After the shot clock malfunctioned twice in the first five minutes of the Elite Eight game between Florida and South Carolina, Twitter decided to have fun.
When the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight is going down, it’s probably a good idea if everything is working. Things like the shot clocks and scoreboards should be ready to go. At Madison Square Garden, it should be a foregone conclusion that the clock works. Well, that wasn’t the case to start in the Elite Eight Game between South Carolina and Florida on Sunday and that led to Twitter roasting the clock operators.
Twice in the first five minutes the shot clock malfunctioned and the game was delayed. It got to the point where fans began cheering when the two teams were able to play again. Needless to say, Twitter decided to have a little fun with the clock not working at the mecca of sports arenas.
https://twitter.com/FloridaGators/status/846069567948513280
https://twitter.com/McIntyreKrisi/status/846069824832884736
Now that the shot clock is fixed, can we do something about how the PA guy calls a 3-pointer?
— Tim Fitzgerald 💙☘️🌾 (@LifeofFitz) March 26, 2017
Gonna have to send Oak in to figure out this shot clock situation.
— Conor Darrah (@rennicksdad) March 26, 2017
There hasn't been a game here since Friday and the shot clock is malfunctioning?
— John Lupo (@gatorschampions) March 26, 2017
@TheGarden ... please get the game/shot clock malfunctions under control. Kinda ruining the game.
— Kristy Hart (@UFKHart) March 26, 2017
Clock operators...you have one job...well maybe not after today #NCAATournament
— Ben Salaga (@T_Rice9) March 26, 2017
There’s probably not a worse feeling for the operator than seeing the clock go down twice right away in one of the biggest events of the year. Technology can be a fickle thing and shot clocks have malfunctioned before but not always to the extent where the game has been stopped twice.
Next: Updated NCAA Tournament Bracket
If there’s a positive to all of this, play did resume between the two teams. For everyone’s sake let’s just hope that it doesn’t break again. If it does well then they might want to just hand time it themselves.