Gonzaga-North Carolina had the potential to be an all-time classic with two No. 1 seeds going head-to-head for a national title. The game, which finished as a 71-65 win for North Carolina, was a bit sloppier than expected from the start, but the refs managed to kill all rhythm by calling 22 fouls in the first 12 minutes of the second half, drawing the ire of none other than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (as well as most of college basketball Twitter).
Man I can't watch this anymore man! I would like to see the kids decide who wins the game! I mean Bruh!! Smh
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 4, 2017
I take that back I will watch the rest cause i won't cheat the kids but this is crazy!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 4, 2017
Let these kids play. Put the whistles away.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 4, 2017
Before anyone says these are just an NBAers hating on the college game, plenty of college hoops folk complained as well. That includes Bill Raftery, who was doing color commentary for CBS.
And here’s just a fraction of those who expressed their distaste for the refs on Twitter.
I'm gonna check the tape later. But I'm pretty sure that 4 of the 5 fouls called on Collins were just not fouls.
— Yesh Ginsburg (@yesh222) April 4, 2017
I just opened up a doc to begin writing a story about this game and a ref burst into my house and is forcing my dog to shoot free throws.
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) April 4, 2017
Let's take a four minute review because it's been 20 seconds since we had a break in the action…
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) April 4, 2017
Let's take a four minute review because it's been 20 seconds since we had a break in the action…
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) April 4, 2017
Tweeted this 15 minutes ago and 2:30 of game time has been played https://t.co/eQHQjgejZ7
— Jordan Majewski (@jorcubsdan) April 4, 2017
21 fouls called so far in the second half alone pic.twitter.com/BZzn3vFabJ
— Zito (@_Zeets) April 4, 2017
So, yeah. Not a great showing for the refs here.
There’s no question the game is still exciting, but the flow — or lack thereof — will keep it from being an all-time classic that college basketball diehards will watch in full years later. While watching the entirety of recent championship game classics such as Duke-Butler from 2010 or Villanova-UNC from last year can be very entertaining, people will just skip to the finish for this one.
That’s a shame.
