Rob Dauster, founder of The Field of 68, breaks down key matchups and players ahead of the 2024 NCAA tournament.
The block that never happened.
No. 13 Samford on Thursday trailed No. 4 Kansas 90-89 with 15 seconds to go in the second half of their March Madness contest. The Bulldogs had been on an incredible run in the second half after trailing by double-digits in the first.
Then, when Kansas guard Nicolas Timberlake had a fastbreak opportunity, referees called a foul when Samford guard A.J. Staton-McCray appeared to foul the Jayhawk as he landed hard.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Timberlake would make both free throws to push the lead to 92-89, but, upon further review of the play, it looked like Staton-McCray got all ball for a block.
The Bulldogs would not score after that play and lost 93-89, though things could've been different if the foul was not called.
The result means Kansas will play No. 5 Gonzaga in the second round, while Samford will have to watch the rest of the tournament from home.
Samford trailed 48-38 after the first half but, even after trailing by 22 at one point in the second, outscored Kansas 51-45 in the period after catching fire late.
Social media, understandably, erupted after the game. Here are some of the best reactions:
