This story has been updated with a statement from Micah Shrewsberry and from the ACC.
A controversial ending to the basketball game between Notre Dame and California Friday, Jan. 2, caused Fighting Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry to lose his cool.
With Notre Dame ahead, 71-68, in the final seconds, Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames shot and made a ‘3’, drawing a foul from Logan Imes in the process. The referee initially ruled it an and-1 opportunity, but then overturned the call and said the foul occurred before the shot.
A few seconds later, though, the referee overturned that ruling, deeming the basket good and sending Ames to the free throw line for a chance to take the lead with five seconds remaining.
Ames made the ensuing free throw to put the Bears up, 72-71.
After a timeout with 2.4 seconds left, Notre Dame had one last shot to win. A 3-point attempt from Braeden Shrewsberry clanked off the front iron, though, giving Cal a home ACC win.
As soon as the final horn sounded, Micah Shrewsberry charged toward the referee that awarded the four-point play opportunity, visually angry and yelling at him. Multiple Notre Dame players and staffers had to restrain the third-year head coach for a few seconds before Shrewsberry led the postgame handshake line with the Cal team.
Late Saturday morning, Shrewsberry issued a statement on the incident through the official team account.
“I want to apologize for what took place immediately after the Cal game last night,” Shrewsberry wrote. “My actions were inappropriate and not symbolic of the leader I strive to be and what Notre Dame expects of its coaches and educators. I will learn from this lack of judgement and be better in the future.
“I want to apologize to our team, our University and its leaders, to Coach (Mark) Madsen (head coach of Cal) and his team, and to the ACC, as my actions were unacceptable.”
Just before noon on Saturday, January 3, the ACC released a statement that said it had publicly reprimanded Shrewsberry for his actions. There would be no further comment, and the league considers the case closed.
It was a brutal loss for the Irish, who led for most of the contest. The margin reached as high as 12 midway through the first half and was 69-65 with 16 seconds remaining before blowing the late lead.
Austin Hough is a sports editor within the Center for Community Journalism at USA Today Co., overseeing high school sports and Notre Dame athletics coverage for five Indiana newspapers. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough. Hough can be emailed at ahough@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Micah Shrewsberry confronts ref after Notre Dame basketball loss to Cal
Reporting by Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
