The UNC Tar Heels appeared to be on their way to an easy win over Baylor in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 on Saturday -- until a pivotal ejection completely swung the game's momentum.
Tar Heels star Brady Manek, who had tallied 26 points, was ejected early in the second half with his team enjoying a comfortable 25-point lead.
The fifth-year transfer student, previously a four-year starter with Oklahoma, was tossed after he delivered an elbow to the face of Baylor's Jeremy Sochan.
The rough but seemingly accidental play preceded a frenzied comeback for the defending champions -- with the game eventually going to overtime -- and had users on social media insisting that Manek should have been assessed a flagrant 1 rather than ejected outright.
Here's what some were saying on Twitter:
This UNC vs Baylor game is rigged. Brady Manek shouldn't have been ejected.
— John Hood (@TheJohnHood) March 19, 2022
I watched a dude put Caleb Love in a choke hold yesterday for a technical foul and Brady Manek gets ejected for an incidental elbow
— Josh (@joshiegoesboom) March 19, 2022
What Manek did happen all the time and is usually assessed a flagrant 1 these guys decided to go flagrant 2 and take a guy with 26 points off the floor. Just garbage
— Brian Barbour (@briancbarbour) March 19, 2022
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