Samford HC Bucky McMillan expresses disappointment over controversial foul call in final seconds against Kansas

The NCAA first-round matchup between the Samford Bulldogs and Kansas Jayhawks was a closely contested battle. Making their return to the tournament for the first time since 2000, Samford entered the match with fewer odds of winning it but put up a strong fight in front of Kansas, a team with a rich NCAA history.

With just 15 seconds remaining, the Bulldogs trailed by just one point. However, a foul was called against Samford's #5 AJ, despite his clear attempt to play the ball against Kansas's #25 Nicholas Timberlake, leading to a free throw for Kansas. This caused controversy among the bench and fans.

During the post-match conference, Samford head coach Bucky McMillan expressed his disappointment with the call.

"I have seen the play. I think AJ made an incredible play on it. You know what I'm saying, I'm not fault in a call. You know, some people can see it in different way but I was really proud of our guys' ability to go make a play. At the end of the day, you know AJ's recovery there, if there is no whistle and I'm not blaming the whistle, we're gonna have a numbers advatange going the other way to advance around two. That's how close the game was.

Despite the call, which contributed to the loss, McMillan appeared calm and composed. He said that he was happy with how the Bulldogs performed against one of the giants of college basketball.

Samford's Achor led the team by scoring 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists in his 31 minutes of play. Jaden Campbell and Riley Allenspach also contributed by scoring 18 and 15 points, respectively.

Hunter Dickinson Secured 19 Points On His

Return

Samford v Kansas

After suffering a dislocated shoulder on March 9th, Hunter Dickinson returned as an X factor for Kansas. He played 37 minutes and scored 19 points, 20 rebounds, and managed 5 assists for his team.

However, he was not the top scorer for Kansas. This match was more of a collective victory in terms of individual points scored. The most points for Kansas were scored by KJ Adams Jr, who secured 20 points and managed 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

Daujaun Harris Jr, Johnny Furphy, and Nicholas Timberlake also contributed majorly by scoring 13, 16, and 19 points, respectively, resulting in Kansas' hard-fought first-round victory in the NCAA Tournament.