Friday (Women's ball used for part of men's college BB game) edition: Wha' Happened?

We covered the U of M women's basketball team the year after they went to the Final Four -- a successful Sweet 16 follow-up campaign led by one of the all-time characters and great athletes to cover, Janel McCarville. As such, there were times after the team was done practicing and we were waiting around to interview someone that we would take some shots on the Williams Arena hoop using a regulation women's basketball. Let us say this: There is a noticeable difference in the size and weight when compared to a standard men's basketball (two ounces lighter and one inch smaller in circumference, to be exact). As such, we cannot believe that a major men's college basketball game between Illinois and Oakland got as far as seven minutes in with a women's ball. From the AP (thanks to co-worker Paul for the heads up):

From his first shot, Demetri McCamey knew something was wrong. The ball just didn't feel right.

Turns out the ball was an undersized women's ball, something the officials finally fixed after seven minutes as Illinois (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) beat Oakland 74-63 on Wednesday night.

"After my first shot I thought, 'This can't be right," McCamey, who finished with 30 points, said about the women's ball making it into the game.

The first seven-plus minutes were played with the size 6 ball. McCamey noticed the odd ball early but couldn't convince the officials. Illini center Mike Tisdale finally did.

Oakland led 15-4 early in the game while the undersized ball was being used; Illinois rallied once they started using the standard men's ball. Can you imagine if Oakland had won this game playing small ball for the full 40 and it had ended up costing Illinois NCAA tournament positioning or even a bid?