Watch: College Basketball Player Ejected After Tripping Opponent from Bench
As long as there have been benches right next to the field of play, as in hockey or basketball, there have been opportunities for dirty play perpetrated against the unfortunate opposing player who gets too close.
Case in point: a college basketball game Monday between Texas Tech and West Virginia in Lubbock.
Red Raiders guard Matt Mooney wandered into the Mountaineers bench area early in the second half after trying to block a 3-point shot.
When he tried to go back onto the court, West Virginia benchwarmer Logan Routt sent him to the floor with a sneaky trip.
West Virginia’s Logan Routt got ejected after this trip.pic.twitter.com/mGexoPMOpD
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 5, 2019
It wasn’t sneaky enough, however. The referees reviewed video of the incident, and Routt was ejected.
Speaking of routs, the 18th-ranked Red Raiders slaughtered West Virginia 81-50 in the ballgame. It was 44-22 when Routt tripped Mooney.
The play drew a technical foul, and Mooney — who was uninjured — hit a 3-pointer after the two technical free throws to put the score at 49-22.
Texas Tech came out with a vengeance in this one, looking to bounce back after getting mashed 79-63 against Kansas on Saturday, the 18-5 Red Raiders’ fourth loss in 10 tries in Big 12 conference play.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is dead last at 2-8 in the conference and just 10-13 overall.
So if you can’t beat ’em, trip ’em as they’re trying to get back onto the floor and then watch them drop a 3-pointer right in your face.
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard praised not just the officials for getting the call right, but his own assistants for bringing the foul to the refs’ attention in order to get the play reviewed in the first place.
“I didn’t see it personally. Two of our coaches did. The refs did a good job of finding the play,” Beard said, according to ESPN.
Routt never played in the game before he got ejected.
He hasn’t been much of a factor all season, averaging just over 2 points per game.
So it won’t be a huge loss for the Mountaineers if Routt is suspended for his dirty play from the bench.
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