Micah Shrewsberry tried to give this referee the business.
The Notre Dame men’s basketball coach stormed after an official in a shocking scene after a controversial 72-71 road loss to California on Friday night.
Shrewsberry ran toward the official and had to be held back by an assistant and eventually others after a four-point play with five seconds remaining gave the Golden Bears the lead for good.
The outburst came after the Fighting Irish blew a four-point lead with 16 seconds remaining and allowed a 7-0 run in the final 11 seconds to fall to 10-5 and 1-1 in ACC play.
Notre Dame led 69-65 before allowing a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining, and the Fighting Irish connected on a pair of free throws to push the lead back to three with nine seconds remaining.
On the ensuing play, the referees ruled that Logan Imes fouled Dai Dai Ames on a successful 3-pointer that tied the game at 71-71 with five seconds remaining.
And then a ref show broke out.
The referees reversed their call and ruled that the foul had occurred before the shot, which would have negated the basket.
California coach Mark Madsen pleaded to the referees that the foul happened during the shooting motion, and the referees ultimately reverted back to their original call.
Ames hit his free throw for the four-point play and Notre Dame missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to end the stunning comeback.
“I thought there was a foul going up. I saw the officials signal it,” Madsden said. “They conversed a couple of times and they allowed it. I think there is so much emotion in that gym for the officials, for me, for the other team, but I was grateful Dai Dai Ames rose up and made the shot and I was grateful that Dai Dai Ames had the maturity and the huge presence of mind, the composure, to knock down the free throw.”
The ball had barely landed in a California player’s hands before Shrewsberry ran toward the referee exiting the court, and the coach even attempted to fight through some individuals.
It’s possible the ACC could take action against Shrewsberry, and the Fighting Irish have a week off before returning to action next Saturday at home against Clemson.
