EAST LANSING, Mich. – A controversial ending related with the game clock went the wrong way for the FGCU men's basketball team (1-3) Sunday night in front of a national TV audience as the Eagles battled #13 Michigan State (2-2) to the final seconds but fell one point short, 78-77.
 
With 1.6 seconds remaining, Christian Terrell threw an in-bounds pass from under the Michigan State basket to Antravious Simmons at the FGCU free throw line. However, despite the ball not being touched by any player, the game clock hit zero before Simmons even touched the ball.
 
The play was designed for him to take a dribble and attempt a game-winning layup, but when he heard the horn as soon as he caught the ball – after time had already expired – he threw the ball toward the basket and did not make the shot.
 

Despite some mishaps of a running clock, @FGCU_MBB nearly upsets #13 Michigan State on @dreamchasertrey's last second attempt. pic.twitter.com/fIXYZ4ciFq

— #ASUNMBB ?? (@ASUNMBB) November 21, 2016

 
FGCU coaches were told by the referees that the play could not be reviewed with video to see if the clock started early, and only to see the time related to a made or missed shot. However, on pages 101 and 102 of the official NCAA Men's Basketball Rule Book for 2015-16 and 2016-17 (Rule 11-C-2), the rule appears to state that video replay could have been utilized to correct a timing mistake:
 
"Determine whether the shot clock malfunctioned or a timing mistake occurred in failing to properly start, stop, set or reset the shot clock" (shot and game clock are the same with less than 30 seconds remaining).
 
The following is a statement from head official Bo Boroski:
 
"A timing error occurred with 1.6 seconds remaining on the game clock. Since a timing error occurred, we are able to utilize the replay monitor. A stopwatch was used to determine if any time should remain on the game clock. Using a stopwatch, it was determined the ball was caught and released in 1.3 seconds, meaning if the shot would have gone in, it would have counted. After the miss there was no time remaining in the game, therefore ending the game. By rule the possession cannot be replayed. Period."
 
Boroski continued:
 
"When the timing error occurred it allowed us to utilize the monitor. OK, and then that's when we break out the stopwatch. At that point, as the statement read, we have to determine what's the (word(s) missing), because play didn't stop. If that try is released after the 1.6 we are going to wave it off. If that try is released before the 1.6 we are going to count it. It was determined it was released before the 1.6, we were prepared to count it. It did not go in, and using the stopwatch we didn't need to put any time back on the clock because it had expired."
 
FGCU officials have been told to "expect a statement from the Big Ten tomorrow (Monday)." For the complete interview/statement from Boroski, click here or the link above. As of Sunday evening, this is the only statement/explanation FGCU officials have received.
 
The Eagles put themselves in position for their first-ever regular-season win over a nationally-ranked team thanks to the third career double-double from Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) with a team-high-tying 18 points and game-best 12 rebounds. That point total was matched by Brandon Goodwin, who has now led (or tied) FGCU in scoring each of the first four games of the year.
 
Freshman RaySean Scott Jr. came off the bench to give the Green and Blue – who were once again plagued with foul issues playing on a Power 5 member's home floor – a huge lift as he finished with 14 points, including 4-6 from 3-point range.
 
Both teams got off to a slow start, with FGCU not hitting its first field goal until the 13-minute mark after MSU had built a 9-1 lead. The Spartans' largest lead all night was nine, 36-27, with 1:30 remaining in the 1st half, but a pivotal 9-2 FGCU run to end the stanza pulled the Eagles within just two at the break, 38-36.
 
The Eagles were able to get there despite starters Zach Johnson and Demetris Morant – FGCU's 2nd-leading scorer and leading rebounder, respectively – playing a combined four minutes in the 1st half as each picked up two fouls quickly.
 
Despite that, and a near-sellout 14,797 vocal fans, FGCU was unfazed, and on a Simmons jumper just 90 seconds into the 2nd half took its first lead of the night, 40-38. MSU regained the lead shortly after, and remained in front until a Morant (Miami, Fla./UNLV/Bishop Gorman HS) layup at the 5-minute mark put the Eagles back ahead, 64-63.
 
The lead expanded to four, 68-64, on a Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) lay-in, but the Spartans tied the game back up a few minutes later. However, FGCU responded to every answer the storied program had, as the game was tied on three different occasions in the final 2 minutes.
 
Down 75-73 with 40 seconds remaining, Scott Jr. (Compton, Calif./Compton HS) missed a layup, but Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) came flying in and threw back a put-back dunk to knot the contest at 75-75. Up 78-77, MSU missed a pair of free throws to set up the FGCU final shot attempt.
 
Those missed free throws occurred with 3.5 seconds remaining on the clock. FGCU called a timeout immediately, but the clock trickled down to 2.4 seconds. The refs reviewed the time, and determined that was correct. On the first in-bounds attempt, an MSU player knocked Terrell's (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) pass directly down and back out of bounds, but it was determined that .8 came off the clock, leaving the Eagles with the aforementioned 1.6 seconds.
 
Making the effort even more impressive is that FGCU was once again without its leading returning scorer (17.1 PPG) and rebounder (9.3 RPG) Marc-Eddy Norelia as he missed his fourth-straight game with a broken left (shooting) hand.
 
Despite that, and despite Morant grabbing just one rebound, the Eagles crushed the Big Ten member on the glass, out-rebounding Michigan State, 41-29. FGCU also destroyed the Spartans in the paint, out-scoring the two-time national champions, 40-22.
 
FGCU shot 46 percent (29-63) from the floor, including a 47.8-percent clip (8-17) from 3-point range as the Eagles' drastically-improved perimeter shooting was on display again as they've shot at least 40 percent and taken more than 15 3s all four games this year.
 
Michigan State was led by 31 points from Eron Harris, while Miles Bridges – a Preseason All-American selection as a freshman – was held in check by the Eagles with just 13 points. Those two were the only double-figure scorers for the Spartans, who shot 51 percent from the floor (25-49).
 
The heart-breaking finish for the preseason ASUN favorites concluded a challenging four-game opening stretch of opponents which all won at least 20 games and played in the postseason last year. On Friday, FGCU was in a one-possession contest with less than 2 minutes remaining before Baylor went on a 9-0 run and held on for an 81-72 win. The Bears destroyed #4 and Final Four favorite Oregon on Tuesday by 17 points.
 
FGCU is back in action on Wednesday at Alico Arena when the Eagles host Binghamton (2-2) at 7 p.m. The Green and Blue remain at home to take on Long Beach State (1-4 with losses at Wichita State, North Carolina, Louisville and UCLA) on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets to both games are still available and can be secured by logging on to FGCUTickets.com or by calling or visiting the Alico Arena Ticket Office during regular business hours.

SOCIAL CENTRAL
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COACH DOOLEY 
FGCU is led by head coach Joe Dooley, who is in his 4th season with the Eagles in 2016-17 and has coached eight all-conference selections over his first three campaigns. Dooley guided FGCU to a 4th-straight 20-win season and 4th-consecutive postseason appearance in 2015-16 as the Eagles claimed the ASUN Tournament Championship and won their First Four NCAA Tournament game in 31-point record-setting fashion. He led FGCU to its first ASUN Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2014, and in 2015 he led the Eagles to a berth in the CIT. Prior to arriving in SWFL, Dooley spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. During those 10 seasons, Kansas produced 300 wins, nine-straight Big 12 regular-season titles, six Big 12 Tournament championships, six NCAA Sweet 16s, five NCAA Elite Eight appearances and two Final Fours, including the 2008 National Championship. Dooley is in his 8th season overall as a head coach and has a record of 123-93 (.569), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 66-41 (.617).
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.