22-03-2025
NCAA ref classily stopped play so a Liberty reserve could have his March Madness moment
NCAA ref classily stopped play so a Liberty reserve could have his March Madness moment
Friday night's Liberty-Oregon game snuffed the No. 12 Flames out of the 2025 men's NCAA tournament as the No. 5 Ducks coasted to the Round of 32.
However, one of the game's referees made sure Liberty guard JC Shirer Jr. got a chance to play before the clock hit zero.
Shirer only played during the final minute of the 81-52 Liberty loss in Seattle, made possible in part by the referee in question stopping the game to "fix a wet spot" so Shirer could substitute in for the action.
There was clearly no wet spot, which makes this official's gesture to Shirer so moving. He made sure Shirer got to have his March Madness moment in a timely fashion, even if it was right at the end.
As we saw during Friday's Lipscomb-Iowa State game, reserve players getting their one shining moment in March Madness cements how special the NCAA tournaments really are.
Shirer got his moment in the sun during college basketball's marquee event thanks in part to this quick-thinking referee.
