Former Lady Vols great Kara Lawson is rightfully furious this week
Former Lady Vols great Kara Lawson is not happy this week. And she shouldn't be. Lawson, who is currently the head coach at Duke (she's been in that role since 2020), is angry over the fact that a men's basketball was allegedly used during the first half of the Blue Devils' loss to Florida State […]
Former Lady Vols great Kara Lawson is not happy this week.
And she shouldn't be.
Lawson, who is currently the head coach at Duke (she's been in that role since 2020), is angry over the fact that a men's basketball was allegedly used during the first half of the Blue Devils' loss to Florida State on Sunday.
After Duke beat Pittsburgh on Thursday, Lawson spoke out about the debacle that happened in Tallahassee this past weekend.
"This would never happen in a men's game," said Lawson. "This would never happen. It's embarrassing for our sport."
"It's a complete failure," added Lawson. "And you can figure out who the people I'm talking about that failed the sport and our players and both teams."
According to Lawson, assistant coach Winston Gandy checked the ball at halftime and the officials changed basketballs in the second half.
"We have concluded through our investigation that it was a men's ball," noted Lawson on Thursday. "The conference and Florida State is saying that it wasn't."
Here's the statement from the ACC that contradicts Lawson's claim:
Lawson, by the way, wasn't using the ball drama as an excuse — she admitted that FSU beat Duke
"Let me be clear: Florida State beat us. They beat us playing with a men's ball in the first half and a women's ball in the second half," said Lawson. "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."
Lawson has earned plenty of respect. The fact that the ACC is brushing this off seems like a mistake. I can't imagine why Lawson would take a public stand like this without being certain that the correct basketball wasn't being used.
Either way, it's a shame that it's even a question. There needs to be a better process in place to make sure something like this doesn't come up again.
And Lawson certainly deserves more respect from the ACC.
Featured image via Saul Young, Knoxville News Sentinel
