Maryland head coach Kevin Willard should have been called for a technical foul during Saturday’s college basketball game against Illinois. The hilarious blunder was ultimately inconsequential and the Fighting Illini won anyway, but the Big Ten officials should have T’d him up in real time.
Willard grabbed the ball out of mid-air when the ball was still live. He taunted the opponent, who was unable to make a save on the ball, after preventing him from keeping the ball inbounds.
Even if it was an instinctual accident, it was weird!
The Terrapins missed an easy two to take a four-point lead and could not secure the board. Illinois proceeded to chuck the outlet pass way down court. Terrence Shannon Jr. was in hot pursuit as it bounced once inbounds and sailed toward the home bench.
Shannon was going to try and make something happen. He could not.
Willard snatched the ball off of the bounce.
Shannon, irate, argued that it should have been ruled visitors ball as result of the coach’s interference. Officials decided that it would remain Maryland ball.
Willard walked over to Shannon as he pleaded with the referees and exchanged a few words. There was a smile on his face. He was clearly cracking some kind of joke.
Doesn’t matter!
Quincy Guerrier’s outlet pass intended for…
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) February 17, 2024
…Kevin Willard? pic.twitter.com/PYcjsgFcXn
Willard should have been called for a technical foul— even if his actions were not intentionally harmful and rather funny. At no point should a college basketball coach grab a live ball and talk back to a player without receiving reprimand!
At the very least, Illinois should have been granted possession.
Fortunately, even though the play was crucial in the moment, Willard’s goof did not have an impact on the outcome. Shannon dropped 27 points in a five-point win.
No harm, no foul. Except, in this instance, it should have been… no harm, still (technical) foul.