CBS analyst criticizes referees during St. John's-Arkansas game

The basketball referees faced sharp criticism during the March Madness game between St. John’s and Arkansas. The game took place in Providence on Saturday afternoon, and many players and fans were unhappy with the officiating. CBS analyst Steve Lappas voiced his frustration about several controversial fouls. He was particularly upset when Kadary Richmond was called for a foul while defending Karter Knox with less than seven minutes left in the game. Lappas argued that Richmond did not commit a foul and said, “That’s a no-call.” Earlier in the second half, another foul drew attention. Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's was called for a foul while trying to box out for a rebound after Dajuan Wagner Jr. of Arkansas missed a shot. Lappas again criticized the call, stating, “Wow! In this kinda game, I’m sorry, that’s not a good call.” The referees continued to blow their whistles frequently in the second half. Arkansas player Zvonimir Ivisic fouled out with 11 minutes and 58 seconds remaining, creating problems for his team. By the time there were under eight minutes left, there had already been a total of 16 fouls called in the second half alone.