ATLANTA — NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts let out an audible chuckle when asked in his postgame press conference if he had anything to say about the officiating in Thursday’s 78-75 loss at Georgia Tech.
It was about all he could do without getting fined, besides saying — quite sarcastically — “I thought they did a great job.”
Friday morning, his athletic director made it clear via social media how the Wolfpack contingent really feels about the performance of officials Roger Ayers, Ted Valentine and Ed Corbett.
“Coach Keatts and I spoke (with) the conference office at length this morning to express our concerns regarding a number of situations in the Ga Tech game,” Debbie Yow said in a Twitter post. “We will also send video clips for their review and discussion (with) us. We believe our concerns were heard.”
Keatts was visibly unhappy throughout the game, in which his Wolfpack was called for 19 fouls, compared to only 10 for Georgia Tech. Keatts was eventually hit with a technical foul by Ayers during a second half time out, a call he said was never explained to him.
State forward Torin Dorn was also slapped with a technical during the first half.
Dorn was called for an offensive foul as he collided with a Yellow Jackets defender. He reacted to the call while he was on the floor, but it was after he got up that Valentine whistled him for the technical that counted as his second personal foul with 10:04 left in the period.
Dorn had scored nine points to that point, but played only two more minutes and didn’t score again before halftime.
“I got the charge call and I went to run back,” Dorn said. “I said ‘whoa,’ and turned around and they were calling the tech on me, so I don’t know what happened.”
