Kentucky’s PJ Washington was hosed when referees called him for a flagrant foul late in the game at Auburn.
Washington was clearly going for the block and nothing about the play was worthy of a flagrant foul. The bogus call almost handed a win to Auburn.
ESPN agrees that the call was terrible in this week’s edition of What’s Real, What’s Fake.
Here is an excerpt:
Real: Kentucky-Auburn finish altered by questionable flagrant call
With 1:53 remaining in a five-point game, Kentucky’s PJ Washington tried to block a dunk attempt by Auburn’s Horace Spencer. Washington was going for the ball, but he got still hit with a flagrant 1, largely because Spencer landed awkwardly, cut himself and got up with blood pouring from his face. It was a call that did not fit the NCAA rulebook’s description of a flagrant 1. “A flagrant 1 personal foul is a personal foul that is deemed excessive in nature and/or unnecessary, but is not based solely on the severity of the act.” Nothing about Washington’s play was excessive.
A minute after the call, Jared Harper hit a 3-pointer to give Auburn a one-point lead with 32 seconds to play. The flagrant 1 call had shifted the momentum. Kentucky held on to win, but plays like that shouldn’t affect outcomes.
Officials have difficult jobs. They won’t get every call right. But that’s one of those calls that they can’t miss.
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