SMU (doesn't) commit goaltend in the clutch

There are harsh ways to lose basketball games, and there's storming back with a 19-0 run and then losing when you tip an airball. Down 10 with 11 minutes to play, the Mustangs went on a huge run to drag themselves back into the game and then back into the lead. With 3:12 to go, they led by six after Nic Moore (24/4/3) made two free throws. The game went back and forth from there, with Bryce Alford making two threes and Norman Powell making two free throws to bring the Bruins back within two.

After that, SMU committed a truly horrendous turnover, with Cannen Cunningham throwing the ball to a wide open Bruin in the backcourt. A UCLA timeout set this up:

Was this a goaltend? https://t.co/SZ5PAwOgAL

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 19, 2015

That's pretty clearly nothing more than a tip of a ball that is sailing wide right, but if that wasn't obvious enough, this is:

This shot resulted in a goaltending call at the end of SMU-UCLA. What's your call? #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/d3rTGbXx1a

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 19, 2015

In a year full of absolutely rotten officiating, this call stands alone at the top of the heap. It's one thing to miss a shooting foul or two, or to not call and obvious travel, or to give Dayton a victory in their own home, but this was worse. It was a ref blowing the whistle when he didn't need to, maybe just so he could be involved. SMU is going home in a game they should have ended shooting free throws. UCLA was fortunate to get a bid, they are even more fortunate to advance.