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NCAA South Region: Controversial call goes Arkansas' way

 
Arkansas’ Jaylen Barford shoots a free throw after Seton Hall is called for a flagrant foul with 18.3 seconds left in the game.
Arkansas’ Jaylen Barford shoots a free throw after Seton Hall is called for a flagrant foul with 18.3 seconds left in the game.
Published March 18, 2017

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Arkansas did just enough in the final minute to push its way through the NCAA Tournament's second round — aided by a couple of eye-catching calls and noncalls by the officiating crew, too.

Jaylen Barford hit the go-ahead layup with 57.8 seconds left to help Arkansas hold off Seton Hall 77-71 Friday. Barford had 12 of his 20 points after halftime for the eighth-seeded Razorbacks (26-9), who erased an eight-point second-half hole and scored the final seven points of the game to earn the program's third straight opening-game NCAA win.

"Coach (Mike Anderson) told us to keep chipping away," said Dusty Hannahs, who scored 14. "He knows we don't lose our head. We've been down a lot this year."

Barford's layup off Khadeen Carrington's turnover at the other end pushed Arkansas ahead for good. Then came a critical sequence, which started with Carrington's travel while being harassed by a double team near midcourt with 24.6 seconds left. Hannahs threw the ball to Daryl Macon near the Seton Hall bench. As defenders converged, Macon stutter-stepped past them in an apparent travel that went uncalled.

Instead, Macon threw the ball to Barford, who was knocked to the floor on a foul by Desi Rodriguez as Rodriguez tried to stop the clock with 18.3 seconds left. Officials reviewed the play — which showed Rodriguez's hands touching only Barford's left shoulder and back, while his left foot clipped Barford's in an accidental trip — and changed it to a flagrant foul.

Barford hit both free throws, then Macon added another to make it 75-71. Carrington missed a 3 at the other end in what amounted to the last gasp for the ninth-seeded Pirates (21-12).

"I think I made a basketball play," he said. "I didn't foul intentionally to hurt anyone. The officials called it another way, and that's that."

J.D. Collins, the NCAA's national coordinator of men's basketball officiating, said site referees made the correct call on Rodriguez's flagrant foul. "When a player puts two hands on the back and doesn't make any attempt to play the ball or … get in front of him, it's a (flagrant 1) foul," Collins said.

No real surprises here

Wichita State is still unbeaten since mid January. The Shockers' high-flying offense didn't get off the ground until the closing minutes, when they played like the more tournament-experienced team and pulled away to a 64-58 victory over Dayton in Indianapolis. The 10th-seeded Shockers (31-4) won their 16th in a row — the second-longest streak in school history — by clamping down on defense and swatting away shots down the stretch. Wichita State blocked eight shots and held the seventh-seeded Flyers (24-8) to a season-low 31 percent from the field.

Bearcats don't make it 0-4

The No. 6 seeds were jinxed before Cincinnati took the court, with Maryland, Creighton and SMU all losing to No. 11 seeds. Troy Caupain scored 23 points, Kyle Washington added 16 and defensive-minded Cincinnati (30-5) shot it way past Kansas State (21-14) 75-61 in Sacramento. The Bearcats took care of business with an impressive shooting display, 62 percent.

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By the numbers

A closer look at No. 1 North Carolina's 103-64 win over Texas Southern (23-12) in Greenville, S.C.:

6 Players in double figures for Tar Heels (28-7).

21 Points by Justin Jackson, the ACC player of the year.

33 Percent shooting by Jackson in previous four games.

16 No. 1 region seedings for UNC, an NCAA record.

9 Points for SWAC player of the year Zach Lofton (2-for-11 shooting).