Samford coach ‘not faulting’ refs’ important foul name

SALT LAKE CITY — Samford coach Bucky McMillan did not need to say whether or not officers have been flawed once they referred to as a foul on A.J. Staton-McCray when he tried to dam a dunk by Kansas guard Nic Timberlake.

What the fourth-year coach did say after Thirteenth-seeded Samford fell wanting upsetting fourth-seeded Kansas, 93-89, was that if the block was clear, the Bulldogs would’ve been going the opposite manner, down a degree, 5 on 4, with an opportunity to go to the second spherical of the NCAA match.

“That is how shut the sport was,” McMillan mentioned. “That is how effectively our guys performed. What was the utmost we have been down? We have been down by 22. We will have the ball there with a fantastic alternative.

“It’s what it’s.”

All through his postgame presser, a dejected McMillan was cautious to not lay blame on the officers.

“I’ve seen the play,” he mentioned. “I believed A.J. made an unimaginable play on it, you recognize what I am saying? I am not faulting the decision. Some folks can see it alternative ways. However I used to be actually happy with our guys’ potential to go make a play.”

Timberlake mentioned he was “positively” fouled on the play.

And Kansas coach Invoice Self sidestepped discussing the precise foul when requested if he had a great view of the dunk.

“I believed Nic attacked the basket effectively,” Self mentioned. “He is a a lot better athlete than what lots of people assume. He attacked it robust, similar to he ought to.”

Samford shot its manner again into the sport from long-distance. The Bulldogs completed with 16 3-pointers, 10 greater than the Jayhawks, main Self to say it was “exceptional” that Kansas received regardless of the disparity from lengthy vary. The Bulldogs hit eight 3-pointers throughout their comeback from 22 down, which began with about 16 minutes left within the sport.

Samford was pesky for a lot of the sport, using a full-court press on makes and misses that McMillan has made the identification of his staff. It led to seven steals, which become 15 factors off turnovers.

“That is my first expertise with Bucky ball,” Self mentioned. “I might as quickly not play towards it once more for some time.

“It is a laborious sport for us with little or no depth. It’s important to play guys your complete sport. We knew it may be like that. There’s simply by no means a break within the motion the place you possibly can catch your breath.”

The Bulldogs could not compete with the Jayhawks’ dimension. Kansas had 54 factors within the paint, spearheaded by heart Hunter Dickinson’s 19 factors and 20 rebounds. He was certainly one of 5 Jayhawks in double digits, led by KJ Adams Jr.’s 20.

The Bulldogs have been led by Achor Achor’s 23 factors and Jaden Cambell’s 18. Freshman Riley Allenspach had 15 on an surprising 4-of-4 capturing from 3-point vary. He got here into the NCAA match having made 6-of-25 throughout the season.

All of Allenspach’s 3s got here throughout Samford’s run to chop its deficit to at least one level.

That led to the game-deciding play with 14.7 seconds left. Samford had come inside one for the second time in a span of 5 minutes. After the foul name, Timberlake hit each free throws to increase the Jayhawks’ benefit to 92-89. A 3-point try from Jermaine Marshall with about six seconds left fell brief, and Kansas received a chase to the nook for the possession.

“I believe our guys actually believed they have been going to win,” McMillan mentioned. “I even felt at halftime, should you would have requested me, I used to be very assured we have been going to win. Then once we reduce it, we had all of the momentum, I believed we would win.

“Once we did not win, I used to be shocked we did not win.”