Rutgers player claims she didn't call timeout

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- The Big East Conference tournament now has a great timeout controversy.

Rutgers (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today; No. 20 Associated Press) was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Miami on Sunday night after being hit with a technical foul for excessive timeouts in a 77-74 defeat.

The only problem was the player who allegedly called the timeout -- Cappie Pondexter -- has laryngitis and can barely speak above a whisper.

''I know she couldn't have called it because she couldn't talk,'' Rutgers coach C.Vivian Stringer said. ''She knew we had no timeouts left.''

Tamara James hit two go-ahead free throws with eight seconds to play that resulted from the technical and Miami (18-11) advanced to the semifinal against Villanova, which defeated Notre Dame 50-39.

Miami players insist Pondexter called a timeout after diving to the floor and putting her arms around a loose ball. Pondexter insists she knew Rutgers (20-7) had no timeouts and never called the one that official Angie Lewis signaled.

''I was right there,'' Meghan Saake of Miami said. ''I saw, I think it was Cappie, call timeout. If we weren't going to get that call it would have been very controversial, that's for sure.''

With tears welling in her eyes, Pondexter insisted Lewis made a mistake.

''The lady said I called timeout,'' said Pondexter, whose 30 points were a school record for the tournament. ''I didn't. My arms were around the ball.''

Pondexter said it was possible the official might have made the mistake of thinking she was signaling a timeout with her hands around the ball, but she said she didn't.

Big East assistant commissioner Barbara Jacobs talked with Lewis after the game about the timeout.

''The official didn't hear anything,'' Jacobs said. ''The call was based on what she saw.''

After watching the play on videotape after the game, Jacobs said there was no conclusive evidence that Pondexter called a timeout because Lewis was blocking the camera view.

After James hit the go-ahead free throws, Yalonda McCormick added another free throw with 5.4 seconds left and Miami survived a last-second, running 35-foot, 3-point attempt by Pondexter.

Rutgers almost definitely will get an NCAA Tournament bid when the selections are announced next Sunday.

''It's in the past,'' said Pondexter, the conference's rookie of the year. ''We can't take it back. We lost.''

James finished with 22 points and Saake added 15 as the seventh-seeded Hurricanes blew a 15-point first-half lead and found a way to win.

Rutgers, the second seed and host school, had tied it on a long 3-pointer by Mauri Horton with 10.6 seconds to play.

James' inbound pass wasn't on line and Pondexter went to the floor and put her arms around the ball as Hurricane players approached to tie her up.

The possession arrow was in Miami's favor.

But before the tie up was called, Pondexter called the timeout and the officials stopped play.

''I saw it,'' Saake said. ''She was on the floor and everyone was going for the ball, she had it and called timeout.''

McCormick, who had 12 points, 10 assists and 12 turnovers, immediately started telling the officials that Rutgers had no timeouts left. The officials conferred at the scorer's table and signaled a technical foul, a call that also gave Miami the ball.

With the crowd booing loudly, James went to the line and calmly made her free throws.

''I really wanted to shoot the foul shots,'' said James, who was 12-for-13 from the line.

Rutgers nearly stole in the ensuing inbound play, before fouling McCormick, who made the first of two shots.

Pondexter dribbled up court and wasn't close on the final shot.

Trailing by 12 at the half, Rutgers got right back in it with an eight-point run to start the second half. The Scarlet Knights eventually tied it at 54 on a layup by Pondexter.

The game was tied again at 58 before Miami built its lead to seven points. It appeared headed to overtime when Rutgers made the late mistake.