And isn’t the current game based more on finding the teammate for an open 3?
Interesting quote from MH in the Trentonian writeup:
“I said some difficult things in the locker room, but everybody as a group from head coach on down has to look at why is it that they out-worked us at the end of the game. That can’t be happening.”
I’m glad they realized last night’s effort was unacceptable. Last year’s team had a similarly undersized lineup - and they didn’t struggle rebounding and grabbing loose balls like this year’s squad.
Mush is sorely missed. His fire and scrappy play would have won last night’s game.
Also, I gotta give retroactive credit to Rubin - his block on Abdullahi was clean. I rewatched that play and he didn’t make contact with Malik until after he swatted the ball cleanly.
“Any time a shooter is fouled before returning to the floor, you’ve got a foul on an airborne shooter. He is fouled in the act of shooting. The fact that the shot was blocked is irrelevant.”
I found this on another board, regarding a general discussion of fouling a shooter. Comment?
Huh. I don’t know enough about officiating to judge, but I found a very old thread (2007) from an officiating forum that may provide some answers:
I know that an Airborne shooter is still considered to be in the act of shooting until they touch the floor.
I thought NCAA rules were different. No such thing as Airborne shooter. Once the ball is out of the hands, then the player is considered just another player.
NCAA Men’s is the only level that does not have an airborne shooter rule.
There have been several NCAA rule changes since 2007, but if this rule is still the same, it would explain why no foul was called. As soon as Malik lost the ball, the follow-through by Rubin wasn’t a foul.
From the August 2023 NCAA rules:
Section 1. Airborne Shooter
Art. 1. An airborne shooter is an airborne player who has released the ball on a
try for goal. An airborne shooter retains that status until that player has returned
to the floor.
Art. 2. An airborne shooter is in the act of shooting
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In that case, it was indeed a foul. Potential 4pt swing on that play. Now I’m mad all over again 
Officiating was brutal but I guess you run that risk in ultra-close games. The game was still winnable with a little more toughness and urgency. About 4-5 rebounds or loose balls went into our guys’ hands… and somehow ended up in Loyola’s possession.
We miss Mush. He led Notre Dame today in a romp over Georgetown with 17 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and a whole lot of hustle
Agreed. That call did not cost us the game.
Stat line about the same for Malik Mack, FWIW
On a positive note, Iona beat a good Vermont team and Northeastern beat Harvard by 22. Those narrow wins don’t look so iffy now.
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