The Samford Bulldogs came into the NCAA Tournament as a trendy upset pick by some fans. But unfortunately, they came up just short in their first round matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks. One crucial call at the end of the game went against them. And now, fans are proclaiming that Samford was “robbed” by the refs.
Samford trailed by as much as 22 points in the second half of the game but staged a furious comeback to make it a one-possession game near the very end of the game.
With just under 15 seconds left in the game, it looked like they would have a chance to win the game in regulation. Samford’s A.J. Staton-McCray appeared to get a clean chase down block on Kansas’s Nick Timberlake. However, a foul was called on the play, giving Kansas the opportunity to extend their lead at the free throw line.
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 close-up angle of the play pretty clearly shows that this block attempt was 100 percent clean and should have been a no-call.
🤯 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/vUUPmZlcZi
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2024
Instead, Timberlake would step up to the free throw stripe and make both of his attempts, extending the Jayhawks lead to three. Samford would go on to miss their three-phoint attempt to tie the game, ultimately sealing the victory for Kansas.
It’s obviously impossible to know whether Samford would have won the game if that call wasn’t made on the play. But after the game concluded, fans almost universally declared that Samford was “robbed” by the officials in this game.
Samford got robbed.pic.twitter.com/qBk65Bo13Z
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) March 22, 2024
SAMFORD WAS ABSOLUTELY ROBBED OF A POTENTIAL INSANE MARCH MOMENT. pic.twitter.com/cj4WqSiJt9
— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) March 22, 2024
SAMFORD WAS ROBBED. THIS IS ALL BALL pic.twitter.com/Mh0YZvMeTa
— Jacob Rhymer (@Rhymetime05) March 22, 2024
It’s completely embarrassing that a team gets sent home by a play under 20 seconds remaining due to an officiating error.
Unacceptable in a win or go home tournament. They reviewed 5 plays in the last two minutes but couldn’t look at this.
Samford was ROBBED. pic.twitter.com/Lx5CPaSaUZ
— Boothe Bets (@BootheBets) March 22, 2024
Nick Timberlake wasn’t even touched lmao all ball samford robbed pic.twitter.com/IHFmUPJ04S
— John (@iam_johnw) March 22, 2024
Samford getting robbed in plain sight SMH🤬pic.twitter.com/TQfYcD0gpV
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) March 22, 2024
It’s hard to argue with fans frustration about this call. Not only was Samford robbed of a real chance at the end of this game. But fans were robbed of potentially an all-time great ending to an NCAA Tournament game, which is truly a shame.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.