Penn State Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry Charges At An Official Following Controversial Call
We’ve all been there. You do everything right, you execute the game plan, and then it all goes up in smoke because of a judgment call. Most of us respond by yelling at our TV screens. Notre Dame Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry? Well, he took his frustrations directly to the source, and let’s just say he wasn’t there to exchange pleasantries.
On Friday night, what should have been a standard road game finish turned into absolute chaos at Haas Pavilion, leaving the Fighting Irish with a 72-71 loss to Cal and their coach seeing red.
A Finish Only a Scriptwriter Could Love (Or Hate)
Let’s set the scene. Notre Dame is up by three. There are fewer than 10 seconds on the clock. In the coaching handbook, this is usually where you deploy the “foul them before they shoot” strategy. It’s smart, it’s safe, and it usually works.
Shrewsberry instructed his squad to foul. His guard, Logan Imes, tried. He swiped once. No whistle. He swiped twice. Silence. On the third try, Cal Guard Dai Dai Ames was already in his shooting motion, launching a 3-pointer from the left wing. Swish.
Here is where it gets messy.
The officiating crew, led by Adam Flore, initially signaled an “and-1” opportunity. Then, they huddled up and decided, “Actually, the foul was on the floor.” No basket. Notre Dame breathes a sigh of relief. But wait! They huddled again and reversed the reversal. Basket counts. Four-point play opportunity.
Shrewsberry watched his team’s lead evaporate in a cloud of administrative confusion. Ames knocked down the free throw, Notre Dame’s buzzer-beater clanked off the iron, and the game was over.
The Aftermath: Shrewsberry Charges
When the final horn sounded, the Fighting Irish coach didn’t head for the handshake line. He made a beeline for Flore. It took multiple players and staffers to physically restrain Shrewsberry, who looked ready to debate the finer points of the rulebook at midcourt.
You can almost feel the blood pressure rising just watching the clip. It’s that visceral mix of disbelief and “you have got to be kidding me” rage that every sports fan knows, but coaches are supposed to suppress.
Cal Head Coach Mark Madsen took the diplomatic route post-game, praising his players’ composure. “There’s so much emotion in that gym,” Madsen said. “Yeah, it got crazy, but we won, so I’m good.”
What Comes Next For the Irish?
The loss drops Notre Dame to 10-5, putting a dent in their NCAA Tournament resume. But the bigger question is whether the ACC will drop the hammer on Shrewsberry for his post-game sprint toward the officials. Discipline is certainly on the table.
For now, Shrewsberry and the Irish have a week off to cool down before hosting Clemson. Hopefully, by then, the only thing charging will be the players toward the basket
