1. Pastner speaks on officiating

When Pastner speaks on officiating, he invariably states two points. He praises referees for the work they do and acknowledges that it is a complicated position.

It produced his remarks, in the wake of Tech’s decline at No. 2 Duke on Tuesday in which the Jackets ended up identified as for 27 fouls to 14 for Duke, in a videoconference with media stand out.

“I do feel that, when a dude penetrates or drives – and this is, once more, just a generalization – whether or not you’re 30 feet, 35 ft or 6 ft (from the basket), the rule for university basketball is that if there is two palms (on the player with the ball) at any place, it is an automated foul,” Pastner mentioned.

For a lot of coaches, it may well have sounded like a mild critique, and Pastner included that he was not creating a remark on officiating in the Duke game or any other recreation. But supplied Pastner’s ordinarily palms-off technique to commenting on officiating, it virtually was an excoriation. Pastner did have an accurate being familiar with of the NCAA rule reserve, which lists “putting two fingers on an opponent” with the ball as one particular of the functions that constitutes a foul.

Pastner could have specially been earning a situation for guard Michael Devoe, who has at moments been aggravated by not receiving foul calls on drives to the basket. Just after the Jackets’ decline to Louisville on Sunday, Devoe commented that “I have not gotten a fantastic whistle this calendar year nevertheless.”

Explained Pastner of Devoe, “Mike’s just received to do his task, and if he doesn’t get a phone, he’s acquired to keep on to be in a position to make that enjoy devoid of worrying about receiving a call or not.”

Pastner has in some cases been requested about why he is not more demonstrative in working officers all through online games to get far more phone calls in Tech’s favor. Pastner claimed it was out of what he known as the “highest level of respect” for officials and also his need to characterize Tech well.

“I’m not a man that works the officials,” Pastner explained. “I’m not that man. I really don’t chat to them that substantially. I test to mentor the team and aim on us.”

2. Howard remains out

Pastner said that he predicted…