Skip to main content

Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry apologizes for actions after controversial call late in Cal loss

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry apologized Saturday, one day after charging at an official following his team’s controversial loss to Cal. He also received a public reprimand from the Atlantic Coast Conference for his actions.

Shrewsberry was angry over how what became a four-point play was officiated in the final seconds of the Fighting Irish’s 72-71 loss. The Irish, up by three, fouled Cal’s Dai Dai Ames — trying to keep him from attempting a game-tying 3-pointer.

Ames got the shot off anyway, then made the free throw that put the Bears ahead to stay. As time expired, Shrewsberry briefly charged off the court in the direction of referee Adam Flore, who had already left the floor.

“I want to apologize for what took place immediately after the Cal game last night,” Shrewsberry said in a statement released by Notre Dame. “My actions were inappropriate and not symbolic of the leader I strive to be and what Notre Dame expects of its coaches and educators. I will learn from this lack of judgement and be better in the future.”

Shrewsberry also apologized to his team, Notre Dame and its leadership, to the ACC and to Cal coach Mark Madsen and the Bears, “as my actions were unacceptable,” he said.

The ACC, in issuing the reprimand, said it considers the matter now closed. Shrewsberry is expected to meet with reporters in a regularly scheduled ACC teleconference on Monday and Notre Dame does not play again until a home game on Jan. 10 against Clemson.

Shrewsberry “aggressively confronted” the referee, the conference said, adding that the “unsportsmanlike behavior that was displayed is unacceptable and tarnishes the on-court play between these institutions.”

It was a wild sequence. Officials originally called Ames’ shot good, then said the foul was before the shot, then changed their minds once again and deemed the 3-pointer good for a second time. Notre Dame’s Logan Imes was called for the foul, and replays showed he tried to foul Ames at least twice previously on the play — with neither drawing a whistle. Fouling, when leading by three points late in games, is a common strategy for some teams in an effort to prevent 3-point tries.

After Notre Dame missed a shot as time expired, Shrewsberry charged toward the corner of the floor — in Flore’s direction — and needed to be held back by several assistant coaches and players. Shrewsberry composed himself after a few moments and participated in the postgame handshakes with Cal players and coaches.

“Tremendous respect for Coach Shrewsberry and the entire Notre Dame program. It’s emotional for all of us,” Madsen said. “In the handshake line, it was nothing but class, class act. … We’ve had some battles for them. A lot of respect for Notre Dame.”

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Hawkeyes are set to play Vanderbilt in a November women’s basketball game in Sioux City, Iowa

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vanderbilt and Iowa, both ranked in the top 10 late last season, will meet in a women's basketball game early next season in northwest Iowa, the schools announced Tuesday. The neutral-site game is set for Nov. 15 at the Tyson Events Center, which is 290 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Vanderbilt is 4-0 all-time against the Hawkeyes. This will be the teams' first meeting since 1997. The Commodores are expected to return national scoring leader Mikayla Blakes. She averaged 27 points per game and was Southeastern Conference player of the year. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as No. 5 and finished No. 10 with a 29-5 record after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
Read Next Story