Kansas basketball somehow escaped with a win this past Saturday and avoided yet another upset by TCU in Allen Fieldhouse. A large factor in KU's victory was a multi-point turnaround caused by a flagrant foul by former Jayhawk Ernest Udeh Jr. Here is the play that college basketball fans went berserk over.
Gonna say this once and not address it again. This is by rule a flagrant 1. Accidental but unnecessary contact to an opposing player. Swinging your arm and nailing a player in the face is just that. Accident?? Of course it was. But last time I checked most fouls are accidental.… pic.twitter.com/0NP0rlinX2
— Jackson Bezdek (@jackbez15) January 6, 2024
According to the NCAA rulebook, "A flagrant 1 foul is two shots and the ball and that means excessive in nature or unnecessary or avoidable, uncalled for or not required by the circumstances of the play." Should it have been a flagrant? Questionable, but we'll leave that up to your interpretation.
Regardless of your opinion on the matter, there were some great social media eruptions on both ends. The call was highly controversial and people on X (formerly Twitter) weren't afraid to share their opinions — specifically those who don't root for the Jayhawks.
"Kansas cheated more than any program in the history of college basketball nothing happened to them and their coach got a lifetime contract. Why would you think the refs wouldn't cheat for them?" an angry user commented.
"Kansas always gets away with murder. Bill Self has always been a cheat as well. Only Kansas homers disagree," another added.
"The FLOP and the fake FLAGRANT foul. KU, Bill Self and the REFS.......ONCE A CHEATER, ALWAYS A CHEATER!!!" someone in denial tweeted.
"Absolutely livid. Refs cost TCU a win they earned. Garbage. And we don’t even get a shot at redemption in our house. The Big 12 HAS to fix the officiating," a TCU podcaster wrote.
Here are some more reactions from other fanbases.
#NCAAhoops refs -- even w replay showing a total dive 🤿 by biggest man on the floor, rips away W from #TCU and gives it to team NCAA favors more than any other
— Andy Banker (@andybankertv) January 6, 2024
🤦🏻♂️ shame on #Kansas and NCAA #RockChalk #DiveHawk 🤿🤿 pic.twitter.com/LTjS09tmuu
Just an absolute disgrace in terms of the officiating at Kansas.
— Inside the Hall (@insidethehall) January 6, 2024
Bogus flagrant foul and then Dickinson pushes off to get positioning for the go ahead bucket on the last possession.
No wonder Kansas wins the league every year. Awful.
Kansas at home getting the most phantom flagrant foul called so they get 2 free throws to tie the game and then the ball to score under a minute left is the most on brand big 12 basketball rigged thing I’ve ever seen in my life. TCU getting the absolute hose on national tv
— Austin Long (@coachlongfungos) January 6, 2024
Can't believe they gave him a flagrant. AFH strikes again.
— Derek Young (@DerekYoungKSO) January 6, 2024
Kansas Jayhawks and the Big12 conference paying the refs. In what world is that a flagrant foul lol pathetic feel for TCU they just got robbed
— Bo (@BMaster30) January 6, 2024
Flagrant foul…horrific
— Mike Randle (@RandleRant) January 6, 2024
Officials must start using their judgement on intent
They don’t want to, but they must
It’s embarrassing
They prefer to objectively officiate a game that is subjective
Embrace the criticism pic.twitter.com/DI1IdY3VUM
Refs pulled the sheisty on TCU. What an insane way to call the end of the game.
— marshall newhouse (@MNewhouse73) January 6, 2024
Kansas just got some home cooking. These refs should be investigated. Not only did they stop TCU’s advantage they also gave Kansas a Flagrant 1 call on a normal basketball play. That’s complete and utter bullshit. These ref betted on this game or working for Kansas. #TCUvsKU
— 🖕🏿Maze🐐 (@Rallyfoil) January 6, 2024
Meanwhile, Kansas basketball fans and some others agreed with the call, claiming it fit the bill of a Flagrant 1.
Jay Wright says the refs made the right call on the flagrant foul call vs. TCU against Kansas. pic.twitter.com/JVyzK6ZNve
— Heartland College Sports (@Heartland_CS) January 7, 2024
"what does a flagrant 1 look like"
— jayhawk lasso (@jaylassoku) January 7, 2024
the rulebook: pic.twitter.com/bB1pmK7U6a
😂 This is the first time I’ve really watched it at normal speed in a since it happened. This is 1000% a flagrant. pic.twitter.com/AcDmYZb6t6
— RRinehart (@RRinehart2012) January 7, 2024
College basketball officials will call this a flagrant 10/10 times I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/PwmhkOzC3Y
— my KU burner (@KUBurner) January 7, 2024
There are even some K-State fans backing the Jayhawks.
This is a clear flagrant 1 and if you disagree you don’t know ball https://t.co/C3U6rmF3AT
— mike from manahattan (@billselfqueefs) January 7, 2024