Longtime college basketball referee Tony Padilla is facing backlash for a controversial call in the final seconds of the Arizona-BYU game on Saturday night. With 3.2 seconds left, BYU defeated Arizona 96-95 thanks to a questionable decision by Padilla, a former Pac-12 and current Big 12 official.
Lot of unhappy folks voicing their displeasure to me. Shoot – I just don’t see enough contact
Primary official, Shamion, passes on it and Padilla, the crew chief, calls it from trail position.
This is a tough one. Really feel defender did everything right here. https://t.co/RVYzPBHEVN
— OfficiatingObserver17 (@RefObserver17) February 23, 2025
Padilla, who has been officiating for 22 years, has developed a reputation for making calls in critical moments rather than allowing players to decide the game. This was evident in the final play of a thrilling match. With BYU trailing 95-94, forward Richie Saunders drove to the basket and, after being cut off by Arizona’s Trey Townsend, took an off-balance shot that missed. The ball landed in the hands of Arizona’s Tobe Awaka as time expired. While the primary official, Justin Shamion, did not call a foul, Padilla, from his position near halfcourt, decided to penalize Townsend for a foul.
Saunders made both free throws to secure the win for BYU. Arizona’s coach, Tommy Lloyd, was disappointed with his team’s defense but strongly disagreed with the call. “It’s a bad call. … You hate for a game to be decided by that,” said Lloyd, adding that Townsend played solid defense.
The call has sparked a wave of criticism online, with many questioning Padilla’s decision. OfficiatingObserver17 on X pointed out that the primary official didn’t see enough contact to warrant a call, while longtime college basketball columnist Mike DeCourcy remarked that Arizona’s defense had struggled throughout the game but Townsend did everything right on the final play. Fans and media members alike have expressed frustration, with some suggesting the call was part of the challenging officiating legacy that Arizona will now face in the Big 12.
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