The game between SMU and Memphis in January 2024 was one for the books, with a whopping 75 fouls called in a game that lasted three hours and 40 minutes. The constant whistle blowing made it difficult for the players to find a rhythm and play freely. Ten players fouled out, and the bench of SMU was so depleted that they finished the game with only four players on the floor, yet still managed to pull off a 91-86 victory.
The officiating in the game drew some criticism, but it did not receive the same level of attention as other high-profile officiating controversies in recent years. The NCAA has been under scrutiny for various officiating mishaps, including incidents in the NCAA title game and the NCAA Sweet 16 game where questionable calls and decisions impacted the outcome of the games.
The concentration of power in the hands of a few conference supervisors, lack of transparency in the officiating process, and inconsistencies in officiating styles across conferences have all contributed to the current crisis in women’s college basketball officiating. The lack of a formal developmental framework and feedback system for officials has left many feeling uncertain about their performance and advancement opportunities.
Officials are calling for more transparency in scheduling, equal pay for men’s and women’s officials, and a standardized training and evaluation system to improve the quality of officiating in women’s college basketball. The NCAA has acknowledged the need for a larger pool of officials and has implemented some changes based on the recommendations of the Pictor Report, but more work needs to be done to address the issues plaguing the officiating in the sport.
As women’s college basketball continues to grow in popularity and visibility, ensuring the integrity of the game through fair and consistent officiating should be a top priority for the NCAA and conference supervisors. With the NCAA Tournament on the horizon, stakeholders in the sport are hopeful that steps will be taken to address the current crisis in officiating and improve the overall quality of the game.
