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Bill Simmons Doesn't Hold Back On Duke vs. Houston Referees

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 6, 2025 11:12 AM ET

Everything that could go wrong for Duke did during the closing moments of Saturday's Final Four meltdown. A controversial foul particularly drew scrutiny following the hectic finish.

Houston went on a 9-0 run in the last minute to escape the Alamodome with a 70-67 victory over Duke. ESPN gave the Blue Devils a 97.1 percent win probability with 2:30 minutes remaining, but a series of miscues sent Jon Scheyer's squad home.

Bill Simmons was among many viewers to contest one of those gaffes.

With 20 seconds remaining, Tyrese Proctor missed a free throw that would have extended Duke's lead to two. Cooper Flagg got called for a loose-ball foul trying to secure the rebound, allowing J'Wan Roberts to give Houston its first lead of the second half with two free throws.

Cooper Flagg called for a foul here. This gives Houston free throws on the other end. The announcers do not like the call pic.twitter.com/JwSNz6UWrB
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) April 6, 2025

Bill Raftery and Grant Hill questioned the call on the CBS broadcast, and Simmons joined an angry mob to blast the ruling on social media.

"Duke got themselves into that mess last night and probably deserved to lose… but this call was absolutely dumbfounding," Simmons wrote. "The guy couldn’t wait to call it."

Simmons wasn't the only pundit displeased with the foul. Stephen A. Smith also chastised the call.

"That was an absolute horrible foul call vs Cooper Flagg," Smith claimed. "No way. No way."

NBA players also disagreed with the officiating. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton called the foul "trash," and Duke alum Austin Rivers labeled it "complete BS."

Perhaps Duke caught a bad break with that whistle, but the refs shouldn't shoulder the blame for Saturday's meltdown.

Up by as many as 14, Duke had plenty of chances to put the game out of reach. It would have been a moot point had Proctor made the free throw, or had the Blue Devils not coughed up a turnover on an unsuccessful inbound that let the Cougars shrink the deficit to one with 25 seconds remaining.

As Duke reels from the stunning collapse, Houston advances to play Florida for the national title on Monday night.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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