WATCH: “Stop rigging games for Kansas!” NCAA referees make controversial foul call against 13-seed Samford; basketball world erupts

13th seed Samford were pre-tournament dark horses to advance to future rounds.

WATCH: “Stop rigging games for Kansas!” NCAA referees make controversial foul call against 13-seed Samford; basketball world erupts

Basketball fans erupt as controversial foul call hands Kansas win against Samford during NCAA March Madness (image via JayhawkSlant/X)

The NCAA March Madness is underway to determine the best basketball team in college athletics. In that process, some big-name squads do get eliminated by underdog teams. Tonight, the 4th Kansas Jayhawks were almost at the receiving end of an upset at the hands of 13th seed Samford. Only for a controversial foul call to save their day. Basketball fans ripped the NCAA officiating after this howler.

The Samford Bulldogs were 1 point behind the Kansas Jayhawks with 20 seconds to go in the game. Kansas had the possession, and their player lobbed the ball to Senior Nicolas Timberlake. Timberlake got himself open and streaked to the opposing basket. Under the impression that he had a free shot, Timberlake launched for a dunk, only for Samford guard A.J. Staton-McCray to block the shot from behind.

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But referees called it a foul and awarded free throws. Despite pleas from Staton-McCray and his coaches, the referees stood their ground. Unlike the NBA, the NCAA currently does not have replay reviews in the closing minutes. This complicated matters with the crowd as boos filled the arena.

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The foul call put a lid on an incredible rally from the Samford players. Coming back from 22 points down at one point, the Bulldogs mounted a rally behind the elite shooting and stingy defense. But it was all for nothing as the free throws sent the game out of reach.

NCAA’s social media erupts after controversial foul call

Prior to this foul, the officiating during this edition of March Madness was not bad. However, this controversial foul call flipped a switch in basketball fans who felt that the referees stole the game from Samford. Replays on the jumbotron as well as broadcasting television even led to the commentators confirming that it was all ball and no foul.

Basketball fans watching at home jumped onto social media to bash the NCAA‘s officiating. After all, now they had all the legitimate angles to prove that Kansas was handed a victory with that call. Check some of those reactions below;

From this episode, the NCAA should look into foul reviews in the dying minutes of a game. Fans feel such game-changing situations should not be left to the perusal of referees and their split-second decision-making skills completely.

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