I'll say it again: the applicable NCAA rules are as follows: Rule 5, Section 10, Art. 4 states: “The game clock and shot clock, if running, shall be stopped when an official grants a coach’s or player’s visual or oral request for a time out." Rule 5, Section 12, Art. 1 adds: “No timeouts shall be granted unless there is a player control by the requesting team." Also Rule 5, Section 13, Art. 1 says: “A timeout shall be granted and charged after a player or head coach makes a visual or oral request and when a player of that team is in control of the ball." After studying the tape it clearly shows that Boeheim signals for a time out when the ball is possessed by Jardine before making his move to the basket in the lane. Cahill then signals for the time out to be granted, however this was after Jardine made the move to the basketball and subsequently lost the ball. This is irrelevant however if Boeheim signaled for the time out and Cahill grants it, be it when Jardine actually had the ball or not.
Rule CLEARLY states that once you hear the coach CALL or signal for a timeout you get the TO. Cal was late calling it. You can tell he heard him earlier but had to get his whistle and didn't have it in his mouth. Boeheim was signaling for it and then began yelling for it a good second before the shot went up. It was a good call. And even if he didn't get the timeout in time (which he did), Scoop was fouled pretty hard on the wrist by Edwards.
Sure, it would have been better if Cahill had verbalized/signaled his granting of the TO in a more timely manner, but it was not wrong for him to grant the TO when he did, for even though he was late in 'processing' Boeheim's rightful request, it was still the right thing to do, if you care about things like justice.