Gonzaga's Drew Timme reacts to controversial foul call: 'Was it a foul? No.'
LAS VEGAS - Drew Timme's college basketball career is likely over.
And it ended in controversial fashion.
The Gonzaga star had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the Bulldogs' 82-54 loss to the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday night. But it was a key foul call that altered the game.
Timme - who was coming off of a 36-point, 13-rebound performance against UCLA - picked up his fourth foul with 17:39 left in the game on a foul call that came on what most would consider a standard basketball play.
Timme was fighting for rebounding position under the basket with UConn's Andre Jackson Jr. and had his arms extended in a natural rebounding position. Jackson Jr. came into contact with Timme's left elbow and exaggerated the contact, flailing back and catching the attention of the official, who whistled Timme for his fourth foul.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few had no choice other than to sit Timme after that call, and UConn responded with an 18-5 run that effectively put the game away.
Here is the play:
CBS college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg best summed up the play after the game:
"It was more incidental contact that looked worse than it was," said Kellogg. "In the spirit of the rule that shouldn't have been called."
Gonzaga Nation reporter Connor Morrissette interviewed Timme in the locker room after the game, and this is what he said:
"Do I think it was a foul? No," said Timme. "Was it called? Yes. Does it impact the game? Obviously it does."
"But at the end of the day the refs did not decide the outcome of that game. Tip your hat to UConn, they played a hell of a game. They won more 50-50 balls, they hit more shots than we did.
"Say what you want about the refs, but UConn beat us tonight. They were the better team tonight."
Timme has one year of college eligibility remaining, but will likely enter the 2023 NBA Draft.
