Vermont-Marquette Featured the Worst Call of the NCAA Tournament

Officiating has been a bit interesting thus far in the NCAA Tournament, as is tradition. Those of us who watch college basketball all season know enough to set reasonable expectations, but those parachuting in for three weeks can be caught off guard. We've yet to see a game and a season turn on an egregious whistle to this point and it's a real cause for celebration. /

It'd be great if that didn't change before a champion is crowned.

There have, however, been some iffy calls. Perhaps no more questionable than this whistle on Vermont's Aaron Deloney who broke the rules by ... standing near Marquette's Olivier-Maxence Prosper as he flew toward the hoop.

What a joke! There was absolutely no contact on this foul called on Vermont. The defensive player wasn’t within a foot of the offensive player who contorted himself in the air to make a play on the ball. This was called by the trailing ref who was screened by the play. pic.twitter.com/3ccRcghccE
— Chris Gustafson (@ChrisGustafson4) March 17, 2023

A conspiracy theorist could look at those hand movements and see something there. Everyone normal is a bit lost though.

Maxence Prosper made one of the two resulting free throws to give the Golden Eagles a nine-point halftime lead. The Catamounts have to have a makeup or two coming in the second half.