With under a minute of play left between Liberty and Oregon, there wasn't much left to play for. The game was not close, with the Ducks winning by 29 in the end to advance to the second round of March Madness.
Rather than mailing in the last minute, which was likely to be free of dramatics or fouls, one referee noticed the importance of the moment for one player who was waiting to check in as a substitute. The official appeared to fake a wet spot on the floor so he could stop the game and ensure the substitute would be able to check in.
Had there been no stoppage in the final minute, it's possible the Flames player—redshirt freshman JC Shirer Jr.—would not have been able to see game minutes.
Check out that wholesome moment below:
Ref acted like he was cleaning a wet spot so the sub could come in 🤝
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2025
Respect 🫡 pic.twitter.com/GPQrwlNIRH
The ref and Shirer exchanged a brief handshake, an apparent acknowledgement that the "wet spot" wasn't real. Quite classy all around.
While referees faking a wet spot would generally be frowned upon as getting too involved in the contest, this was a no harm, no foul moment with the game barreling toward an undeniable Oregon win. It got Shirer a very cool moment he'll be able to talk about for a lifetime.
More March Madness on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ref Appeared to Fake a Court Issue to Get Bench Player a March Madness Appearance.
