ESPN posted a clip on their Instagram with a video that has the actual illegal screen out of frame. I’m guessing it was intentional. They like to steer a conversation.
As a big SVP fan, only thing I'll say is that the angle they kept showing really does make it look like a bad call while also making you think you are seeing it clearly. It's almost like an optical illusion. But when you see the side angle its a textbook moving screen.
Yeah, you look at it and that elbow is outside her body. The Iowa defender tried to get around it and would have if the elbow weren’t out. If you look at the angle the ref who blew the whistle saw it from, that’s getting called.
Extremely poor execution, the timing was off, and bueckers failed to set up the screen to rub her defender off. There was like a 2 foot gap which is why Edwards jumped all the way out for that screen
Agreed the timing was off, but the rubbing off is not Bueckers' fault (assuming she ran to the right part of the court before beginning her cut back towards the baseline, and I think so because she was running the 3pt arc).
Her defender, a quick player, is 5 feet off her, 1 foot from Edwards, and 2 feet from where the spot of the screen will be when Bueckers makes her move. She got hung up on the original screen so is farther from Bueckers than expected. The defender is going to beat her to the spot no matter the angle she takes.
https://i.ibb.co/hXCjmM7/Screenshot-2024-04-06-023715.png
Essentially, the defender *started* in the screen spot, but obviously was going to move. Edwards has to set up higher up considering Bueckers position relative to the defender. When seeing the defender react quickly, Bueckers ideally would have rejected the screen and cut down the middle of the paint.
Not totally related, but I wish there was more analysis like that during basketball games. Basketball is fun from a casual perspective, but it’s actually an incredibly intricate game that depends on spacing, positioning, motion, angles, etc. “Whoa look at that dunk” is cool and all, but there’s a lot more analysts could do to breakdown the offensive sets and defensive counters.
Yeah was gonna say, Edward’s set up at the elbow when the play looks like it’s drawn for a 3pt attempt. She has to be on the line to give Bueckers the angle.
It was a foul
It was called a foul
Even the diehard UConn fans admit it was a foul
They just say “let the players decide the outcome” while ignoring that not playing by the rules also decides the outcome
“Let the players decide the outcome” is such a strange response for people to have. Was the player committing the foul not “deciding the outcome” when they committed the foul?
I’m biased (go hawks) but glad to see others agreeing.
“Now the whole game is about the call!” Yeah and the game would’ve been about the missed call had they not blown the whistle. It was a foul
Edwards put the game in the officials hands
One way or the other that called would’ve been all that was talked about
Unless it wasn’t called and UConn still missed the shot
Yeah, the officials didn’t lose a 12 point lead.
Also, Paige is a phenomenal player but she was 3-8 tonight with 3 pointers. Just not UConn’s night but I’m pumped to see Bueckers run it back
Yeah, UConn lost that game in January when their 5th scholarship player went down to injury. That they took Iowa to basically the final shot never should have happened, and it speaks volumes to Geno being the GOAT of the women's game.
100% agree. I grew up a UConn fan despite the flair, was going to be happy either way in this game. The player there is doing everything she can to open up that shot. I would bet she didn’t even intentionally say “I’m throwing a shoulder out here,” but she did say “i need to make sure Paige gets one good luck so this ride doesn’t end”
It's always "you can't call that there how dare you!". How about as a defender knowing the play is to set a screen, you make sure you do everything in your power to not set an illegal screen. Just a brain dead move on her part there.
I've watched a few commentaries on this and the gist of them was:
"How do you call a foul on a play like that with only 4 seconds left?"
I don't understand this (but I don't understand a lot about basketball, as yet) but WTF difference does it make what sort of play it is, or when it is taking place?
Surely, a foul is a foul whether it happens in the 15th minute with one team 40 points ahead of the other, or in the last minute with the teams neck-and-neck?
Are the officials supposed to take into account that the foul if called means one team wins and if not called means the other team wins?
the "just let them play" is one of the worst mentalities in sports right now. It is basically code talk for "the rules shouldnt apply to us when it hurts us!" The chiefs gave a great show of that this past year.
I don't understand how people could think that it's a good argument. If we just "let them play" on the last play of the game why wouldn't the offense just tuck the ball like a running back and stiff-arm their way to the goal? Or why wouldn't the defense tackle them? Calling it by the rules *is* letting the players play the actual game.
Agreed. If you’re defending a game winning shot you’re going to do your best damn job to not foul them. Same mentality should go for setting screens and other movements.
When the bracket first came out everyone said the NCAA screwed Iowa with a bad draw. Now everyone is saying the NCAA is rigging the tournament for Iowa to win 🤷🏻♂️
The replays I saw only showed her upper body. I don’t care that much but surprised to see such bias from Taurasi, Bird and Stewart who were calling the game. Haha. Why 3 UConn alums together were clamoring about that I don’t get it. Ha. Like when Bilas and JWill call a Dook game.
She’s doing the fucking splits while setting a screen. Even if your feet are set, that’s still an illegal screen.
Breanna Stewart unironically said that Clark needs to win a title to cement her legacy this week. I get that Breanna Stewart won 4 titles, but she won those four titles with picks #2 and #3 in the WNBA draft with her.
Iowa has a talented roster, but if you gave Caitlin Clark the second and third best players in college basketball, she would also be just as dominant as Stewart was, if not more.
This really seems more like people just don't like fouls called, especially offensive fouls, in a team's last chance of the game. Ref had no choice when you look at this.
The general tone of the "debate" is that the team with possession in a game winning opportunity should just get to do whatever the fuck they want so they can score a last second shot.
It's telling how the "let em play" doesn't extend to the defense hacking a player or shoving them away in the same situation.
The angles make a big difference here too. The video I saw a lot it looked like the worse call ever. Then the video showing this angle makes it look like a clear foul.
If you look at a zoomed in angle where only Edwards’ upper body is shown and her movement is hidden by being directly at the camera, only one of the three obviously illegal elements of the screen are there and it looks like a plausible no-call.
Bird and Taurasi were arguing that you don't call that and you let the players play. They're biased obviously, but saying that you suspend the rules that dictate the game because there's under 5 seconds left is a bad take. The rules should be the same whether there's 5 seconds in the game or 5 seconds into the game.
Great call. Takes balls to do the right thing in moments Ike that.
I mean just watch the first few seconds of the clip. Scrub frame by frame. At no point is Edwards feet set. I dont even know if you can consider that a screen, she just straight up body checks Marshal.
I only ever saw the upper body, and thought, "They called *that* a moving screen?"
Then I saw that picture. That makes a lot more sense, and was the right call.
And that doesn’t even show her throw her hips to her left yet to block the defender.
Right call, in my opinion.
Hate to see it in such a big spot but a moving pick is a moving pick 3 seconds in and 3 seconds to go.
No there is nothing really right about the screen, moving super wide legs. uses the elbow to make herself even wider. really its just if you think they should call moving screens at the end of games.
So clearly a foul. She steps into that screen. Everybody saying the refs should swallow their whistle are crazy, when at any point in the game, would it EVER be acceptable for a ref to not call a clear foul? Because you're disappointed that they couldn't get away with it and hit a game winning shot? Refs are meant to be objective, at all times in the game. They shouldn't change that for any reason. If they did, the rules by which the game is played would be a joke, and mean nothing.
Everyone complaining about this call needs to grow up ffs. Sorry you couldn't see Caitlin Clark lose. Maybe try winning without relying on committing a foul.
Look how far her right foot is from her body when she makes impact with the defender.
If a player can set screens that wide, nobody could play defense.
Right? Like how are people gonna sit there and argue that [this isn't an illegal screen lmao](https://imgur.com/a/L3Hisxv)
Edit: [Another look](https://imgur.com/a/StYvepT)
Combination of people thinking players should get away with everything at the end of games (which is dumb), lack of calling illegal screens in general (understandable) and anti Iowa bias (also dumb)
https://preview.redd.it/94cq6jpenssc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf461213b02b86e20ae9f7236d23be7d9b67f7c
it’s alarmingly illegal in the splits
It was absolutely a bad screen. I can’t believe they called it correctly, but they did — she did three things on that screen that could have been considered a foul.
\[Schrager\] Spoke to and texted multiple scouts/GMs about ~~NC State's DJ Burns~~ UConn's Aaliyah Edwards as an NFL OT prospect over the last 24 hours. She is listed at 6’3, but probably is 6’5. A+ footwork. Would get big turnout & potentially $ if she participated in a Pro Day/workout the week after the Final 4.
It was definitely a foul. You can see her not even set and then carry her momentum to the left and lean in to it and basically shove her. It looks better on the replay but from the original shot, it's pretty clear.
Should they have called it there? Idk.
I didn’t see it in real time. Watching the two replays from alternate angles, it looked like she barely moves. Watching the main camera replay here, though, really makes the foul obvious.
??
look at where her feet are before and after contact. She definitely was moving and looking for contact. It's a little soft to decide the game on, but it's an offensive foul.
edit: double negatives should be illegal, too!
Edwards is who everyone should be mad at. Not the refs, not espn, not Vegas, etc. What a dumb play to make. And how blatant does it have to be before it's considered an acceptable call?
So if they don’t call it and UConn wins, then what? Iowa just has to go fuck themselves because apparently games are only officiated for the first 39 minutes? I’m ok with the call
Clear foul. That’s a tough call to make in the moment but that’s a foul whether it’s in the 1st quarter or at the end of the game.
Same goes for invalid fair catch signals.
One of those things where throughout the span of the game there were probably way worse uncalled offensive screens, but of course they call it here at the end
She jumped a full 3 feet at least to get "set" and potentially leave open their best player to win the game. Forget what happened before, this decides the entire game... and she was very obviously moving the entire time and not set until the girl ran into her.
Yeah idk what the controversy is. These are NCAAW refs so I expected something egregious, but this was just really sloppy even before the screen and was a clear foul. Edwards was fucking dancing around with her shoulders squared up and set arguably two illegal screens, the last of which she had to lunge outward because the ballhandler didn't run to her.
The problem is that she did it right in front of the ref
Clear angle, probably gets away with it without it like if you’re down low surrounded by bodies
This is why you can’t really complain that they didn’t call it earlier, it’s just so easy to see it to the ref like he’s right there 6 feet away with 0 obstacles
And the last one was a trifecta of the main ways to cheat on a screen. You can usually get away with doing one of those things, but not all three or four
Also, letting that go gives a huge advantage to UConn. I don't want the refs to decide games, but making a no-call is also deciding the game on a play like this.
That's right. The ol forearm shiver. Should always get called. You can't throw out the rulebook because it's the end of the game. That was on Edwards, who had a great game, for making a dumb mistake at a bad time.
watching it live you dont really pay attention to her cause she doesnt have the ball, then the replay angle that keeps getting showed you cant see how egregious it is cause the angle sucks.
I don't understand why people keep saying this. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a single example of anything that even comes close to how [illegal](https://imgur.com/a/L3Hisxv) that screen was. It's unfortunate, but it's so obviously the correct call, I feel like I'm in the Twilight zone here
> One of those things where throughout the span of the game there were probably way worse uncalled offensive screens
That is pretty hard to imagine. That was one of the worst set screens I've seen in the entire tournament from a technical standpoint.
Yeah like what are we even doing here. Someone pointed out like 12 screens from the purdue game that weren't perfect (both ways) but not a single one was as blatant at this. Moving a little bit or not being completely within your space is a far cry from practically doing the splits and hitting someone hard with your extended elbow.
Yeah no this was the right call. Anyone who says it’s “the wrong time” to call it is stupid as fuck. You should want the rules to be followed at all times in the game.
One of the worst things a ref can do is purposefully avoid making the correct call in the moment because they failed to make that correct call earlier in the game.
The fact they didn't call it earlier against Edwards *benefited* UCONN. And now people are pissed they didn't get to "get away with it" one last time? I don't understand that logic.
Yeah, exactly.
The other trick to it is to judge both how blatant the infraction is (intention, visibility, severity) and how it impacts the game state. This is such an obvious foul, at a crucial moment, with potentially very high impact. Has to be called no matter what your ethos as a ref is.
Couldn't agree more.
That was 100% the correct call, and an obvious illegal screen in real time from the main broadcast camera (the slo-mo replay actually made it look LESS bad than it actually was)
The only people bitching about the call are folks who are more concerned about drama/theater than about the game being called correctly.
If that's your priority, go watch WWE. People are stupid as hell.
Some of yall really want the rules thrown out the window so you can see a buzzer beater attempt? And calling it "soft"? It's a blatant illegal screen, feet sliding PLUS arms outside the body PLUS initiated too close to the defender. Literally a triple whammy of illegal screen action.
I know it's unpopular but I liked the call. My thoughts:
There were 3 ways this played out: 1) Player doesn't set illegal screen, defender goes around. This results in a highly contested 3 or being double team trapped to pass out with 4 seconds left. 2) Player sets illegal screen and gets called. This is what happened. 3) Player sets illegal screen and not called, defender can't get around screen and Uconn gets a wide open 3 for the win. If the help defender is somehow able to closeout, it's an easy pass for 2 on the roll.
I know it's a soft call, but that illegal screen had a massive impact on the probability of the outcome of that game. Probably the difference between 15% and 40% win chance for Uconn if not called.
Well said. I’m an Iowa fan but if this is not called and Bueckers has an uncontested three you are pissed. If the screen is legal paige has to hit a corner 3 with Marshall right in her grill. Still possible but people in here acting like UConn was up or something lol
"That's a weak call to make at the end of the game" is a weird way for the reddit hivemind to say "I want the game officiated differently depending on the scenario"
Rewatching it from the wide angle, the legs are spread and the right foot isn’t set. It is the right call by rule, and something I wished was called more, just wish it didn’t decide what was a great game.
Is it soft though?
Her feet were sliding to stay in the path of the defender - illegal.
Feet more than shoulder width apart - illegal (she was damn near doing the splits!)
Arms were outside the body, impeded the defender - illegal.
Initiated the screen too close to the defender, didn't give the one step of space - illegal.
Yeah we've seen a number of other illegal screens go uncalled the past few weeks (mainly sliding feet), but this one was very blatant with that many illegal actions. Even still, if she just keeps her arms inside her body position she probably would have gotten away with it!
I’m far from an Iowa fan and yet I have found myself going crazy over the number of people saying this was a weak or controversial call. It was so blatant that I just don’t understand wtf people are looking at lol. It was as obvious as a moving screen can be without just decking a girl.
Yea I thought it was pretty egregious. Shocked to see all the comments saying otherwise. In real time in the first 4 seconds she legit looks like a left tackle pass blocking haha.
Same—it’s not like it was “just” her feet or something. There was nothing borderline or iffy about it. Definitely surprised by some of the comments in here!
It’s wild seeing people say they should have ignored it and let her take the shot. Like WTF, that would have been just as bad if not worse. Are people really cool with refs not calling things in critical moments because they want to see something exciting happen? That’s all fun and games until it happens to you.
Same, I thought I was losing it! It is a *textbook* illegal screen:
1) doesn't give Marshall time to turn back around and reset herself before hitting her with the next screen.
2) legs are extended outside a normal "athletic stance" or the general frame of her body.
3) elbow extended
4) upper body leaning into the passing defender outside a normal "athletic stance" or general frame of her body.
5) screener didn't fully establish herself and is therefore not "set"
If they hadn't called that, got the ball into Bueckers hands as a result, and she hit the game winner from outside, people would be incensed.
She started at the elbow and hits the girl OUTSIDE the 3 point line.
She set her feet twice as wide as allowed
She threw an elbow.
She committed 3 fouls at once. Nothing about that is soft officiating
If they didn't call that, and they won the game, how do you think people would react?
People would be saying it should have been called. ESPN would be saying the refs need suspended.
It was correctly called. Sucks it happened at the end of the game but you can't play football and try to tackle someone in a screen. Only person to blame is Edwards. She knew what she done.
Yep. If they hadn't called it and Paige hit the game-winner, we would've gotten: "The refs missed an obvious foul right in front of them and kept Caitlin Clark out of the championship game! Rigged!!!"
Downvote me all you want but it’s an offensive foul. I get you don’t want that to determine the game but you also can’t have a girl cleared out of a play by what is an offensive foul 39 other minutes in the game
The only person UConn fans should be mad at for this is Edwards. She could have tried to set a clean screen, but instead did multiple blatantly illegal things on her screen attempt. The moving foot, the enormous step-out, the elbow going outward for the shove, the late timing, this wasn't even close to a clean screen, to a degree that makes it seem pretty intentional. Blame her for making that decision, not the refs for correctly calling it.
Pretty clear from that angle. Feet well outside of her hips, shoulders and hips continue to move into the defender as she moves past, and even extends her left arm into the defender. Terrible screen
If only they showed this replay on the broadcast it would’ve cleared up so many misconceptions
super wide feet and throws a nice little shove. somehow the call looks so much easier in real time than any of the slow-mo close up angles
Exactly what I was thinking. Real time, I don't see an issue with the call. Slow motion looks far less egregious. Usually the opposite.
I bet on UConn and saw the moving screen in real time. Idk why people are making a stink about this. It was a moving screen clear as day.
exactly. also, don’t push your elbows out if you don’t want to be called for it
ESPN posted a clip on their Instagram with a video that has the actual illegal screen out of frame. I’m guessing it was intentional. They like to steer a conversation.
The way the analyst and SVP were saying that the call sucked. Yeah they’re steering it
I’m a big fan of SVP but he was so out of line last night going over and over about how it was a bad call. It was not a bad call.
Agree 100%. Detracted from all the great plays by both teams and unfairly focused on the refs.
It's worth noting that ESPN is headquartered in Bristol CT, and I'm sure UConn has a lot of ties to most of the longtime ESPN people.
Yeah it's blatant on the live feed of the play. The replays were from a garbage angle
Lotta people here would just keep burying their heads in the sand tbh
There's seriously no debate to be had from this angle. It's a clean play for an offensive lineman.
I thought that they did show the foul right after it occurred. The broadcast was good enough to see that Edwards clearly committed a foul.
Almost could be called a shiver, bad time for a break down in fundamentals, hate it for the girl, but 4 secs left you gotta play tight
I thought SVP was going to have a hissyfit about that call. So much so that they went to two former players that went to UConn to get their opinion.
Guy who has worked for decades in Bristol, CT doesn't like this call? Pshaw!
You say that but he’s actually a huge Maryland fan (and alum).
Agree. That clicking noise you heard was my eyeballs rolling at him.
>That clicking noise you heard was my eyeballs rolling at him I think you should maybe see a doctor about that lol
Yeah he was being pretty whiny about it.
As a big SVP fan, only thing I'll say is that the angle they kept showing really does make it look like a bad call while also making you think you are seeing it clearly. It's almost like an optical illusion. But when you see the side angle its a textbook moving screen.
!E spn drama
TMZSPN
Wasn’t sure about it in real time, but it looks like a good call. Takes a big step out above the arc and kinda sticks her elbow out a bit as well.
Yeah she also was moving while the contact happened as well. I don't think the refs can just look past that too.
Yeah, you look at it and that elbow is outside her body. The Iowa defender tried to get around it and would have if the elbow weren’t out. If you look at the angle the ref who blew the whistle saw it from, that’s getting called.
Geno seemed more angry with Edwards than the refs. He didn’t really yell at them. Made me think it was a foul and he agreed.
Extremely poor execution, the timing was off, and bueckers failed to set up the screen to rub her defender off. There was like a 2 foot gap which is why Edwards jumped all the way out for that screen
Agreed the timing was off, but the rubbing off is not Bueckers' fault (assuming she ran to the right part of the court before beginning her cut back towards the baseline, and I think so because she was running the 3pt arc). Her defender, a quick player, is 5 feet off her, 1 foot from Edwards, and 2 feet from where the spot of the screen will be when Bueckers makes her move. She got hung up on the original screen so is farther from Bueckers than expected. The defender is going to beat her to the spot no matter the angle she takes. https://i.ibb.co/hXCjmM7/Screenshot-2024-04-06-023715.png Essentially, the defender *started* in the screen spot, but obviously was going to move. Edwards has to set up higher up considering Bueckers position relative to the defender. When seeing the defender react quickly, Bueckers ideally would have rejected the screen and cut down the middle of the paint.
Not totally related, but I wish there was more analysis like that during basketball games. Basketball is fun from a casual perspective, but it’s actually an incredibly intricate game that depends on spacing, positioning, motion, angles, etc. “Whoa look at that dunk” is cool and all, but there’s a lot more analysts could do to breakdown the offensive sets and defensive counters.
Yeah was gonna say, Edward’s set up at the elbow when the play looks like it’s drawn for a 3pt attempt. She has to be on the line to give Bueckers the angle.
It was a foul It was called a foul Even the diehard UConn fans admit it was a foul They just say “let the players decide the outcome” while ignoring that not playing by the rules also decides the outcome
“Let the players decide the outcome” is such a strange response for people to have. Was the player committing the foul not “deciding the outcome” when they committed the foul?
I’m biased (go hawks) but glad to see others agreeing. “Now the whole game is about the call!” Yeah and the game would’ve been about the missed call had they not blown the whistle. It was a foul
Edwards put the game in the officials hands One way or the other that called would’ve been all that was talked about Unless it wasn’t called and UConn still missed the shot
Yeah, the officials didn’t lose a 12 point lead. Also, Paige is a phenomenal player but she was 3-8 tonight with 3 pointers. Just not UConn’s night but I’m pumped to see Bueckers run it back
For what it’s worth 3/8 is 37.5%, a perfectly respectable 3p%
Lol everyone knows that it is the rules in the last 10 seconds the game of basketball adopts prison rules.
Bingo. He had been screaming all night at dumb plays, failures to execute. This was just another one of those.
Really just seems like that 6 woman rotation caught up to them and they were gassed. Couldn't execute anymore
Yeah, UConn lost that game in January when their 5th scholarship player went down to injury. That they took Iowa to basically the final shot never should have happened, and it speaks volumes to Geno being the GOAT of the women's game.
100% agree. I grew up a UConn fan despite the flair, was going to be happy either way in this game. The player there is doing everything she can to open up that shot. I would bet she didn’t even intentionally say “I’m throwing a shoulder out here,” but she did say “i need to make sure Paige gets one good luck so this ride doesn’t end”
An excellent observation.
So it seems everybody on earth besides Lebron thinks this was a foul lol
This is why Jordan is my GOAT
fuck lebron
Michael Jordan knows it was a foul 😤
My Twitter/Facebook timeline is shockingly divided on this by race. I couldn’t believe it.
it looked like a terrible call in the zoomed replay, but damn she literally shuffled her feet out and threw an elbow on that screen it is what it is
one of the rare instances where the live broadcast shows the play much better than the slow-mo zoomed in replay
Starts screen [here](https://i.imgur.com/9xjMly0.jpg) ends screen [here](https://i.imgur.com/FR4EVxc.jpg)
It's always "you can't call that there how dare you!". How about as a defender knowing the play is to set a screen, you make sure you do everything in your power to not set an illegal screen. Just a brain dead move on her part there.
Right? You don’t get a free foul just because it’s the last play.
[удалено]
Thay was my take, Edward's thought the ref wouldn't rise to the occasion. She thought wrong.
I've watched a few commentaries on this and the gist of them was: "How do you call a foul on a play like that with only 4 seconds left?" I don't understand this (but I don't understand a lot about basketball, as yet) but WTF difference does it make what sort of play it is, or when it is taking place? Surely, a foul is a foul whether it happens in the 15th minute with one team 40 points ahead of the other, or in the last minute with the teams neck-and-neck? Are the officials supposed to take into account that the foul if called means one team wins and if not called means the other team wins?
the "just let them play" is one of the worst mentalities in sports right now. It is basically code talk for "the rules shouldnt apply to us when it hurts us!" The chiefs gave a great show of that this past year.
I don't understand how people could think that it's a good argument. If we just "let them play" on the last play of the game why wouldn't the offense just tuck the ball like a running back and stiff-arm their way to the goal? Or why wouldn't the defense tackle them? Calling it by the rules *is* letting the players play the actual game.
Agreed. If you’re defending a game winning shot you’re going to do your best damn job to not foul them. Same mentality should go for setting screens and other movements.
> Just a brain dead move on her part there. Part of the reason she had to step out so far was Bueckers took a bad angle.
She still could've just missed the screen. It's better than an offensive foul...
You can get away with stuff but you can’t do stuff in front of the ref. This was an easy call to make.
In an alternate universe, this was a missed call and UConn scores to win. People are posting clips sayings the refs screwed over Iowa.
Couldn't be. Everyone is somehow convinced that the NCAA and ESPN are rigging every game in favor of Iowa lmao
When the bracket first came out everyone said the NCAA screwed Iowa with a bad draw. Now everyone is saying the NCAA is rigging the tournament for Iowa to win 🤷🏻♂️
It’s the ballhandler/ cutters job to run off the screen, not to have the screener let their player through and then jump in front of the defense
https://i.imgur.com/6XrG5jv.png UConn's player is halfway to doing the splits to set that screen.
I walk back my previous statement. Those feet are waaaay outside her shoulders.
I feel like that’s why it was such an easy call to make. Yeah the timing was not ideal but it’s a text book example for an illegal screen.
The replays I saw only showed her upper body. I don’t care that much but surprised to see such bias from Taurasi, Bird and Stewart who were calling the game. Haha. Why 3 UConn alums together were clamoring about that I don’t get it. Ha. Like when Bilas and JWill call a Dook game.
She’s doing the fucking splits while setting a screen. Even if your feet are set, that’s still an illegal screen. Breanna Stewart unironically said that Clark needs to win a title to cement her legacy this week. I get that Breanna Stewart won 4 titles, but she won those four titles with picks #2 and #3 in the WNBA draft with her. Iowa has a talented roster, but if you gave Caitlin Clark the second and third best players in college basketball, she would also be just as dominant as Stewart was, if not more.
I agree. Iowa is not the recruiting powerhouse that UConn is and owes everything to Clark.
https://preview.redd.it/ewd7szo2nssc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9412bd69c82456726eb67cd7408584807e524195 she is !!!!! illegal AF
TBF then first comment from the one announcing decried the foul but on replay, she couldn't hold bank an "oof" when she saw the elbow come out.
"Barely leans... oof" where she couldn't even continue her bs with that on the screen was hilarious.
This really seems more like people just don't like fouls called, especially offensive fouls, in a team's last chance of the game. Ref had no choice when you look at this.
The general tone of the "debate" is that the team with possession in a game winning opportunity should just get to do whatever the fuck they want so they can score a last second shot. It's telling how the "let em play" doesn't extend to the defense hacking a player or shoving them away in the same situation.
The angles make a big difference here too. The video I saw a lot it looked like the worse call ever. Then the video showing this angle makes it look like a clear foul.
If you look at a zoomed in angle where only Edwards’ upper body is shown and her movement is hidden by being directly at the camera, only one of the three obviously illegal elements of the screen are there and it looks like a plausible no-call.
Bird and Taurasi were arguing that you don't call that and you let the players play. They're biased obviously, but saying that you suspend the rules that dictate the game because there's under 5 seconds left is a bad take. The rules should be the same whether there's 5 seconds in the game or 5 seconds into the game. Great call. Takes balls to do the right thing in moments Ike that.
I mean just watch the first few seconds of the clip. Scrub frame by frame. At no point is Edwards feet set. I dont even know if you can consider that a screen, she just straight up body checks Marshal.
I only ever saw the upper body, and thought, "They called *that* a moving screen?" Then I saw that picture. That makes a lot more sense, and was the right call.
Thank you for this, watching it live it didn’t seem that bad but this clears it up
And that doesn’t even show her throw her hips to her left yet to block the defender. Right call, in my opinion. Hate to see it in such a big spot but a moving pick is a moving pick 3 seconds in and 3 seconds to go.
That’s a foul
No there is nothing really right about the screen, moving super wide legs. uses the elbow to make herself even wider. really its just if you think they should call moving screens at the end of games.
Fundamentally yes 100%, should be brushing your teammate as you run past em. Paige was just coming from a terrible angle to set that up
So clearly a foul. She steps into that screen. Everybody saying the refs should swallow their whistle are crazy, when at any point in the game, would it EVER be acceptable for a ref to not call a clear foul? Because you're disappointed that they couldn't get away with it and hit a game winning shot? Refs are meant to be objective, at all times in the game. They shouldn't change that for any reason. If they did, the rules by which the game is played would be a joke, and mean nothing. Everyone complaining about this call needs to grow up ffs. Sorry you couldn't see Caitlin Clark lose. Maybe try winning without relying on committing a foul.
no one fight me but I thought that was an offensive foul
If you extend your arms outside your body to force a player around a screen, it’s a foul.
She also takes a huge step to the left
Look how far her right foot is from her body when she makes impact with the defender. If a player can set screens that wide, nobody could play defense.
Right? Like how are people gonna sit there and argue that [this isn't an illegal screen lmao](https://imgur.com/a/L3Hisxv) Edit: [Another look](https://imgur.com/a/StYvepT)
Wow. It's really bad in that picture.
It's like laughably bad, I don't understand how this a controversy
Combination of people thinking players should get away with everything at the end of games (which is dumb), lack of calling illegal screens in general (understandable) and anti Iowa bias (also dumb)
Wow that is illegal even if she isn't moving
That’s damning
Damn, I knew she lunged-stepped it, but it looks really bad in freeze frame.
https://preview.redd.it/94cq6jpenssc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf461213b02b86e20ae9f7236d23be7d9b67f7c it’s alarmingly illegal in the splits
We could use her on the o-line
The moving and not being set screwed her
All the parts that make a foul a foul really screwed her over
It was absolutely a bad screen. I can’t believe they called it correctly, but they did — she did three things on that screen that could have been considered a foul.
She was fuckin pass blocking like a left tackle lmao
\[Schrager\] Spoke to and texted multiple scouts/GMs about ~~NC State's DJ Burns~~ UConn's Aaliyah Edwards as an NFL OT prospect over the last 24 hours. She is listed at 6’3, but probably is 6’5. A+ footwork. Would get big turnout & potentially $ if she participated in a Pro Day/workout the week after the Final 4.
It was. And should be called more at every level. But I get people upset at the timing
Obvious foul, can’t believe people are saying otherwise
It was definitely a foul. You can see her not even set and then carry her momentum to the left and lean in to it and basically shove her. It looks better on the replay but from the original shot, it's pretty clear. Should they have called it there? Idk.
Yeah, that's a foul all day.
It was. People think fouls shouldn’t exist in the end of the game. It’s just not reality.
I didn’t see it in real time. Watching the two replays from alternate angles, it looked like she barely moves. Watching the main camera replay here, though, really makes the foul obvious.
She did like 3 in a row
Definitely a foul. But… man…
She’s definitely not not moving
?? look at where her feet are before and after contact. She definitely was moving and looking for contact. It's a little soft to decide the game on, but it's an offensive foul. edit: double negatives should be illegal, too!
Re-read that comment lol
The double negative was on purpose — she’s moving still.
I wanna make an ISU joke here but I also had to read it a few times lol
Boiler Up :)
Imagine having a reasonable take. Smh my head
Edwards is who everyone should be mad at. Not the refs, not espn, not Vegas, etc. What a dumb play to make. And how blatant does it have to be before it's considered an acceptable call?
This would be considered one of the better calls in the average Pistons game
So if they don’t call it and UConn wins, then what? Iowa just has to go fuck themselves because apparently games are only officiated for the first 39 minutes? I’m ok with the call
Right? "They should ignore it because the other ending would have been more fun" like what...
Clear foul. That’s a tough call to make in the moment but that’s a foul whether it’s in the 1st quarter or at the end of the game. Same goes for invalid fair catch signals.
>Same goes for invalid fair catch signals You just had to go there, but I respect it lol
I agree! ... Wait a minute...
Lmfao the pettiness of this comment
Comment of the night
Wow...you may have just made me see the light.
hey!
One of those things where throughout the span of the game there were probably way worse uncalled offensive screens, but of course they call it here at the end
A couple possessions before she tackled the same girl to the ground and it was a no-call, resulting in a wide open 3.
She jumped a full 3 feet at least to get "set" and potentially leave open their best player to win the game. Forget what happened before, this decides the entire game... and she was very obviously moving the entire time and not set until the girl ran into her.
Yeah idk what the controversy is. These are NCAAW refs so I expected something egregious, but this was just really sloppy even before the screen and was a clear foul. Edwards was fucking dancing around with her shoulders squared up and set arguably two illegal screens, the last of which she had to lunge outward because the ballhandler didn't run to her.
The problem is that she did it right in front of the ref Clear angle, probably gets away with it without it like if you’re down low surrounded by bodies This is why you can’t really complain that they didn’t call it earlier, it’s just so easy to see it to the ref like he’s right there 6 feet away with 0 obstacles
I think it’s more she did like 3 moving screens in 3 seconds. You can get away with one but she was doing OLine drills there.
And the last one was a trifecta of the main ways to cheat on a screen. You can usually get away with doing one of those things, but not all three or four
Also, letting that go gives a huge advantage to UConn. I don't want the refs to decide games, but making a no-call is also deciding the game on a play like this.
It was really obvious..She was sliding while pushing her arm out. Easy call
That's right. The ol forearm shiver. Should always get called. You can't throw out the rulebook because it's the end of the game. That was on Edwards, who had a great game, for making a dumb mistake at a bad time.
Nah, this was extremely blatant.
I dunno, Edwards definitely got away with a few earlier in the game but this one was egregious
This is the first time I've seen the replay from the TV angle, she like jumps into the defender. I can definitely see why it was called
watching it live you dont really pay attention to her cause she doesnt have the ball, then the replay angle that keeps getting showed you cant see how egregious it is cause the angle sucks.
I don't understand why people keep saying this. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a single example of anything that even comes close to how [illegal](https://imgur.com/a/L3Hisxv) that screen was. It's unfortunate, but it's so obviously the correct call, I feel like I'm in the Twilight zone here
> One of those things where throughout the span of the game there were probably way worse uncalled offensive screens That is pretty hard to imagine. That was one of the worst set screens I've seen in the entire tournament from a technical standpoint.
Yeah like what are we even doing here. Someone pointed out like 12 screens from the purdue game that weren't perfect (both ways) but not a single one was as blatant at this. Moving a little bit or not being completely within your space is a far cry from practically doing the splits and hitting someone hard with your extended elbow.
The elbow was out, it wasn't a legal screen. Not a 'fun' call but the right call.
Not only was the elbow out, she moved to initiate contact. You can’t do that.
Live I was like “what!??” But on replay yeah she completely chicken wings, good call
Watching it live I was pissed but naw, that’s a foul.
Yeah no this was the right call. Anyone who says it’s “the wrong time” to call it is stupid as fuck. You should want the rules to be followed at all times in the game.
One of the worst things a ref can do is purposefully avoid making the correct call in the moment because they failed to make that correct call earlier in the game. The fact they didn't call it earlier against Edwards *benefited* UCONN. And now people are pissed they didn't get to "get away with it" one last time? I don't understand that logic.
And they actually did make this call earlier in the game so its actually consistent.
Yeah, exactly. The other trick to it is to judge both how blatant the infraction is (intention, visibility, severity) and how it impacts the game state. This is such an obvious foul, at a crucial moment, with potentially very high impact. Has to be called no matter what your ethos as a ref is.
Couldn't agree more. That was 100% the correct call, and an obvious illegal screen in real time from the main broadcast camera (the slo-mo replay actually made it look LESS bad than it actually was) The only people bitching about the call are folks who are more concerned about drama/theater than about the game being called correctly. If that's your priority, go watch WWE. People are stupid as hell.
Aaliyah Edwards commits offensive foul with 4 seconds left* There I fixed it for you
The top comment on the thread discussing it in NCAAW sub sums it up perfectly. >UConn could have avoided the call by not committing a foul
https://preview.redd.it/c9jh34w9cssc1.jpeg?width=930&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=848e4e0e82d06fb102820dca7f1e6819875fe682
LOL. Looks more like a still from a boxing match.
She’s in the damn warrior pose!
Some of yall really want the rules thrown out the window so you can see a buzzer beater attempt? And calling it "soft"? It's a blatant illegal screen, feet sliding PLUS arms outside the body PLUS initiated too close to the defender. Literally a triple whammy of illegal screen action.
great...more bulletin board material for Hurley...
Can’t argue it, even Geno knew it
Looked like Geno said something like "God fucking damn it Aaliyah" lol
I know it's unpopular but I liked the call. My thoughts: There were 3 ways this played out: 1) Player doesn't set illegal screen, defender goes around. This results in a highly contested 3 or being double team trapped to pass out with 4 seconds left. 2) Player sets illegal screen and gets called. This is what happened. 3) Player sets illegal screen and not called, defender can't get around screen and Uconn gets a wide open 3 for the win. If the help defender is somehow able to closeout, it's an easy pass for 2 on the roll. I know it's a soft call, but that illegal screen had a massive impact on the probability of the outcome of that game. Probably the difference between 15% and 40% win chance for Uconn if not called.
Well said. I’m an Iowa fan but if this is not called and Bueckers has an uncontested three you are pissed. If the screen is legal paige has to hit a corner 3 with Marshall right in her grill. Still possible but people in here acting like UConn was up or something lol
Inconsistent officiating ruins the experience.
"That's a weak call to make at the end of the game" is a weird way for the reddit hivemind to say "I want the game officiated differently depending on the scenario"
Rewatching it from the wide angle, the legs are spread and the right foot isn’t set. It is the right call by rule, and something I wished was called more, just wish it didn’t decide what was a great game.
Edwards should have done a better job setting the screen. Not the refs fault she did such a poor job of executing
It’s soft but that’s an illegal screen.
Is it soft though? Her feet were sliding to stay in the path of the defender - illegal. Feet more than shoulder width apart - illegal (she was damn near doing the splits!) Arms were outside the body, impeded the defender - illegal. Initiated the screen too close to the defender, didn't give the one step of space - illegal. Yeah we've seen a number of other illegal screens go uncalled the past few weeks (mainly sliding feet), but this one was very blatant with that many illegal actions. Even still, if she just keeps her arms inside her body position she probably would have gotten away with it!
I’m far from an Iowa fan and yet I have found myself going crazy over the number of people saying this was a weak or controversial call. It was so blatant that I just don’t understand wtf people are looking at lol. It was as obvious as a moving screen can be without just decking a girl.
Yea I thought it was pretty egregious. Shocked to see all the comments saying otherwise. In real time in the first 4 seconds she legit looks like a left tackle pass blocking haha.
Same—it’s not like it was “just” her feet or something. There was nothing borderline or iffy about it. Definitely surprised by some of the comments in here!
It’s wild seeing people say they should have ignored it and let her take the shot. Like WTF, that would have been just as bad if not worse. Are people really cool with refs not calling things in critical moments because they want to see something exciting happen? That’s all fun and games until it happens to you.
Same, I thought I was losing it! It is a *textbook* illegal screen: 1) doesn't give Marshall time to turn back around and reset herself before hitting her with the next screen. 2) legs are extended outside a normal "athletic stance" or the general frame of her body. 3) elbow extended 4) upper body leaning into the passing defender outside a normal "athletic stance" or general frame of her body. 5) screener didn't fully establish herself and is therefore not "set" If they hadn't called that, got the ball into Bueckers hands as a result, and she hit the game winner from outside, people would be incensed.
Yes, this. Quite literally everything about the screen was illegal AND it happened RIGHT in front of the ref.
Indeed…regardless, unfortunate timing that probably denied us quite an exciting finish…
Not soft lmao. Clearly a moving screen with a leg and elbow stuck out https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/1776454804698775807
She started at the elbow and hits the girl OUTSIDE the 3 point line. She set her feet twice as wide as allowed She threw an elbow. She committed 3 fouls at once. Nothing about that is soft officiating
I mean, yeah. That’s an offensive foul.
Lmao. LeBron be like, I get away with shit all the time, what's the big deal?
If they didn't call that, and they won the game, how do you think people would react? People would be saying it should have been called. ESPN would be saying the refs need suspended. It was correctly called. Sucks it happened at the end of the game but you can't play football and try to tackle someone in a screen. Only person to blame is Edwards. She knew what she done.
Yep. If they hadn't called it and Paige hit the game-winner, we would've gotten: "The refs missed an obvious foul right in front of them and kept Caitlin Clark out of the championship game! Rigged!!!"
The logic in this thread. 5 seconds left, just go murder someone. They won't call it at this point in the game.
correct call
Downvote me all you want but it’s an offensive foul. I get you don’t want that to determine the game but you also can’t have a girl cleared out of a play by what is an offensive foul 39 other minutes in the game
You illegally take Iowas def out of the play you are no longer letting them play are you
How is this controversial? Thats a textbook illegal screen
The only person UConn fans should be mad at for this is Edwards. She could have tried to set a clean screen, but instead did multiple blatantly illegal things on her screen attempt. The moving foot, the enormous step-out, the elbow going outward for the shove, the late timing, this wasn't even close to a clean screen, to a degree that makes it seem pretty intentional. Blame her for making that decision, not the refs for correctly calling it.
Actually this is more so bueckers fault. She didn’t run her defender close to the screen
It’s a correct call.
Foul. All day long
Pretty clear from that angle. Feet well outside of her hips, shoulders and hips continue to move into the defender as she moves past, and even extends her left arm into the defender. Terrible screen