[M T]

I can't believe they both didn't get tossed. Cam shouldn't have thrown the ball at her. And besides grabbing her face and not letting go, she shoved Lexie a few times in there.

Years ago, I saw Missy not call a foul when a certain aggressive Cal player threw the ball into someone's face intentionally right in front of Missy.  So I looked up the rule (then).  At least then, hitting another player with some other object (chair, for instance) or a fist (or an intentional elbow), is fighting and a disqualification.  But they did not include hitting a player with the ball in that rule.  [Personally, I think throwing the ball intentionally to hit another player (even to make it go out of bounds) should be a foul.)

The only thing to be said for Cam is that she didn't throw the ball into the opponent's face.  It was a bad reaction that she needs to learn to control.  She's got a weakness there that might be exploited.

As for Holingshead, she had her hand flat, not in a fist.  If she'd made a fist, she'd have been out of the game.  It was clearly a frustration foul.

If I recall correctly, in the 2nd half, Cam helped Holingshead up off the ground at one point.

Here's the current rule (with my emphasis).  The wording about chair has been removed.  I think we should be grateful to Missy for avoiding calling this a fight (See Art 10).

Section 15. Suspensions for Fighting
Art. 1. A fight is a disqualifying foul.
Art. 2. A fight is a confrontation involving one or more players, coaches or
other team personnel wherein (but not limited to) a fist, hand, arm, foot, knee, or leg is used to combatively strike the other individual.
Art. 3. When, during a confrontation, an individual attempts to strike another individual with any of the actions defined in Art. 2, whether there is contact is irrelevant. The perpetrator shall be deemed to have been involved in a fight.
Art. 4. When, during a confrontation, an individual uses unsporting acts or comments that, in the opinion of the official, provoke the other individual to retaliate by fighting, it shall be ruled that both individuals have been involved in the fight.
Art. 5. When a physical confrontation has occurred, the officials shall determine the individuals who were involved in the fight or left the bench area to participate.
Art. 6. When, during the course of play (live ball), an individual strikes an opponent with the hand, elbow, arm, foot, knee or leg in a nonconfrontational manner and the act is not only excessive, but also severe or extreme, it shall be ruled as a disqualifying foul and not a fighting action. When a defined body part is used to strike an opponent, but the contact is not severe or extreme, a judgment shall be made by the official as to whether the contact is an intentional foul.
Art. 7. Anytime an individual uses a closed fist in an unsporting manner, it shall be deemed that the individual has initiated a fighting act and shall be penalized accordingly.
...
Art. 10. The first time an individual participates in a fight during the season (including exhibition games), the individual shall be suspended from participating in the team’s next regular-season game (not an exhibition contest), including tournament competition.
Art. 11. When an individual participates in a second fight during the same season, that individual shall be suspended for the remainder of the season, including tournament competition.

Another official could have ruled that Cam combatively struck Holingshead (but with the ball, not a body part).  If so, then both would have been disqualified for fighting AND the player of the winning team would be disqualified from the championship game.  The other player would be disqualified from their first tournament game (if any).

Yet another official could have ruled that Holingshead's action was indeed disqualifying.  Then I'm sure if Cam wasn't also disqualified, there would have been a protest.  Missy was part of the crew that Adia Barnes complained about, and I'm sure she didn't want a second question mark on her record.

The rule goes on to say that IF A FIGHT WAS RULED, the conference can make the penalties more severe.  However, it seems the conference doesn't get to declare it a fight if the refs didn't.

I, for one, am glad Missy was officiating.  I trust her to know the rules.

-----
On the negative side, it appeared to me what the refs did after this was to start calling phantom fouls, at least against Stanford.  The phantom fouls increase the number of fouls on players and therefore make them more hesitant to do more physical play.  I don't think the game was called tighter.  I just think more fouls were handed out (for non-fouls).

Did you notice the other female ref called a 5-second call in less than 3 seconds (per the clock on the screen)?  I think she realized it, as about 10 seconds later she called a travel I couldn't see on the other team.  (I believe this is the same ref I commented on her fast 5-second call in another game).

Later in the game, I noticed a CU player pull down an offensive rebound and stay in the lane for about 8 seconds (after she passed the ball off, and without any shots).

[M T]

I can't believe they both didn't get tossed. Cam shouldn't have thrown the ball at her. And besides grabbing her face and not letting go, she shoved Lexie a few times in there.

Years ago, I saw Missy not call a foul when a certain aggressive Cal player threw the ball into someone's face intentionally right in front of Missy.  So I looked up the rule (then).  At least then, hitting another player with some other object (chair, for instance) or a fist (or an intentional elbow), is fighting and a disqualification.  But they did not include hitting a player with the ball in that rule.  [Personally, I think throwing the ball intentionally to hit another player (even to make it go out of bounds) should be a foul.)

The only thing to be said for Cam is that she didn't throw the ball into the opponent's face.  It was a bad reaction that she needs to learn to control.  She's got a weakness there that might be exploited.

As for Holingshead, she had her hand flat, not in a fist.  If she'd made a fist, she'd have been out of the game.  It was clearly a frustration foul.

If I recall correctly, in the 2nd half, Cam helped Holingshead up off the ground at one point.

Here's the current rule (with my emphasis).  The wording about chair has been removed.  I think we should be grateful to Missy for avoiding calling this a fight (See Art 10).

Section 15. Suspensions for Fighting
Art. 1. A fight is a disqualifying foul.
Art. 2. A fight is a confrontation involving one or more players, coaches or
other team personnel wherein (but not limited to) a fist, hand, arm, foot, knee, or leg is used to combatively strike the other individual.
Art. 3. When, during a confrontation, an individual attempts to strike another individual with any of the actions defined in Art. 2, whether there is contact is irrelevant. The perpetrator shall be deemed to have been involved in a fight.
Art. 4. When, during a confrontation, an individual uses unsporting acts or comments that, in the opinion of the official, provoke the other individual to retaliate by fighting, it shall be ruled that both individuals have been involved in the fight.
Art. 5. When a physical confrontation has occurred, the officials shall determine the individuals who were involved in the fight or left the bench area to participate.
Art. 6. When, during the course of play (live ball), an individual strikes an opponent with the hand, elbow, arm, foot, knee or leg in a nonconfrontational manner and the act is not only excessive, but also severe or extreme, it shall be ruled as a disqualifying foul and not a fighting action. When a defined body part is used to strike an opponent, but the contact is not severe or extreme, a judgment shall be made by the official as to whether the contact is an intentional foul.
Art. 7. Anytime an individual uses a closed fist in an unsporting manner, it shall be deemed that the individual has initiated a fighting act and shall be penalized accordingly.
...
Art. 10. The first time an individual participates in a fight during the season (including exhibition games), the individual shall be suspended from participating in the team’s next regular-season game (not an exhibition contest), including tournament competition.
Art. 11. When an individual participates in a second fight during the same season, that individual shall be suspended for the remainder of the season, including tournament competition.

Another official could have ruled that Cam combatively struck Holingshead (but with the ball, not a body part).  If so, then both would have been disqualified for fighting AND the player of the winning team would be disqualified from the championship game.  The other player would be disqualified from their first tournament game (if any).

Yet another official could have ruled that Holingshead's action was indeed disqualifying.  Then I'm sure if Cam wasn't also disqualified, there would have been a protest.  Missy was part of the crew that Adia Barnes complained about, and I'm sure she didn't want a second question mark on her record.

The rule goes on to say that IF A FIGHT WAS RULED, the conference can make the penalties more severe.  However, it seems the conference doesn't get to declare it a fight if the refs didn't.

I, for one, am glad Missy was officiating.  I trust her to know the rules.

-----
On the negative side, it appeared to me what the refs did after this was to start calling phantom fouls, at least against Stanford.  The phantom fouls increase the number of fouls on players and therefore make them more hesitant to do more physical play.  I don't think the game was called tighter.  I just think more fouls were handed out (for non-fouls).

Did you notice the other female ref called a 5-second call in less than 3 seconds (per the clock on the screen)?  I think she realized it, as about 10 seconds later she called a travel I couldn't see on the other team.  (I believe this is the same ref I commented on her fast 5-second call in another game).

Later in the game, I noticed a CU player pull down an offensive rebound and stay in the lane for about 8 seconds (after she passed the ball off, and without any shots).