OfficiatingObserver17

What a solid piece of officiating by @ChargeOconnell there. Mic work could use some additional reps. Looked a little uncomfortable talking to America. That is a First Round announcement, not a Regional Final piece of mic work. 👍

@RefhoopsPaul Just tweeted it Paul. Couple of things and don't have a great, clean answer. If I were in charge, I'd want Trail to look back. Just bailing out of there isn't great. It's too loud to hear anything. SCU Coach, if he wants TO that bad, needs to get in SIGHT of baseline official imo

@RefObserver17 What are your thoughts of crew missing Santa Clara coach requesting a TO. Thinking new trail or Center should have caught it. Game awareness.

Tremendous game and start to the day. Santa Clara deserved this opportunity and played very well. Had the buzzer beater not gone in, they would have won. More than deserving of an at large selection and a great showing. Congrats to Kentucky. Dangerous team moving forward! 👍🏻

@joebomb33 No obligation is too strong. I didn't say it was necessarily great by the Trail to just bail out of there and not look, but I'm telling you in a scenario like this after a possible buzzer beater and deafening noise, the BEST option for the coach is to get in SIGHT of Baseline Ref

@RefObserver17 So no obligation of the official to understand a coach might want to take a timeout and take a peak as the trail official?

Getting a lot of ?’s on this. Yes Sendek wants Timeout but officials need to grant it. Trail official runs down court and doesn’t see it. It’s loud and all 3 officials probably can’t hear anything. It’s on coach to visually get officials attention. I’d SPRINT to baseline official

🏀 March Madness 🏀 MIDWEST REGION (13) Hofstra vs. (4) Alabama 📍Benchmark International Arena ✈️ Tampa, FL 📅 3/20/2026 ⏰ 3:15pm ET 📺 truTV 🎙️Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker & Dan Bonner Referee : Bert Smith Official 1 : Michael Palau Official 2 : Rob Rorke

@franfraschilla @westwood1sports Fran…. WE got lucky 😉👍🏻 You and Spero will be great. Can’t wait to listen. Hope you are enjoying March and the Madness!

So fortunate to work with Spero Dedes next week on @westwood1sports at South Regional in Houston. How lucky did I get?

@AverageGatorGuy There is no way to answer this question. If a coach calls Timeout, he can, but the officials need to grant it. Trail official is running down the court and didn’t see him. Keep in mind how loud it is on court following that shot. Coach needs to get officials attention visually👍🏻

@RefObserver17 Need your take, should have Herb been granted the timeout?

🏀 March Madness 🏀 MIDWEST REGION (10) Santa Clara vs. (7) Kentucky 📍Enterprise Center ✈️ St. Louis, MO 📅 3/20/2026 ⏰ 12:15pm ET 📺 CBS 🎙️Spero Dedes & Jim Spanarkal Referee : Tony Padilla Official 1 : Todd Austin Official 2 : Steve McJunkins

@DalyDoseOfHoops @madeformarch Agree. I like BA but that pairing is the one personally I'd swap Dedes and Spanarkal for. Catalon/Lappas are really good imo

@madeformarch I see it both ways. Spero and Spanarkel are excellent, as it Catalon. I feel like CBS has bigger visions for the latter, though…I can see him eventually becoming the #2 on NFL and lead anchor on The Masters when Nantz hangs up the headset for good.

Andrew Catalon and Steve Lappas getting a S16/E8 assignment over Spero Dedes and Jim Spanarkel is absolutely mind-blowing. Dedes and Spanarkel are so damn solid as a duo.

🏀 March Madness 🏀 MIDWEST REGION (15) Tennessee State vs. (2) Iowa State 📍Enterprise Center ✈️ St. Louis, MO 📅 3/20/2026 ⏰ 3pm ET 📺 CBS 🎙️Spero Dedes & Jim Spanarkal Referee : Earl Walton Official 1 : Deldre Carr Official 2 : Tim Smith

Not saying it's right and excusing it but how many examples throughout the year have I shared including yesterday.... they are not calling traveling across the country. Not specific officials nor conferences. This is a nationwide epidemic.

Again they are just not calling traveling this year as a violation

@joewilli401 He was but official was running other way and keep in mind how loud it is in arena. Coach needs to get baseline official's attention there imo. Better line of sight.

@RefObserver17 Is Santa Clara coach trying to call a timeout after the made basketball ?

We are heading to Overtime in St. Louis!!

Spero Dedes & Jim Spanarkal are excellent. Should be calling second weekend games as well.

This tournament..... UNBELIEVABLE!!

I do NOT like that granted as a Timeout. That's a jump ball imo

You need possession for a timeout.....

@SteveWynocker That would be correct

@RefObserver17 I’m at the games in Tampa. Safe to say Curry won’t be one of your picks to advance Sunday.

Let’s hope Joe and Randy got an excellent night of sleep and are ready to bring their A game. It will be needed