NCAA announces officiating assignments for Final Four, national championship
The NCAA has announced the officiating assignments for this weekend’s Final Four and national championship games. Each game will have a different crew.
The crew of Keith Kimble, Kipp Kissinger and Michael Reed will work the first game of the night between Purdue and NC State, with Marques Pettigrew serving as the standby referee. The nightcap between UConn and Alabama will see Ron Groover, Patrick Adams and Paul Szelc on the floor while Courtney Green will be the standby.
Finally, Jeffrey Anderson, Terry Oglesby and Roger Ayers will be on the whistle for Monday’s title game. The standby official is still yet to be determined.
Saturday’s slate of games gets underway at 6:09 p.m. ET as No. 1 seed Purdue goes up against No. 11 seed and tournament darling NC State. Immediately after that, No. 1 overall seed UConn and No. 3 seed Alabama will battle it out in what could be an offensive display.
Then, it all comes down to Monday night with an 8:20 p.m. ET tip-off.
Alabama-UConn features two high-powered offenses
UConn has lived up to the billing as the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, leaving no room for doubt during its journey to the Final Four. The Huskies have yet to allow 60 points in an NCAA Tournament game, and in the Elite Eight against Illinois, opened up a 30-0 run to start the second half.
That’s a big reason why Dan Hurley’s group is a double-digit favorite against Alabama, which has struggled mightily on the defensive end all season. But the Crimson Tide possess one of the best offenses in the country, and if the game turns into a track meet, it could become an even more interesting matchup.
“We’re going to see an offensive matchup here. I think where UConn can create some separation is on the defensive end of the floor,” On3’s James Fletcher III said during an appearance with Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3. “What Donovan Clingan has been able to do? Taking the offensive efficiency that he gives you around the rim. Then bringing to the defensive end just an absolute rim protection that not many people have been able to provide at the college level in quite some time has made this UConn team what it is.”