— It was the most painful 1.6 seconds in recent North Carolina basketball history. Or was it even 1.6 seconds at all?

Did the clock start too late? Would Nate Britt have known to call a timeout if it had? Would Roy Williams have run a different play if he thought the clock was different? And could the NCAA have avoided all of those questions by using a technology in use by Division I teams throughout the regular season and in conference tournaments?

Back in 1995, the CIAA and Pac 10 became the first collegiate conferences to institute a sports timing technology introduced by Precision Time Systems. By 1997, the NBA was using Precision Time for every game. And today, nearly every major conference at the Division I level uses it.

It’s quite simple – and virtually fool-proof. The referees wear a belt pack (perhaps you have seen them) that starts the clock at the push of a button and stops it at the blow of a whistle. This repetition of procedure is done countless times over the course of a year and the referees are trained to do it with – as the product is aptly labeled – precision.

In 2004, the NCAA added a mandate to its rule book. Point No. 11 of the Rules Supplements states, “It is recommended that all men’s Division I arenas provide a timing mechanism that enables the officials to start and stop the game clock automatically.”

Yet at NCAA tournament venues across the country last weekend, Precision Time was not in use.

So is the NCAA going against their own recommendation on their own biggest stage? And why?

Steve Truckenbrod, a representative for Precision Time Systems who lives in the Triangle, said the NCAA has been in touch, but hasn’t signed the contract that would improve the exactness with which games like Carolina’s are timed.

“We submitted a proposal and never got a response,” Truckenbrod said. “The ball is in their court.”

John Adams, the NCAA national coordinator of men’s basketball officials, said he couldn’t answer any question without NCAA approval, and no one from the NCAA was made available Tuesday able to answer questions about timing issues.

This year’s 68-team NCAA tournament field featured 58 teams that use the technology during the regular season. However, not all NCAA venues, such as the predominately hockey-first Scottrade Center in St. Louis, have the system in place.

Not a problem, said Truckenbrod.

“It is basically plug-and-play. We can have it installed in an arena in about 10 minutes," he said.

Of course what comes along with that is a price tag and extra staffing. That per-venue fee seems to be a sticking point for the NCAA, Truckenbrod said.



A standard

Precision Time installation includes an in-house representative at every site for technical support. There is also the cost for the equipment and installation. Across dozens of venues, that could add up.

While many sponsors are willing to cut deals with the NCAA for exposure during the high-profile NCAA tournament, Precision Time Systems is a hidden contributor. They don’t get the big banners or labels on the cups that are allowed onto press row. The timing system is a niche product that, when working properly, goes unnoticed.

“What we try to do is eliminate the doubt for players, coaches and fans when they leave the arena,” Truckenbrod said. “We end up watching at this time of year with incredible frustration.”

Truckenbrod felt that in the last seconds of the UNC game, the clock appeared to start late and that is something that could have been avoided if the on-court officials, who are trained to start the clock and do so all year long, were in control.

“The amount of chaos would have been much less,” he said.