Missed backcourt violation call costs No. 15 Troy Trojans shot at historic upset in women’s NCAA Tournament, coach says

The 15th-seeded Troy Trojans looked like they were going to have a chance to tie the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies in the final seconds of regulation during a first-round matchup at the women's NCAA tournament on Monday.

Except, possession — and a pivotal call — evaded them when needed most. Instead, the Aggies avoided what a potentially historic 15-2 upset (it would have been the first in women's tournament history) and won 84-80. 

With 4.5 seconds remaining and leading by two, Texas A&M inbounded on one side of the court to Destiny Pitts, who appeared to dribble from one side of the halfcourt line to the other, an apparent backcourt violation, before a referee signaled for a foul. 

"Was that not an over-and-back?" Renee Montgomery, co-owner of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream who was on the broadcast call for ESPN, asked. 

Here’s the uncalled backcourt violation in the Troy-TAMU game that all but ended it for the Trojans. Awful, botched officiating. #ncaawpic.twitter.com/KgRYrec9CL

Indeed, the Trojans bench began looking for the turnover call, but instead Pitts went to the free-throw line.

"It just looked like she touched it and it went backcourt. It just looked very evident that that happened," Troy coach Chanda Rigby said after the game, via ESPN. "We were seeing if we could get the call corrected, but that's just not the way it went. We had all the momentum at that point. If we would have gotten that call, I don't think there's any way we would have lost the game. I don't think the will of my players would have allowed us to lose."

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