Sunday’s national championship game between LSU and Iowa was among the most hyped college basketball games in years. And while both teams met the moment with high-level playmaking, it was the officials that drew the ire of nearly everybody who tuned in.
Fouls played a critical role in the game—which the Tigers won, 102-85, for the program’s first-ever national title—for its entirety, with 12 fouls called in the first quarter and 21 in the first half. Iowa star Caitlin Clark picked up three in the first half and had to sit for the last few minutes of the second quarter. She was able to play foul-free for most of the third quarter, until the game’s most pivotal call came in at the worst time for the Hawkeyes.
As LSU was shooting free throws, Clark was issued a technical foul—which counted as her fourth personal foul—after she tossed the ball behind her toward the baseline in apparent frustration. That was just the most high-profile of the many times officials inserted themselves into the game, leading to no shortage of frustrated reactions from fans watching.
Clark ended up with 30 points and eight assists on eight made three-pointers – a title game record – but the Hawkeyes were no match for the Tigers, who maintained a lead of eight points or more for the entire second half. As great as LSU was, the officials still caught plenty of incoming. Check out some notable reactions below.
pathetic by this ref crew to call this a technical… in a Championship game no less pic.twitter.com/gDDTOQJWly
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 2, 2023
Wait so did the refs just decide to let Kim Mulkey tell them what to do what on earth is going on
— Charlotte Wilder (@TheWilderThings) April 2, 2023
everyone: we can't wait to watch this game because of all the star players!
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) April 2, 2023
the refs: no
One of these was a technical
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) April 2, 2023
The refs gotta be banned forever #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/i5dFb8Wxa6
Everyone : Angel Reese vs Caitlin Clark should be amazing
— John (@iam_johnw) April 2, 2023
The refs knowing they can make it about themselves : pic.twitter.com/FpIA3qoEx8
Truly can’t believe that technical. Mulkey has been the 6th LSU player on the court THE ENTIRE game and the refs look the other way… the best player in the country, having a historic tournament, tosses the ball away and you T her up for her 4th foul.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 2, 2023
Just mind boggling.
Dear refs,
— Evan Turner (@thekidet) April 2, 2023
We are here to see Clark Vs Reese#getouttheway
Somebody tell the refs that Kim Mulkey isn’t allowed to be on the court
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) April 2, 2023
The refs are making bad calls on both side of this NCAA women game let them play!
— Montrezl Harrell (@MONSTATREZZ) April 2, 2023
If my daughter watching this game had hopes for being a ref, this would be a dream.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) April 2, 2023
These refs……
— Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) April 2, 2023
Refs please stop inserting yourselves in this game!
— Elena Delle Donne (@De11eDonne) April 2, 2023
They be talking to these refs CRAZYYYYYY … and I be trynna bite my tongue during our season …shidddd not anymore 😅
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) April 2, 2023
