UCLA players react to Yanick Moreira's goaltending

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Southern Methodist’s Yanick Moreira walks off the court after being called for goaltending on a Bryce Alford three-point shot giving UCLA the upset victory over the Mustangs, 60-59. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Bryce Alford is tackled to the court by teammate and brother Kory after the Bruins beat SMU on Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Southern Methodist center Yanick Moreira is called for goaltending on a three-point shot by UCLA’s Bryce Alford, giving the Bruins the win, 60-59. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Bryce Alford celebrates after the No. 11 Bruins upset No. 6 Southern Methodist, 60-59, in the second round of the NCAA tournament. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Norman Powell is knocked to the floor by Southern Methodist’s Yanick Moreira and Sterling Brown during the Bruins’ 60-59 victory over the Mustangs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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SMU guard Ryan Manuel scoops up a loose ball after UCLA guard Norman Powell, right, dribble it off his foot late in the game Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Norman Powell (4) and center Thomas Welsh celebrate after Southern Methodist failed to make a shot at the end of the game. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA forward Kevon Looney tries to hang onto a rebound against SMU guard Sterling Brown during the Bruins’ 60-59 victory on Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Southern Methodist guard Nic Moore tries to make a pass while UCLA guard Isaac Hamilton looks for the steal as they scramble for a loose ball. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Bruins guard Norman Powell makes a pass along the baseline after having his drive cut off by SMU center Yanick Moreira. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA forward Kevon Looney fouls Southern Methodist’s Markus Kennedy during a second round game of the NCAA tournament on Thursday. The Bruins beat the Mustangs, 60-59. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA forward Kevon Looney and Southern Methodist forward Markus Kennedy battle for a rebound during the Bruins’ 60-59 victory over the Mustangs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA center Thomas Welsh reacts to a favorable call for the Bruins late in the game in their victory over Southern Methodist. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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UCLA forward Tony Parker and Southern Methodist guard Sterling Brown battle for a loose ball during the first half of their second-round matchup in the NCAA tournament. (Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

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UCLA guard Norman Powell is guarded by Southern Methodist’s Sterling Brown during the first half of an NCAA tournament game on Thursday. (Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

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UCLA forward Kevon Looney prepares to shoot a free throw during an NCAA tournament game against Southern Methodist on Thursday in Louisville, Ky. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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UCLA forward Tony Parker is guarded by Southern Methodist’s Ben Emelogu and Markus Kennedy during the first half of an NCAA tournament game Thursday in Louisville, Ky. (Timothy D. Easley / Associated Press)

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Southern Methodist guard Ben Emelogu tries to know the ball away from UCLA guard Noah Allen during the first half of an NCAA tournament game Thursday in Louisville, Ky. (Timothy D. Easley / Associated Press)

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UCLA guard Bryce Alford stretches before the Bruins’ second-round matchup with Southern Methodist kicks off in Louisville on Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

By Zach Helfand

March 20, 2015 8:01 AM PT

Reporting from LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

With 13 seconds left in its NCAA South Regional opener, UCLA trailed by two points as guard Bryce Alford wheeled and heaved a three-pointer.

SMU’s Yanick Moreira thought the shot would miss the basket, so he jumped and tipped the ball. The officials called goaltending.

UCLA’s Tony Parker is sure the referees made the right call.

He’s sure that the correct call was goaltending because, he said, “I did it once last year so I knew it was a goaltend.”

It was early in the season, maybe a preseason game, he said. He has no doubts.

His teammates mostly agreed, but some had at least some reservations that Moreira snatched the ball out of the air while it still had a chance to go in.

“I thought he definitely took the ball out of the air when it was on the way to the basket,” Norman Powell said. “I don’t know if it would’ve went in or not, but I think it affected the outcome of it.”

Kevon Looney, the UCLA player closest to the basket, said Moreira, “stopped it from hitting the rim.”

The call was perhaps the most controversial of a chaotic first day of the NCAA tournament. Afterward, the play was replayed and debated.

It was difficult to reach a consensus.

Thomas Welsh, who was also on the floor, said he couldn’t be sure.

“It’s a really interesting call,” Welsh said. “He went up and touched it. I wasn’t sure, maybe it was before the rim, maybe it was above it.”

Twitter: @zhelfand