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Jordan Gregory hits a game-winner for Montana, but did the Grizzlies deserve a technical foul?

Jordan Gregory Will Cherry

AP

AP

Gregory hits a two for the lead, but an unsuited player was on the court after. Potential technical. #BigSkyMBB pic.twitter.com/7GQ90Pp8xZ

— Brooks Nuanez (@Brooksnuanez) March 14, 2015

Montana guard Jordan Gregory drove to the basket, converting on a go-ahead bucket with less than a second remaining in the Big Sky semifinal against Northern Arizona.

The Grizzlies would win, 61-59, and advance to the title game against Eastern Washington. But should they have been called for a technical foul after Gregory’s shot?

Look at the video again, and you notice a member of the Montana bench -- the academically ineligible Jermaine Edmonds -- out in the middle of half-court only to realize the game isn’t over. He sprints and dives back to the sideline only to be instantly berated by a coach. Here’s a picture of the court, courtesy of Cody Bashore:

Montana

Also worth noting here: Northern Arizona head coach Jack Murphy’s response after the game. He screamed in Travis DeCuire’s face as the coaches met at half court, and it nearly started a brawl. The incident starts at the :42 second mark:

This incident could fall under the rules for Coach and Bench Decorum, specifically the last sentence in Section 1, Article C:

Assistant coaches and bench personnel. All bench personnel, with the exception of the head coach, are required to be seated on the bench while the ball is live except to react spontaneously to an outstanding play and then to immediately return to sitting on the bench. Violations by players, especially assistant coaches, should not be tolerated by officials. When assistant coaches or bench personnel are violating bench decorum rules in a minor way, the official shall inform the head coach and request that he handle the situation. This is an official warning. Any further violation by bench personnel shall result in a technical foul assessed to the offender. Egregious (blatant) conduct violations by assistant coaches or bench personnel need no warning and shall immediately result in a technical foul. A tehnical foul assessed to bench personnel is also assessed as a CLASS B technical foul to the head coach.

No technical was called on the play and Montana is 40 minutes and an upset away from a NCAA tournament appearance.

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