Illinois and Oakland play with women's ball.

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OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

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5,888 posts
Dec 9, 2010 8:48 AM
http://illinihq.com/news/mens_basketball/2010/12/08/live_from_illinois_vs_oakland/
CHAMPAIGN - As Oakland built an 11-point lead against Illinois, you figured something was out of whack.

Who knew it was the ball.

Before No. 16 Illinois outlasted Oakland 74-63 tonight at the Assembly Hall, the Illini and Grizzlies played the first 7:22 with a women's basketball. The "Nike Elite" sphere was 2 ounces lighter and 1 inch smaller than a men's ball.

It wasn't until Mike Tisdale expertly revealed the basketball's true identity - he went to the sideline and told Bruce Weber they were actually playing with a women's ball - that referee Mike Sanzere made the switch.

Once Illinois figured out it was playing with a women's ball, the Illini figured out Oakland. Demetri McCamey and D.J. Richardson combined for 32 points in the second half to help the Illini pull away.

McCamey finished with 30 points and subbed out to an ovation. Richardson had 16 points.

The Illinois frontcourt had a dreadful outing. Mike and Mike, solid in wins against North Carolina and Gonzaga last week, combined for nine points.

Oakland represented the Summit League like it has been on this stage before. And it has. The Golden Grizzlies' nonconference schedule includes games against West Virginia, Purdue, Michigan State, Tennessee, Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State.

As he watched film of Oakland and Purdue, Weber had said, "This won't be an easy game." And it wasn't. Oakland (5-4) wasn't scared, even while it put a scare into Illinois (9-1).

Now, about that basketball.

Illinois missed 10 of 13 shots with the women's ball. Oakland made 7 of 16 and held a 15-6 lead before the switch was made and clearer heads (and red faces) prevailed.
Dec 9, 2010 8:48am
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centralbucksfan

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5,111 posts
Dec 9, 2010 9:06 AM
Ha, interesting! Personlly, I knew of a HS girls game that used a mens ball for the entire game! It was obviously an ugly game. For this to happen at this level is inexcusable. The difference in balls is very significant and you would like to believe the Refs would figure this out before the game when they check the ball out.
Dec 9, 2010 9:06am
OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

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5,888 posts
Dec 9, 2010 9:11 AM
centralbucksfan;593734 wrote:Ha, interesting! Personlly, I knew of a HS girls game that used a mens ball for the entire game! It was obviously an ugly game. For this to happen at this level is inexcusable. The difference in balls is very significant and you would like to believe the Refs would figure this out before the game when they check the ball out.

A player should be able to ID this right away. You think right after the tip someone would have noticed, it doesn't feel the same at all.
Dec 9, 2010 9:11am
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centralbucksfan

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5,111 posts
Dec 9, 2010 9:51 AM
OneBuckeye;593742 wrote:A player should be able to ID this right away. You think right after the tip someone would have noticed, it doesn't feel the same at all.

I agree...although during the course of a game, a player isn't sitting there checking it out, spinning it, etc, etc. They are either dribbling it, or a quick catch and shoot. So I can see how a player may not know very quickly. Going bigger to smaller would be tough. Going smaller to bigger then I could see someone knowing much quicker. But again, this issue is on the officials who inspect the ball before tip off.
Dec 9, 2010 9:51am
Iliketurtles's avatar

Iliketurtles

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8,191 posts
Dec 9, 2010 10:07 AM
I agree that I don't get how anyone didn't notice this sooner. I remember once in HS before a game some guys were already shotting around and someone passed me a ball.. I shot it and completely airballed over the basket from the sideline after I shot it I asked them if it was a girls ball they were like idk turns out it was and they were shotting with it for about a half hour and never realized it.

Thats crazy about that girls game you'd think someone would notice or ask about it. I'd agree that going from a womens to mens ball would be easier to tell.
Dec 9, 2010 10:07am
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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29,506 posts
Dec 9, 2010 1:19 PM
Unreal that this can happen at this level.

My sophomore year of high-school we had the refs start the tip with a girls ball. I started bringing it into he front-court and immediately picked it up and told the refs it was a girls ball. I dont know how those players didnt know immediately. It is a very significant change.
Dec 9, 2010 1:19pm
Fly4Fun's avatar

Fly4Fun

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7,730 posts
Dec 9, 2010 2:10 PM
I always thought it was easy to distinguish between a girls and guys ball. I wonder if the players thought something was up but just didn't question it.
Dec 9, 2010 2:10pm
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

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13,948 posts
Dec 9, 2010 6:51 PM
Fly4Fun;594128 wrote:I always thought it was easy to distinguish between a girls and guys ball. I wonder if the players thought something was up but just didn't question it.
This is the only logical explanation. You would instantaneously know something was wrong the first time you touched it.
Dec 9, 2010 6:51pm
-Society-'s avatar

-Society-

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1,348 posts
Dec 9, 2010 6:56 PM
The same thing happened at the boys State finals or quarter finals in Ohio in 90 or 91. From what I remember it was noticed within the first couple of minutes.
Dec 9, 2010 6:56pm