It’s tough to lose a game on the last possession. It’s even tougher to take a loss on the final play when the opposing team has six players on the court.
Tied at 70 with 21 seconds remaining, Louisiana-Lafayette had the ball at Western Kentucky.
Elfrid Payton got the ball, killed some time and then went into the lane for a contested layup. The Ragin’ Cajuns win 72-70 in a quirky finish.
How the officials and scores-table personnel all missed this is baffling. Watch the video again. Look at No. 1 in red at the bottom of the screen. He is unguarded and based on his body language, he looks very confused. There’s a reason he is left open.
It gets even worse from a Western Kentucky (5-10) perspective. Less than 12 hours after the event, Hilltoppers Director of Athletics Ross Bjork fired head coach Ken McDonald. Ouch.
“I have recommended to President Gary Ransdell that Ken McDonald no longer serve as our head men’s basketball coach, and he has agreed and supports my decision. President Ransdell and I met with Coach McDonald this morning to inform him of the decision.”
“We have a 5-11 record and do not rank in the nation’s top 200 in virtually any statistical category. This is not what the WKU basketball program should represent. While we pride ourselves on having an energetic and exciting atmosphere in Diddle Arena, our attendance levels are reaching historic lows. These disturbing facts are unacceptable, and we can no longer continue on this troubling course.”
I’ve never been a fan of firing coaches mid-season because it’s mostly a cop out for a poor season. The only case I remember ever helping was the Pacers firing Jim O’Brien and Frank Vogel did an admirable job.