In Las Vegas, Lauren Betts sustained a split lip. JuJu Watkins had a bump on her head. Cameron Brink went to the bench multiple times with blood on her jersey. And on the other side of the country, a contentious game between South Carolina and LSU escalated to a melee that resulted in six players being ejected.
March Madness is on the horizon, and after a season where officiating has often been questioned, the spotlight is on the sport's referees.
“If our game is going to grow at a certain rate, the officiating needs to grow at that same rate,” UCLA coach Cori Close said.