Bad calls happen in sports. It is almost inevitable to have a game refereed correctly 100 percent of the time. But on Thursday, one call in particular at the end of the NCAA Tournament game between Samford and Kansas very clearly impacted the winner of the game in a major way.
Samford was able to battle all the way back in this matchup from what was once a 20-point Kansas lead in the second half, making it a one-possession game with under 15 seconds to go in the second half.
But unfortunately, a blown call in a crucial moment ruined the magic of the game. Samford’s A.J. Staton-McCray appeared to get a clean chase down block on Kansas’s Nick Timberlake. But unfortunately, a whistle was called, completely haunting Samford’s momentum in the game.
Samford's A.J. Staton-McCray gets a clean block on Kansas' Nick Timberlake — but is whistled for a foul.
Timberlake went on to make both free throws. Kansas gets a huge break. pic.twitter.com/Me5i8SzgP8
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) March 22, 2024
A closer look at the play pretty clearly shows that the block attempt from Samford was a clean one, which would have given them a chance to win the game on perhaps the final possession of the game.
Kansas up 90-89 with 15 seconds left and this 100% clean block was called a foul 🥴 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/mZ0Uah1LDc
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) March 22, 2024
Instead, Timberlake would go on to make both of his free throws. Samford would go on to miss a game-tying three-point shot on the next possession, sealing a victory for Kansas.
Naturally, many around the college basketball world were absolutely furious about the call, taking to social media to voice their opinion that Samford were “robbed”.
Samford was called for a foul…COME ON! This was ALL BALL pic.twitter.com/s01ifkrh53
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) March 22, 2024
All time bad call in Samford game. Right up there with Michigan Trey Burke block
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) March 22, 2024
Samford’s A.J. Staton-McCray just executed one of the CLEANEST chasedown blocks you’ll ever see.
That’s a whole lotta ball… pic.twitter.com/4ERKJhsSrE
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) March 22, 2024
This was called a foul on Samford. One of the cleanest chasedown blocks I've ever seen. pic.twitter.com/GheFyGei0h
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 22, 2024
Feel sick Samford, this is as clean a block as you could ever hope for… In the most crucial part of the game.
You can’t miss this call. Horrible, horrible call.pic.twitter.com/eDbNiwaJu3
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) March 22, 2024
Nobody will ever know whether Samford would have gone on to win the game if this call was never made. But they at least would have had a great chance at doing so.
Instead of having one of the most iconic blocks in NCAA Tournament history, we have one of the worst calls in NCAA Tournament history. So it is quite understandable that fans are so upset.
