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Samford Bulldogs’ Bucky McMillan Has Classy Reaction To Officiating In Controversial Loss To Kansas Jayhawks
Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Samford Bulldogs’ Bucky McMillan Has Classy Reaction To Officiating In Controversial Loss To Kansas Jayhawks

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics  |  By Rex Villas  |  Last updated 3/22/24

The Samford Bulldogs came painfully short of pulling off a stunner in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. After being down by as many as 22 points in a first-round matchup versus the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks, the No. 13 Bulldogs showed incredible resiliency to cut the lead down to only a point with under a minute to go in regulation.

That’s when the controversial foul call on a block attempt by Samford Bulldogs guard AJ Staton-McCray on Jayhawks guard Nic Timberlake. Replays of Staton-McCray’s attempt to deny Timberlake at the rim showed what was seemingly a clean block.

But the foul had already been whistled and Timberlake managed to sink two free throws to extend Kansas’ lead to three points with 14 seconds remaining on the clock. Ultimately, the Jayhawks escaped with a 93-89 win, leaving Samford still without a win in the program’s NCAA Tournament participation history.

Samford Bulldogs Head Coach Reacts To Controversial Foul Call In The Clutch Vs. Kansas

But while Samford fans are still all up in arms about the foul call, Bulldogs head coach Bucky McMillan chose to be classy when asked about the controversial play.

“I have seen the play,” McMillan said after the game. “I thought A.J. made an incredible play on it, you know what I’m saying? I’m not faulting the call. Some people can see it different ways. But I was really proud of our guys’ ability to go make a play.”

Including their 2024 trip to the Big Dance, the Samford Bulldogs have appeared in just three editions of the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs concluded their 2023-24 college basketball season with a 29-6 overall record — an improvement from their 21-11 slate in the 2022-23 campaign.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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