20 seconds. This was how far Cooper Flagg was from taking Duke into the national championship game. Flagg had dominated against Houston in the Final Four game, and it seemed inevitable that his freshman season would end with an NCAA title game. In fact, some low-rung NBA teams might have already been penciling in their offers for the 6’9″ forward ahead of the Draft. But it all came crashing down for the Blue Devils in those last 20 seconds, and Flagg was at the center of it all. A night that was meant to be his penultimate step towards coronation would be remembered for his missed 12-foot jumper to clinch the game and, of course, a questionable foul call that ended Duke’s run.

It should not have even reached this point for Duke. For 30 minutes, Duke looked set on their way to set up a clash against Florida on Monday. Having dominated from the start, Duke was leading by 14 points at one stage with 8:17 left and then by nine points with 3:03 left. Even going into the last 35 seconds, they held a six-point lead before Houston rallied to stun them. With 19.6 seconds remaining, Houston fouled Blue Devils guard Tyrese Proctor, and he had the chance to extend their one-point advantage. Proctor headed to the line and all he needed was one free throw to stretch the lead. But he bricked it. Then came the chaos.

As everyone scrambled for the rebound, Cooper Flagg leaped up behind Houston’s J’Wan Roberts and was able to extend his arm to get his hand on the ball. But shortly afterward, he was whistled for a foul, leaving him and even the commentators bemused. CBS analyst Bill Raftery said, “That’s a ‘play on’ to me. He (Flagg) was being screened out. … For all the contact all evening, I thought that was just a ‘play on.’” The shock on Flagg’s face following the call said it all.

Roberts was so intent on boxing him out that he never raised a hand for the rebound, and Flagg appeared to avoid any extra contact as he reached for the ball. It was hard for many of those watching to decipher why exactly Flagg was whistled. But that was not all, as more misery awaited him and Duke.

J’wan Roberts made both free throws to give the Cougars a one-point lead. But Duke still had their chance. On the ensuing possession, Flagg took control, weaving his way into the heart of the paint with Roberts closely defending him. But Flagg backed Roberts down and created some space for the short pull-up jumper that he had successfully attempted so many times this season. But here, when it perhaps mattered the most, he came up just short.

Houston snatched the rebound, and guard L.J. Cryer stepped to the line and calmly sank two clutch free throws with three seconds remaining, sealing a 70-67 lead and the win. Flagg, like most of the season, had been the best player on the court with 27 points and 7 rebounds, but his night ended in tears with Duke’s dramatic collapse hard to fathom, especially for Duke fans. But on social media, a different anger was brewing,

The replays of Flagg’s foul call were shared, and the officiating was criticized by fans, with NBA stars chiming in.

From Austin Reaves to Stephen A. Smith, the NBA world was upset over how this thrilling encounter ended. Ironically, in a college basketball season dominated in some part by debates over endless video reviews, the discussion after the thrilling Final Four game is now centered around the officials.

Top Comment by Anonymous

Was it a bad call? Maybe, but there were others that went against Houston. Robert’s still had to make the...more

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Cooper Flagg call draws the ire of NBA community

Austin Reaves didn’t hold back after that wild late-game foul call on Cooper Flagg. Right after the dust settled, the Lakers guard jumped on X and dropped a line that perfectly captured the mood: “I’m f—ing hot, don’t text me or call me.” And honestly? That felt like all of us watching.

The timing, the stakes, the barely-there contact—everything about that call felt like a punch to the gut for Duke fans. It’s not every day you see an NBA player live-reacting like that in real-time.

Tyrese Haliburton jumped into the Final Four controversy with a blunt take on the late-game foul involving Cooper Flagg. Reacting on social media, the Pacers star tweeted, “That over the back call w 20 seconds left was trash tho,” backing the growing frustration around the officiating. The foul, which came as Duke trailed Houston by one in the final seconds, sent fans—and now NBA players—into an uproar over what many saw as a game-altering whistle.

Paolo Banchero, who proudly reps Duke as an alum, couldn’t hide his heartbreak after the Blue Devils’ crushing Final Four loss. Shortly after the controversial finish, the Orlando Magic star tweeted, “dawg that hurts 💔”—a raw reaction that instantly struck a chord with fellow Duke fans.

Even Stephen A. Smith was one of the many voices outraged after the controversial whistle on Cooper Flagg in the closing seconds of Duke vs. Houston. Smith didn’t sugarcoat it. “That was an absolute horrible foul call vs Cooper Flagg. No way. No way.” It wasn’t just criticism—it was disbelief. And when someone like Stephen A., who’s seen just about everything in hoops, says that with conviction, it hits different.

Precious Achiuwa kept it short but spoke volumes with his reaction to the Houston-Duke thriller: “What a game.”. Houston pulled off one of the wildest comebacks of the tournament, clawing back from a 14-point hole with just eight minutes left. The Cougars stunned Duke 67-64 in San Antonio, booking their ticket to the program’s third national title game. It wasn’t just a win—it was a gutsy, momentum-shifting performance that left fans, former players, and NBA stars buzzing.

Saturday night’s Final Four clash between Duke and Houston wasn’t just a game—it was a full-blown rollercoaster. From Cooper Flagg’s clutch moments to a last-minute foul call that sparked outrage across social media, the matchup delivered on every level. Whether you were cheering in disbelief or shaking your head in frustration, one thing’s for sure—this one’s going to be remembered for a long time. And as the dust settles, everyone’s still talking.