After years of men maintaining that size actually does matter, Duke’s women’s basketball coach has admitted as much, at least in terms of the basketball. After a loss to Florida State University, it was discovered that the ball that both teams had been handling actually belonged to the men. Now, Duke’s coach wants to appeal the loss. Apparently, she doesn’t like the idea that her team was playing with a man’s ball, if only for a half. Check this out.
Duke and Florida State women’s basketball played the entire first half of their recent matchup with a men’s ball, according to Blue Devils’ head coach Kara Lawson.
It’s been nearly a week since the contest, but Lawson is still frustrated by the situation.
Following Duke’s win over Pitt on Thursday night, Lawson ended her press conference by speaking about the ball error during her team’s loss at FSU this past Sunday.
“This would never happen in a men’s game. This would never happen,” Lawson said. “It’s embarrassing for our sport.”
— Rob Mattox (@RobMattox2) February 3, 2023
It is embarrassing for basketball in general that there has to be a smaller one for the ladies. However, Lawson has a point. An error like that would never be made in a men’s game. The measurements are subtle, but the women’s ball is smaller and easier to grip. The only problem with Lawson’s gripe is both teams had to play with the big ball, and Florida State didn’t seem to be affected.
The wrong-sized ball was discovered at halftime after Duke went just 7-for-34 from the field in the opening half. A Duke assistant went to check on the ball at the scorer’s table, which is when game officials changed the ball to start the second half.
Lawson told the media that she wanted to appeal the game, but the conference wouldn’t let her.
She understands that both team’s played with the exact same ball in the first half, which FSU led 30-22 at the break, but then made the ‘what if’ argument if the proper-sized ball was used throughout the game.
“Let me be clear: Florida State beat us,” Lawson said. “They beat us playing with a men’s ball in the first half and a women’s ball in the second half. But I can’t say if we’d have played with a women’s ball in the first half and the second half that we would have won. But they can’t say that, either.”
It is surprising that none of the players noticed the difference. The circumference of a men’s ball is one inch larger than a women’s ball, plus it weighs two ounces more than the ball. It hasn’t and likely never would happen, but my guess is a women’s ball would be detected immediately in the opposite scenario. It is certainly a bad look for a sport that is constantly being propped up and pushed by ESPN. Women’s basketball struggles at all levels with interest and attendance, and playing a half with the wrong ball only makes the sport look more ridiculous.
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