A controversial ending to thebasketball game between Notre Dame and California Friday, Jan. 2, caused Fighting Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry to lose his cool.
With Notre Dame ahead, 71-68, in the final seconds, GoldenBearsguard Dai Dai Ames shot and made a '3', drawing a foul from Logan Imes in the process. The referee initially ruled it an and-1 opportunity, but then overturned the call and said the foul occurred before the shot.
A few seconds later, though, the referee overturned that ruling, deeming the basket good and sending Ames to the free throw line for a chance to take the lead with five seconds remaining.
Ames made the ensuing free throw to put the Bears up, 72-71.
After a timeout with 2.4 seconds left, Notre Dame had one last shot to win. A 3-point attempt from Braeden Shrewsberry clanked off the front iron, though, giving Cal a home ACC win.
As soon as the final horn sounded, Micah Shrewsberry charged toward the referee that awarded the four-point play opportunity, visually angry and yelling at him. Multiple Notre Dame players and staffers had to restrain the third-year head coach for a few seconds before Shrewsberry led the postgame handshake line with the Cal team.
After this one went final...this happened...https://t.co/rFRnlDRyNh
— Tom Noie (@tnoieNDI)January 3, 2026
It was a brutal loss for the Irish, who led for most of the contest. The margin reached as high as 12 midway through the first half and was 69-65 with 16 seconds remaining before blowing the late lead.
Austin Hough is a sports editor within the Center for Community Journalism at USA Today Co., overseeing high school sports and Notre Dame athletics coverage for five Indiana newspapers. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough. Hough can be emailed at ahough@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune:Micah Shrewsberry charges ref after Notre Dame basketball loss to Cal
