Two Officials From UNC-Baylor Game to Work NCAA Tournament Games This Week

Officials Brent Hampton and Kipp Kissinger, who were heavily criticized for their calls during the UNC-Baylor game last weekend, will work NCAA Tournament games later this week, according to a report from Jeff Goodman of Stadium. Kissinger is assigned to the games in San Antonio, while Hampton will be in Philadelphia with the Tar Heels.

If this info is correct, two of the three officials from UNC-Baylor—including Kip Kissinger—advanced to the next round, and one of them (Brent Hampton) is in Philadelphia with the Tar Heels. https://t.co/Bv8dSpDRZU

— Adam Lucas (@jadamlucas) March 22, 2022

Kissinger and Hampton came under scrutiny for their controversial rulings in the late stages of the game between the Bears and Tar Heels. The crew ejected UNC graduate forward Brady Manek from the game for what was ruled as a Flagrant 2 foul, after Manek struck Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan in the face with his elbow while jostling for a rebound.

“I wasn’t pleased, wasn’t happy and I don’t agree with the Flagrant 2 foul,” said head coach Hubert Davis on his weekly radio show. “Brady should not have been ejected. It should have been a Flagrant 1 foul. It was very physical, very chippy throughout the entire game. I think a Flagrant 2 foul is something that should be delivered when someone purposely intends to throw an elbow, and Brady didn’t do that.”

During the second half, when Baylor rallied back from a 25-point deficit after Manek’s ejection, the officials called a combined 29 fouls on both teams, including one stretch which saw 10 straight fouls called on Carolina. Two players from each side ended up being disqualified before the final buzzer sounded, three for fouling out and one (Manek) on an ejection.

“I don’t expect the refs to be perfect, but I do want consistency,” Davis said. “That’s the thing that was frustrating. I just didn’t feel like there was consistency on both ends.”

Hampton’s presence in Philadelphia doesn’t necessarily mean he will work UNC’s game with UCLA Friday night. Rather, he is in a pool of officials who will be assigned to the games in the region that weekend. Saint Peter’s and Purdue will play in the first game of Friday night’s session, and the winner of that game will meet the winner of the UNC-UCLA game on Sunday in the Elite Eight.

Featured image via Todd Melet

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