Cowboys looking for elbow room
Published: 12/6/2010 6:17 PM
Last Modified: 12/6/2010 6:20 PM
Has Oklahoma State post player Matt Pilgrim become the James Harrison of college basketball?
Harrison is a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker who can’t seem to tackle anyone without getting flagged or fined. Teammates allege the NFL is policing Harrison more closely than other defensive players around the league.
In the college basketball world, officials are trying to crack down on elbow-throwing. Referees are calling intentional or flagrant fouls for anything more than incidental elbow contact above the shoulders. And Pilgrim’s elbows have caused him to get tagged with intentional or flagrant fouls in three of his last five games.
In OSU’s most recent game, the Cowboys had a two-point lead and possession of the ball in the final minute of overtime when Pilgrim was called for an intentional foul because his elbows were above his shoulders when he turned with a defender bodied up against him. La Salle took advantage to force a second overtime period, but OSU survived to salvage a road victory.
“The (elbow foul) the other day was just completely....” said coach Travis Ford, who didn't finish this sentence before starting the next one.
“I didn’t see it during the game. I think I was blocked. I couldn’t see it. Watching the film, he didn’t swing. His elbows were up here. He didn’t swing the ball. He caught the ball right here and (squared his elbows) immediately and never moved his elbows -- never did. That was unfortunate.”
As the season moves forward, Ford said coaches are going to have to work with Pilgrim to make sure he is not called for any more elbow-related fouls. All three occurred when he had possession of the basketball.
“None of his have been intentional to hurt anybody, at all,” Ford said. “I would be the first to say it. But he is doing it to clear himself (from defenders). I told him after the game we are going to have to work on a better way to clear yourself. That was unfortunate.”
--Jimmie Tramel.
Written by
Jimmie Tramel
Sports Writer
