It turns out that winning batter Tanner Holden shouldn’t count after all.
Controversy followed a Buckeye guard’s 3-signal traffic light with no time left on the clock on Thursday 67-66 Ohio State win Over Rutgers, where Holden was standing out of bounds for only a split second before dropping back to catch a pass from Bruce Thornton and kick the ball.
Picnic 3 for @employee pic.twitter.com/fprzioLyeD
– BigTenNetwork December 9, 2022
While the play was on the field and Ohio State won the game, the Big Ten said in a statement Friday that, after a review by the conference, the umpiring staff should have ruled the play dead when Holden caught the pass.
“The action of going out of bounds and being the first player to touch the ball after returning in is a violation of Rule 9, Section 3 of the NCAA, Article 1,” the statement read in part. “The play should have stopped, and the ball was dead.”
Big Ten statement on the missed call last night at the end of the Ohio State/Rutgers game.
The officiating crew was among the best, but the league admits it was a missed call.
Playing like this should be subject to review in the future. pic.twitter.com/GjLfoJDjQh
– Jeff Goodman (GoodmanHoops) December 10, 2022
The Big Ten called the crew in charge Thursday “one of the best in the country,” but said they “unfortunately missed the call.”
Given that Rutgers was winning by 2 points when Holden caught the pass with 1.1 seconds on the clock, it’s possible that a Buckeye turnover would lead to Scarlet Knight’s Schottenstein win. The play was not revisionable, however, and the Ohio State win stood.
“The Big Ten takes the hiring process very seriously and has addressed the matter with both member organizations and management staff,” the statement read. “In addition, the conference will provide additional education and rules enhancement to our basketball officials.”
“Award-winning social media nerd. Food specialist. Amateur entrepreneur. Pop culture maven. Subtly charming explorer.”