A step-back in time: Rules changes coming in college basketball

Oct. 22—NEW YORK — Any UConn basketball fan of a certain age, heck, any age, knows the Kemba Walker shot.

Even if they weren't in Madison Square Garden or watching on TV a decade ago, they've had plenty of chances to relive Walker's step-back jumper and hear Dave Pasch's "Cardiac Kemba!" call the ESPN broadcast over and over again.

For a program that has had more than its share of dramatic winning shots — Tate George in 1990, Ray Allen in 1996, Richard Hamilton in 1998 — Walker's play is as impressive as any.

But what if it didn't count?

What if after Walker crossed over Gary McGhee, causing the Pitt big man to stumble to the floor, and stepped back to shoot, an official blew his whistle to call a travel?

John Cahill, who was refereeing that game a decade ago and is now the Big East's supervisor of officials, said the play would have been called a travel if it occurred this past season.

Don't fret, however, UConn fans. They can't take back the five straight wins in New York that Walker's jumper started, nor can they erase the six additional wins in the NCAA Tournament that gave the school its third national title.

But the step-back play, which James Harden has nearly perfected in the NBA, will not be called a travel in college basketball this coming season. It's one of a handful of points of emphasis the NCAA is instructing its officials on for the upcoming year.

"There's going to be more of a lean toward not calling that a travel. The same thing with the Euro-step and the same thing in the post with the spin moves," Cahill said this week during the Big East's Media Day. "So there's going to be less travels called on those types of plays."

As for Walker's exploits, which gave UConn a 76-74 win over the top-seeded Panthers that March afternoon, Cahill remembers it well.

"I remember the step-back jumper he hit here against Pittsburgh. I was in that game. That got them started on the run to the Final Four," Cahill said. "By rule, that would have been a travel today. Thank God we're not going to be calling those plays travels. Too exciting a play to take away from the kids."

That's not to say that officials won't be calling any travels this season in college basketball.

"There will be more emphasis on guys that are on the perimeter and are about to start the dribble to see whether they picked up their pivot foot before releasing the ball. And in the post with pivot men switching pivot feet," Cahill said.

The other point of emphasis for officials this season, Cahill says, is penalty for players flopping.

"There's a real willingness on the part of the NCAA to have our official emphasize flopping," Cahill said. "That mostly comes into effect with perimeter jump shooters who go down without any contact, as well as guys that are dribbling the ball closely guarded and have the head snap, and on block/charge plays where there is no contact and the defender goes down."

The first time a player flops, the official will give them a warning. The second time it will result in a Class B technical foul: it won't count as a personal foul for the player but the opposing team will get one free throw.

Cahill's job these days isn't the same as it used to be. He still, however, gets yelled at by college basketball coaches on occasion when they question a call that occurred in one of their games.

"I kind of know when a coach is going to complain. I take the opposite approach. I reach out to them before they have a chance to hit me," Cahill said. "It's a different kind of complaining now. It's more of a discussion. And the emotion is not as involved as it was during the game."

Though there was a virtual hiatus in the 2020-21 season because of the lack of people in most arenas, it seems officials in general are facing more venom and anger these days from fans. Cahill points out the challenges of the job and asks that observers remember those parameters.

"Officiating is a very difficult job. We get the opportunity as coordinators or fans to hit the replay button or run it back," Cahill said. "This a split-second decision a lot of times made on the move. And you may not have the greatest position. You have to rely on your instinct as an official. If you start to think through plays, you get yourself in trouble. You have to trust your judgement."

It's clear former UConn coach Jim Calhoun questioned that judgement rather often over his time with the Huskies. Cahill laughs in agreement when this is pointed out, but says most of his interactions with Calhoun were enjoyable.

"It was a love-hate relationship," Cahill said of working a game with the always fiery Calhoun on the sidelines. "I had the good fortune of working a lot of games for Jim over his career. I started with him when he was at Northeastern and I was breaking into the Division I level. And I actually worked their championship game down in Texas when they beat Butler.

"We had a lot of interaction and he remains a good comrade and a good friend."

Of course, the friendship might have been strained if Cahill had called Kemba Walker for traveling.

Neill covers UConn men's basketball and UConn football teams, and he keeps a finger on the pulse of Connecticut sports. For live game updates, and more insight into UConn athletics, player transfers, and team changes, follow Neill on Twitter: @NeillOstrout, Facebook: JINeillO, and Instagram: @NeillOstrout.