When referee Mike Sanzere blew his whistle and pointed toward the Saint Joseph's bench with 1.9 seconds left to play Saturday evening, almost everyone in the Bryce Jordan Center knew what was coming.

It was a back-and-forth affair, filled with drama and tension. The Hawks had blown a 10-point lead, were missing foul shots and making crucial mistakes with the game on the line. And after the shot of St. Joe's forward Ahmad Nivins was blocked by Geary Claxton on the Hawks' final possession, St. Joe's head coach Phil Martelli finally had enough.

Martelli, known for not being afraid to speak his mind, decided it was time to let his feelings be known. The oft-animated coach informed Sanzere, as uneloquently as possible, that Nivins was fouled by Jamelle Cornley as Claxton registered the block.

Only Martelli and Sanzere know exactly what was said, but it was more than enough for the 12th year head coach to receive a technical foul, which put the game out of reach for his team.

Afterward, Martelli showed no remorse. He said he would do it all over again; he felt that it was necessary to send a message to the officials.

"Oh, I deserved the technical, absolutely, positively," Martelli said. "I could give a damn at that point. [Sanzere] had to know that those kids had worked their asses off for 40 minutes and by one non-whistle, he decided who was going to win the game."

On the play, with time winding down and the Lions ahead by one, Nivins was given the ball down low. The sophomore forward went up for what would have been the go-ahead bucket, but was blocked by Claxton, preserving the Penn State victory.

But, Martelli saw something quite different.

"Whoever the kid was, I think it was Cornley who was in the game, grabbed him 'cause he knew he was in a disadvantage," Martelli said. "[The block was clean] but there was no lift because [Nivins] was held down."

Cornley remembered being out of position on the play, but his memory went foggy after Nivins got by him.

"I was dead, I was behind him, so it was really whoever was on the block and whoever was in front of him that stopped him," Cornley said. "I'm not going to say I didn't [grab him], but I don't remember."

Martelli felt the officials missed it.

"You got to make that call," Martelli said. "He's a big-time referee, he's getting paid to do a job, the guy didn't do his job in the last five seconds and it's a damn shame, the kid got fouled."

Martelli felt that his team was cheated out of a critical road win, and he wasn't afraid to voice his displeasure, even though it may lead to a large fine.

"If it had been a home game, we would have got the call. They like to hear the cheers, believe me," Martelli said. "It's a damn shame, they're not supposed to be involved in the outcome of the game. That guy chose to be involved in the outcome of the game."