John Calipari reacts to controversial goaltending call vs. Texas A&M

In a five-point loss at Texas A&M, No. 6 Kentucky could have used another bucket or two. They might have had one, though, depending on the outcome of a goaltending call in the first half that the officials assessed in a way that John Calipari needed more clarification on.

Calipari spoke about the goal tend call that took place around the six-minute mark of the first half during their 97-92 loss in overtime to the Aggies. As far as a potential revising of the rule, he went ahead and shot that down. That’s because he doesn’t feel the NCAA would change one in a way that would have benefitted the Wildcats.

“Well, if it hurt us, they won’t change it,” joked Calipari.

However, all Calipari is looking for is an explanation and some clarity. That goal tend was called yet was corrected and took a basket from UK in favor of the Aggies. Then, in the second half, he felt another one could have been looked at for his team’s benefit yet wasn’t since it wasn’t called.

In the end, Calipari is fine with them ruling in such a way as long as its uniform on both sides.

“I said to one where I thought we had a goal tend. If you’re going to do that call? Then do the other one,” said Calipari. “It’s the difference in a game.”

“‘Well, he had to call goal tend. Since he didn’t, we can’t review it’? Well, then I would say I’m not for it,” Calipari explained. “There’s a goal tend, let them go at four minutes, and, if it was, give them the two points. If it wasn’t? You take it away.”

With 5:55 in the half, Wildens Leveque blocked a shot from DJ Wagner that the referees deemed a goal tend. That cut the lead for the Aggies to 33-29. Still, after the next media timeout, they then took those two points off the board. It also technically took the ensuing possession from Kentucky since, after they assessed it as a clean block, C Ugonna Onyenso had actually rebounded said miss and was free to lay it in before the whistle.

As Calipari recalled, there was a similar play at the 5:55 mark of the second half. At that point, Leveque blocked a shot from Tre Mitchell that they felt was another goal tend. Even so, there was no usage of the rule in that related example since they did not blow the whistle.

All in all, it was a confusing play for those taking part in the game as well as those watching it. With that said, it’s also not the reason why the Wildcats left College Station with their third loss of the season.

“That wasn’t why we lost the game,” stated Calipari.