‘Very tight’ officiating exacerbated Iowa’s lack of depth in championship loss to LSU

DALLAS — Kate Martin took the high road when asked about whether the officiating in Sunday’s women’s basketball national championship game was frustrating.

“LSU played really good,” the Iowa guard said.

The numbers back up Martin’s comments.

LSU shot 65 percent from the field. Its star player, Angel Reese, had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Jasmine Carson, who had not scored in LSU’s last three games, scored 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

“(LSU) played a phenomenal game,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “They shot the ball really, really well today.”

But the way the officiating crew called the game — “very tight,” as Caitlin Clark put it — did not do the Hawkeyes any favors, especially with their short bench.

Iowa was “playing handcuffed,” Bluder said, because of foul trouble.

Three starters — McKenna Warnock and the aforementioned Clark and Czinano — all picked up their fourth fouls in the third quarter.

Clark drew her fourth foul on a technical foul. It was Iowa’s second delay of game, referee Lisa Jones said via the pool reporter.

“The second offense was when No. 22 from Iowa picked up the ball and failed to immediately pass the ball to the nearest official after the whistle was blown,” Jones said.

Jones pointed to the definition of a delay of game that includes “failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearest official after the whistle is blown.”

Clark, however, said she was “throwing the ball under the basket.”

“Where the ref would have been to throw in the free throw,” Clark added after her formal news conference. “But I’m not the ref. That’s what she called. It is what it is.”

Bluder said Clark picking up the technical was “not right.”

“I’ll have to watch it on film, but there was no intent whatsoever for her to disrespect the game in any way,” Bluder said.

Even ESPN’s top women’s basketball commentators were unequivocally critical of the call.

“She said nothing,” color commentator Rebecca Lobo said on the ABC broadcast.

“You have got to be kidding me,” play-by-play Ryan Ruocco said.

“No player in this game should get a technical foul for that,” Lobo added.

The technical foul in the third quarter followed three fouls on Clark in the first half, including two offensive fouls in the second quarter.

“I don't know about the two push-offs in the second quarter,” Clark said. “I'm sure they saw that I pushed off, and they called it.”

Warnock and Czinano both fouled out in the fourth quarter.

LSU and Iowa’s overall foul numbers were similar — the Tigers were called for 18 fouls, and Iowa had 19 — but only one LSU starter had four-plus fouls Sunday. LaDazhia Williams’ foul was not until the fourth quarter anyway.

“It was called both ways. I’m not saying it was one over the other,” Iowa associate head coach Jan Jensen said, taking a pause. “At times.”

Bluder said she “can't comment on the officials” before expressing discontent with the lack of dialogue with them.

“It's very frustrating because I feel like I can't talk to them,” Bluder said. “They won't even listen.”

Having three starters limited would be difficult circumstances for any team.

“Very few people could lose a Caitlin or lose a Monika and not skip a beat,” Jensen said.

But Iowa was especially prone to the problem because of its lack of depth.

On paper, Iowa used nine players vs. LSU’s eight. But LSU’s three players on the bench were far more productive than Iowa’s four.

The Tigers had a 30-8 advantage in bench points in their 17-point win.

Sunday’s loss was not the first time Iowa’s bench had been lacking production.

Iowa’s bench has totaled 30 points in its last five games, whereas opponents’ benches have combined to contribute 121 points in that stretch.

Throughout the season, Iowa’s starting five was responsible for 79 percent of the team’s scoring despite frequently playing in blowout wins.

The first-round win over 15th-seeded Southeastern Louisiana was Iowa’s only NCAA tournament game with the advantage in bench scoring.

“The teams that handle that (foul trouble), and probably the teams that have more depth — they’re the ones that win more,” Jensen said.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com