A Grip on Sports: You know women’s basketball has reached another level when the nation fractures over a last-second call

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It seems like the right day to clean out the notebook. After we clean up our thoughts from last night.

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• We have sort of made it our late-in-life mission to educate basketball fans concerning the crucial, sometimes deciding, role officials play in the outcome of each game. It’s a slow process, though every once in a while, a play occurs that helps illustrate that truism. Ironically, even a controversial play we believe shouldn’t have been controversial at all.

You know the single whistle we are referring to, right? The illegal screen call in the final seconds of Iowa’s 71-69 NCAA semifinal win over UConn. We understand the consternation of the nation’s newest fans. Such a great back-and-forth game decided by, as some people saw it, “a joke of a call.”

Except it wasn’t. And the call gets to our usual point about officiating. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad. That’s a subjective assessment. What does matter is which rules the crew decides to enforce. In theory, all of them, right? But in reality, each group sees things through a different prism.

Geno Auriemma, while commenting on the last-second timing of the call – UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards tried to free up Husky star Paige Bueckers with what’s called a flare screen but was called for moving into Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall and knocking the defender off her path illegally – made our point pretty well.

“I mean, there’s probably an illegal screen call that you could make on every single possession,” said Auriemma, correctly – in some cases. “I just know there were three or four of them called on us and I don’t think there were any called on them. So I guess we just got to get better at not setting illegal screens.”

Or, and stay with us here, maybe he and his staff teach late movement on screens, figuring his team won’t be called for them – a philosophy shared by many in his profession.

But, on this night, with the country watching, the officiating trio enforced the rulebook. No one who watched the video could really argue that Edwards’ screen was illegal – though many did because that’s the American way. Many, however, decried the call because of the time of game – 3.9 seconds left. “Let the players decide it,” is their mantra.

Two problems with that. Maybe three. The players did decide it. By clearing Marshall out, Edwards made a conscious decision, illegally, to free her teammate for a game-winning shot. If Bueckers had made it, at least as many folks would have been scorching social media with the same hot takes, different perspective.

And if the foul wasn’t called, then the officiating crew was not only not serving their purpose, they also would have gone against an axiom of the sport. If a play is a foul in the first minute, the 15th minute, the 30th minute, it should be a foul in the final one. Even Auriemma admits similar plays, maybe even less-egregious plays, were called earlier. And called often. With seconds left, the players knew what was being called. And Edwards still threw her body into Marshall.

It was a “dare-you-to-call-it” play. And it was called.

• About 10 days ago, we were told Matt Logie was Washington State’s choice to replace Kyle Smith. Were told by a coaching colleague Logie had been offered the job. We did not report it as a fact then. Why? It’s not that we didn’t believe him, it was just such scuttlebutt isn’t enough to base a report upon. We made a couple calls. The best we could do was get one person with good connections in Pullman to say they heard the same thing. Not enough. Not for us, anyway, though we felt we should pass along the buzz.

For the next few days, we kept asking. No one was talking. Jim Shaw told everyone he was not going to get the job. Smith commented. And still nothing. Then Logie decided to stay at Montana State. Someone close to him explained to us why, saying the Cougars had made him a good offer but he didn’t feel upending his family again for such an unsettled situation was the best for everyone. It made sense. And was probably for the best for everyone involved.

We shared that information with you.

Now, there is conjecture on the Interweb the job was never offered. That the whole thing was a ploy to get Logie a raise from MSU. We’ve seen it. We’ve double-checked. Twice we received an even more definitive “yes” on the offer. And we have come to a conclusion. Unless two people who we trust, two people with no connection to each other, are lying to us, an offer was made. And turned down.

Oh, and we have also concluded Washington State was able to attract another coach in David Riley who will be all in. Who accepted the offer because he wants to be in Pullman right now. Who is comfortable with unsettled. Ready for whatever comes.

Never forget, college coaching is littered with stories of schools seeking one or two coaches, not being successful and then landing on the right person. Pete Carroll comes to mind with USC. John Calipari was, by his admission, the third choice for his breakthrough job at UMass. Billy Tubbs only became Oklahoma’s coach because John Thompson would not leave Georgetown. And on and on and on.

All that matters is what Riley does in Pullman. Everything else is immaterial.

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WSU: Around the Pac-12 and the nation, the Times’ Mike Vorel has his thoughts on what’s ahead for Riley. … Jon Wilner tells us in the Mercury News he feels USC’s hire of Eric Musselman is a game-changer for basketball in the region. Musselman was introduced Friday to the L.A. media. … The Trojans’ little-used Bronny James has declared for the NBA draft. … Wilner also has a mailbag today in which he answers Pac-2 questions. … There is also this West Coast football recruiting roundup he passes along. … California kick-started name, image and likeness for the nation. Now the state’s legislature may force the process to be more transparent. … We covered Iowa’s win above. We also have this story to pass along on the Hawkeyes’ finals opponent, undefeated and top-ranked South Carolina. … On the men’s side, Oregon State’s roster seems to be splintering, forcing Wayne Tinkle and the Beavers to rebuild. … A former Cowboys teammate has joined Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado. … Someone must step up for Utah to fill an injury-caused hole.

Gonzaga: We passed along this story yesterday on a GU assistant and his relationship with the family of one South Carolina player. We pass it along again today and mention it was written by the S-R’s Jim Meehan. … The men’s Final Four begins today, with Purdue and North Carolina State up first, followed by Alabama and defending champ UConn.  

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, anything can happen in college basketball. … Idaho State is rebuilding its roster after portal defections. … It’s never too early to talk football at UC Davis. … Or to attend the spring game in Pocatello.

Indians: The Northwest League season began last night at a cool Avista Stadium. Chase Dollander made his professional debut a winning one, as he threw five scoreless innings in Spokane’s 4-2 win over Vancouver. Colton Clark filled in for Dave Nichols and has the game story. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Eugene shut out Tri-City 1-0. … Visiting Everett edged Hillsboro 5-4.

Velocity: Spokane will play a June 2 friendly in Spokane against a Mexican club.

Sounders: Montreal is in town. Seattle is still looking for its first win.

Mariners: What a tough watch. The M’s flailed away at pitches outside the strike zone. The Brewers weren’t much better but led early. Seattle rallied to tie but had every opportunity to take the lead. Then Andres Munoz came out of the pen and did his best Nuke LaLoosh impression. The Mariners lost 6-5. … Ty France is on paternity leave.

Kraken: Shane Wright showed, for one game at least, why Seattle’s brass is so high on him. He scored twice, assisted on another goal and helped the Kraken to a 3-1 win over Anaheim. … The youngsters were good last night. But there are also veterans who don’t want to step away just yet.

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• We had a couple more items in the notebook we could have covered this morning but, you know, it’s Saturday and we’re sure you don’t want to spend all your time reading our blather. Besides, we have places to go and people to see as well. If heading to Costco – we know, never get involved in a land war in Asia or go to Costco on a Saturday – trying to find hot dogs fits the bill. Our local one has been out of the Kirkland dogs for a couple weeks. It’s a perfect weekend to have a couple. We will try again. And have fun storming the castle. Until later …