A highly contentious no-call regarding goaltending at the end of the first half in the NCAA championship match on Monday evening may have altered the momentum in Florida’s favor, resulting in their narrow victory over Houston by a score of 65-63.

The pivotal moment occurred precisely one minute before halftime, where Florida’s towering 7-footer, Micah Handlogten, attempted to block an effort by Cougars forward J’Wan Roberts. After the shot, Roberts pointed emphatically to signal a goaltending violation; however, the referees opted to allow the game to continue uninterrupted.

A review of the situation from a vantage point above the backboard reinforces the assessment that the officials erred in overlooking the goaltending. According to NCAA regulations regarding goaltending, “Goaltending occurs when the ball is above the level of the ring and has the possibility, while in flight, of entering the basket and is not touching the cylinder.”

It is evident that the interference occurred while the ball was still within the cylinder, warranting an award of two points to Houston.

Instead, Florida transitioned rapidly down the court, hitting a three-pointer and changing the game dynamics, creating a five-point swing just before the break.

Though NCAA policies categorize goaltending actions as “correctable errors,” they only apply when the call is made live during play. The referees’ lack of a call negated any possibility of review and adjustment.

As a result of the missed opportunities from that call, Houston was left to lament their fate after their lead swelled to 12 points in the latter half, only to see them lose by two. While Florida’s championship run may still hold significance, for Cougars fans, that call could have been the decisive factor between clinching a title and settling for the national runner-up position.