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California (AP) - Steve Lavin and the UCLA Bruins
are demanding a recount of the game in which Kansas won 99 to 98. "The
baskets were confusing," says Lavin. "I'm sure that some of the balls that
went in Kansas' basket were meant to go into ours. Kansas teams would never
have scored nearly one-hundred points. There's no way we lost this one. UCLA
demands a recount," Kansas officials are calling this "outrageous." "They
agreed to the size and shape of the baskets prior to tip-off," replies KU
coach Roy Williams. "If they had a problem with them, they should have said
so before we started. You don't get to keep playing until you're happy with
the outcome." Someone had to lose. We've scored over one hundred points many
times." UCLA has sent lawyers as well as their athletic director to Madison
Square Garden, where
the scoreboard will be tested. Bob Frederick, athletic director for Kansas,
will be there as well to oversee the process. "We are confident that when the
points are re-totaled, we will be the winner of the game," say Frederick.
Kansas also points out that in many games prior to this one, the same
baskets were used. "They didn't have a problem with the baskets until they
lost," says Williams.
Outside the garden, UCLA student protesters have
gathered outside bearing signs such as, "UCLA wants a fair game!". Students'
thoughts echoed their signs. "All we want is a fair total of the points
before we declare a
winner," says student Karen Hays, a Bruin for California. "We need to proceed
cautiously and not rush to judgment before we declare a winner." ESPN, around
7pm eastern time, had mistakenly declared Kansas the winner, based on the
16-point lead the Jayhawkers held at that point. At about 8:30pm, with the
game still to close to call, ESPN had to back off its prediction. College
Basketball analyst Jay Bilas made the call. "We felt that with a number of
points still not added in by Hinrich and Gooden, two very good scorers, we
were certain Kansas would carry this game. We may have been premature in our
prediction."
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