Bill McCabe, the Pacific 10 supervisor of officials, criticized the call made by official Kevin Brill at the end of regulation in UCLA's 77-67 overtime victory over Stanford at Pauley Pavilion on Thursday night.
With UCLA trailing, 63-61, Stanford's Lawrence Hill was called for a foul on the driving Darren Collison with 2.5 seconds left in regulation. Hill blocked Collison's shot and replays appeared to show that while the block was clean, Hill had made body contact with his hips. Collison made both free throws to send the game into overtime.
McCabe told ESPN, "There was body contact, but it's not a strong call, not a game-appropriate call. It's not an incorrect call and that doesn't make it wrong. But I want solid calls."
McCabe did not return phone calls from The Times, and UCLA Coach Ben Howland wouldn't directly respond Friday to McCabe's comments. The victory by the third-ranked Bruins clinched their third consecutive Pac-10 title.
Howland noted that coaches get fined for criticizing officials.
"First of all," Howland said, "no game is won or lost on one call. Plenty go both ways."
Earlier this year, McCabe had defended game officials for not calling an intentional foul on Washington's Tim Morris on an inbounds play where Morris threw a pass directly into the face of UCLA forward Alfred Aboya.
Howland said that senior center Lorenzo Mata-Real would start today's game against California at Pauley. It will be Mata-Real's final home game. He is Howland's first recruit to have stayed at UCLA through his senior season. A starter last season, Mata-Real became a backup to freshman Kevin Love this season.
"Lorenzo will start tomorrow," Howland said. "Right now I'm bringing Kevin off the bench."
It might very well be the final game at Pauley Pavilion for Love as well. Love, a leading candidate to be named Pac-10 player of the year, could leave college for the NBA at the end of this season.
After Thursday's game, Love said there should be no concern over whether the Bruins would have a letdown today. "We're not losing on senior day," Love said. "We all want to win this for Lorenzo."
Mata-Real, who is also on track to get his degree this spring, said he wished for a going-away win today and also that he be able to keep his emotions in check. "I don't want to cry," he said.
