NEW YORK (April 6, 2024) – The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Dallas was supposed to be a showcase of the best in women’s college basketball. Instead, a controversial foul call in the final seconds left fans and pundits questioning the integrity of the officiating.
With the game tied at 75 and mere seconds remaining, UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards set a screen on Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall that was whistled as an offensive foul. The call nullified UConn’s final possession and allowed Iowa to inbound the ball and hold for the last shot. Caitlin Clark’s fadeaway three-pointer as time expired gave Iowa the dramatic 78-75 victory and a spot in the championship game against undefeated South Carolina.
However, the post-game discussion centered not on Clark’s heroics but on the foul call that made her game-winner possible.
“To make that call at the very end of the game took away the opportunity for players to make plays,” ESPN analyst Andraya Carter said. “That call sucked.”
The offensive foul ruling was a highly subjective judgment call in the waning moments of a Final Four thriller. While some felt Edwards’ elbow was extended illegally, others saw nothing more than incidental contact on a routine screen.
“I thought the play was clean,” a dejected Edwards said after the heartbreaking loss.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma was visibly irate on the sidelines, knowing the historic program’s chance at a 12th national title may have been decided by a single whistle.
The controversy highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability around officiating, issues that have plagued the women’s tournament in recent weeks. In an earlier round, an official was replaced at halftime for failing to disclose prior ties to one of the participating schools. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo was also controversially forced to remove a nose ring during a Sweet 16 game despite being told she could keep it in before the contest.
With so much at stake and the growth of the women’s game drawing increased viewership, coaches and fans are calling for reforms to improve officiating quality and oversight.
“There needs to be more accountability for officiating errors that can decide games of this magnitude,” said longtime women’s basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo. “These players work so hard all season and then a single blown call can end their dream prematurely. That’s not right.”
While no single play can determine the outcome of a 40-minute game filled with countless possessions and moves, the offensive foul whistle proved critically impactful. UConn was deprived of a final shot at forcing overtime while Iowa escaped with a chance to pull the game out.
“Players play. Players decide the game,” UConn guard Paige Bueckers said philosophically. “You can make a big deal out of one single play but one single play doesn’t win or lose a basketball game.”
Still, the naked eye test of the controversial foul suggested officiating inconsistency had once again reared its ugly head on women’s basketball’s biggest stage. Iowa’s Marshall felt there was clear evidence of offensive foul.”There’s video of it,” she stated. “I could feel the elbow.”
Whether that constituted a foul worthy of defusing UConn’s final possession is a subjective call that will be debated for years. Critics argue such critical decisions should never come down to individual judgments that can be swayed by the emotion and pressure of the moment.
As the women’s NCAA tournament grows in popularity and stature, serious questions must be asked about instituting more robust officiating oversight, such as increased video review capabilities and transparent disciplinary measures for problematic officiating performances. Elite players like Clark and her UConn counterparts deserve to have their championship dreams decided by their play on the court rather than fallible human judgments.
The 2024 title game will pit Clark’s heroics against the juggernaut unbeaten Gamecocks of South Carolina in a dream final pairing for the sport. However, the enduring storyline and unfortunate shadow over this year’s Final Four will be the pivotal foul call that tarnished an otherwise brilliant showcase for women’s basketball.
