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When Selection Sunday comes around, Rutgers hopes it will not be bemoaning a missed call.

The Big Ten acknowledged that play should have been stopped prior to Ohio State nailing a game-winning 3-pointer Thursday night that bumped the No. 25 Buckeyes over Rutgers, 67-66, in Columbus.

Rutgers (6-3) was up two in the closing seconds when Bruce Thornton brought the ball down the court after a missed free throw. Thornton, well covered, dumped it off to Tanner Holden, who knocked down the game-winner and set off pandemonium.

Missed to everyone — the refs included — was the fact Holden had been out of bounds before stepping in to catch the pass.

“The action of stepping out of bounds and being the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds constituted a violation of NCAA Rule 9, Section 3, Article 1,” the Big Ten said in a statement Friday night. “The play should have been stopped, and the ball ruled dead.”

The conference said it had talked with both schools and the officiating crew.

“The conference will be providing added education and rule reinforcement to our basketball officials,” the statement continued.

Rutgers, which already knocked off No. 10 Indiana, could not beat a ranked opponent for a second time this season.

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