, for an impromptu dinner. Congrats Jeff! Thats still 8-10 too many. The first order of business was sharing the information with those who needed to know. Doing so allowed him to stock up on provisions avoiding some online supply ordering and enjoy a one-night respite from a hotel bed before he returned to tournament central for a 16-night stay that culminated with his first Sweet 16 assignment. Part of that Baylor comeback was spurred by a powerful full court press defense, but it was also aided by the callsand lack of callsthat seemed to all go against UNC. INDIANAPOLIS - Bert Smith hasn't seen the moment that made him famous. In the theme and spirit of this time of the year, I want to have some college basketball fun. Never had tossing around a football, playing a few games of cornhole or enjoying a simple walk on fresh-cut grass felt so good. Basically, March Madness is the NCAA's bread and butter. 5 seed Houston was always going to produce a tense atmosphere. Ron Groover and Terry Oglesby are set to join Anderson on the officiating crew tonight. To have ones name on the list of officials selected for the NCAA mens and womens basketball tournaments would, under normal circumstances, be more than enough adrenaline to fuel their own personal March Madness. There have been several endgame controversies in this tournament, and USC was involved in one of them. Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The Final Four was held in front of a few thousand people as opposed to the now-normal crowd in the area of 70,000 people. It's not a bad gig. For more NCAA basketball news, analysis and highlights from March Madness, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action. Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday? The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, hit the floor and stayed down for several minutes, Arizona fires scandal-marred basketball coach, Patrick Kane well worth struggle to bring him to Broadway, PGA Tour becoming like LIV Golf after latest schedule changes, The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. Gene Steratore, a CBS Sports rules analyst, later said on the TBS broadcast of the game that he heard Smith was feeling "lightheaded" before the accident. If college basketball referees can impress the NBA, they could be in for a major pay raise if they make the jump over to professional basketball.The lowest-paid NBA officials make more than double that the highest-paid college officials make, and the highest-paid officials make $550,000.They can make anywhere from $600 per game to $3,500 and have far more certainty about their schedules. Thats an important detail considering that, until all of the officials cleared quarantine procedures, none of them were allowed to use the hotel elevators. If you do that, you can be successful, Cissoko-Stephens said. pic.twitter.com/v3jwDdg8IE Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 30, 2021. Mentally, however, its been a tough couple of months as he struggles with guilt over what his positive test cost his dining companions. However, a persistent emergency room physician had one lingering question. Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. For tournament play to safely return, changes were going to be necessary. They asked Smith if he could sit up, and thats when he noticed the stretcher that had been wheeled onto the court. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 2 Villanova defeated No. Reporters Ross Dellenger and Jeff Borzello later tweeted that, according to the NCAA, Smith was in stable condition. The 2023 men's NCAA tournament for March Madness starts with First Four games in Dayton, Ohio and continues through to the 2023 Final Four in Houston. Upon their return to the hotel, at approximately 10 p.m., they were given a COVID-19 test and placed into quarantine, same as the other 54 officials. That's a job for, you know, a doctor. Mens official Courtney Green caught a break that allowed him to not be held captive to the online overlords. ", "The NCAA has replaced several officials for March Madness because of a positive COVID-19 test," the NCAA said in a statement. For the first time since its inception in 1939, the entirety of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament - better known by its nickname "March Madness" - will play out in a single. Plenty of content will be coming your way on those topics . Thats what I shipped down to be comfortable, to feel like home. Illinois couldnt afford to have such a dumb call go against them in a close game the Cougars are too good for that. That you need to watch it again. Bert Smith told the . In a comeback that seemed rather unjust to behold, fans were so unnerved by the poor referee calls that even Duke fans had sympathy for the Tar Heels. 11 seed crashes Final Four Refresh constantly for minute-to-minute updates on all of the NCAA Tournament action live line movement, props, halftime bets and more. Once the game was over, he returned to the hotel with McCall and Shows, who tried to convince him to visit the hospital and get checked out. And for those of us who drink, Drizly became your best friend.. It was a journey . The referees were told to arrive by Sunday night to check into their hotel and were asked by the NCAA to stay there to follow protocols. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Once the officials cleared initial quarantines, they still had to endure daily virus testing for the entirety of their tournament experience, were forced to change into and out of their uniforms at their hotels instead of on-site locker rooms, had to ride in approved shuttle buses to and from the arena, and could not even stick around following their own games to watch their fellow officials work games. Thank you Board 60 officials for the special honor tonight as our basketball team won the Sportsmanship award. I let my wife know. At this particular time, in this year with COVID, it was exactly the right thing to do.. College basketball fans and officials everywhere watched in horror as the Florence, Ky., resident collapsed to the floor approximately four minutes into the Elite Eight contest between USC and Gonzaga on March 30. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Most Final Four appearances. Among those who were sent home include Ted Valentine, John Higgins, Kipp Kissinger and Roger Ayers. Bert Smith was alert and sitting up with his arms crossed as he was taken off the court. Slowly but surely, he regained his physical health and now feels 100 percent. March Madness (the 14th - 19th) in Vegas is an annual trip for many and a bucket list item for even more. Ja Morants allegations of aggression off the court, explained. The womens tournament featured a similar approach, with San Antonio serving as the host, and nearby arenas in Austin and San Marcos also serving as de facto regional locations. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 3 Michigan 79-62 in 2018. The game was a testy one, headed to overtime, between teams desperate to reach the N.C.A.A. College basketball referees can make a nice living, but there is a lot of travel and stress involved. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images). #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/HmL6o5QaYH, Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) March 30, 2021, Patrick Everson (@Covers_Vegas) March 30, 2021. This marks Anderson's second time officiating an NCAA final, and hisfifth Final Four appearance since officiating Division I games 21 years ago. In 2017, Anderson called his first Final Four. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Melendez flushed home a dunk to cut Houstons lead to four points, and he hung on the rim to protect himself from his forward momentum. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Photo by . The geography of the 2021 postseason, coupled with the NCAAs desire to create an officiating bubble that would allow for tighter control and monitoring, and reduced exposure to the ills caused by COVID-19, made such a large number of officials not only unnecessary, but unwise. Manek had 26 points prior to his ejectionpic.twitter.com/ggNHNJ27M5. The 2022 NCAA Tournament has been thrilling, dramatic, full of surprises, richly competitive, and entirely compelling. Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) March 20, 2022. March Madness ref Bert Smith's collapse may have saved his life By Zach Braziller April 9, 2021 3:15pm Updated An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. The 2023 men's NCAA tournament will hold the First Four games in Dayton, Ohio and the Final Four this year will be held in Houston, Texas. Not only was that not going to be the case, he was being removed from the tournament under orders by Indiana state health officials. It probably won't be. Rodriguez vs. Morales at March Madness on Tapology. Game back on. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Schroder Over 7.5 assists (+105) Embiid Over 14.5 rebounds + assists (-110) Rozier Over 2.5 turnovers (+115) Picks made on 3/1/2023 at 9:00 a.m. Smith revealed in a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star the fall may have saved him. pic.twitter.com/b3v0HezKJP. Referee Bert Smith was stretched off after collapsing in the USC-Gonzaga game. Smith reportedly stayed on the floor for about five minutes before standing up and moving to a nearby stretcher. This year, so much of what makes the event special has returned to the forefront. View. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). His test had come back positive for COVID-19, and a second test was going to be required. Almost immediately, a serious complication arose on the mens side. It's bracket season. My iPad was plugged into the TV and I was binge-watching Netflix. Houston was trying to build off its Final Four run last season, while Illinois was looking to make its first trip to the Sweet 16 since Dee Brown and Deron Williams powered a Final Four run back in 2005. All Rights Reserved. Crossing paths with Davis in the hotel lobby, he mentioned he was waiting on a food delivery only to be busted when the delivery driver showed up with something a little bit stronger. Baylor almost pulled off a historic comeback against UNC, answering a 25-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation to take an 80-80 game to overtime. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The on-site medical personnel had other ideas. J.D. Ive already done it.. At first, everything checked out. The March to Madness Referees March 05, 2010 Are Referees Blowing Calls Because of Fatigue? No team has taken as many free throws as Purdue did (46) while its opponent took as few as Texas did (12) tonight in a D1 game in more than 4 years. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. In fact, the online liquor store led to an amusing interaction between Gonzalez and his tournament boss. Six of the most high-profile NCAA Tournament officials have been removed from this year's March Madness after a positive COVID-19 test and subsequent contact tracing efforts, the NCAA confirmed. I want to know why you fell.. Detroit's Davis near Maravich's NCAA scoring record, South Alabama-App. Melendez was not showboating he was making sure he didnt get hurt after sprinting and soaring for a dunk in a close game. We got time in the yard. INDIANAPOLIS - Bert Smith hasn't seen the moment that made him famous. I thought I would be reffing (Thursday), and instead Im staring at a ceiling and wondering if Im going to be OK, Ayers said.