Chroya Rigby, women’s basketball coach for women, says the number 15 trojans of missing calls have historically been upset

Troy coach Chanda Rigby said a missed call late in the 84-80 defeat to Texas A&M at No. 2, the Trojans no. 15 cost a chance at a historic upset in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Troy was busy with his fourth tournament and was looking for the first win. In the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, a no. 15 selected.

Texas A&M led 82-80 with 4.5 seconds left and was playing the ball in front of the court. The pass from Kayla Wells bounced off teammate Destiny Pitts, who then chased after, jumped off the fingertips, took possession and dribbled into the backfield. No offense was called over and over, as officials believed Pitts did not own in the forecourt.

Instead, Pitts crashed and both skipped free throws with 2 seconds left to give the Aggies the winning margin.

No Troy player touched the ball during the controversial compass. Rigby said she thought it was an offense that would give Troy possession.

“It looked like she was touching it and it was deteriorating. It looked very clear that it was happening,” Rigby said. “We were trying to see if we could have the call corrected, but that’s just not how it went. We had the momentum at that point. If we were to get that call, I do not think we would in any way would not lose I do not think the will of my players would have made us lose. ‘

Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said he did not see a repeat, but the issue was about controlling the ball.

“I did not know if we had control over it,” he said. ‘I think that’s why [the referee] did not mention it. But I can not say with certainty. If she did have control over it, it was an over-and-over again. If she did not have control over it, it was a good call. ‘

Even if the call had gone Troy’s course, the Trojans would still have to enter the ball and try to draw in the final seconds. But Rigby’s frustration also comes from two other last – minute calls against the Trojans.

With 54 seconds left, Tyasia Moore of Troy struck a blow after making contact with defender Jordan Nixon, who would have tied the score at 79-79 and sent her to the line. Instead, Moore was asked for an offense, her fifth. When Troy’s Alexus Dye is over at 30 seconds, her fifth offense is called as Nixon enters the track.

In all, the Trojans were asked for 25 offenses against the Aggies ’13.

“Just as big a team as Texas A&M is, the number 15 seed has had them on the ropes for a very long time,” Rigby said. “The fact that they buried us deep in the pole hurt us. I knew that if we put them on the free throw in the fourth quarter, it would be hard to beat them. It seemed like we were just “After a foul, after a foul. Our two most experienced players got lost, and that made it difficult. But we kept struggling.”

Blair said he thought turnover in the second half was taking a toll on Texas A&M, but that they were still moving. They will face Iowa State, No. 7, in the second round on Wednesday.

“They had an open try to go on, and they didn’t make it,” he said of Troy’s miss from behind the arc with 19 seconds left. “It’s life sometimes. But the officials generally thought they were doing a pretty good job. It wasn’t that, it was just a hard ball.