Alcorn State coach Jake Morton was left stunned and searching for answers after the Braves’ 72–71 loss to Texas Southern ended in chaos Saturday night.
At the center of his frustration was a disputed foul call after Morton thought officials had reportedly declared the game over.
Alcorn State took a one-point lead with eight seconds left on Shane Lancaster’s free throws. On the next Texas Southern possession, Bryce Roberts missed a jump shot to take the lead, but Alex Anderson recovered the offensive rebound and was fouled by Lancaster, earning a trip to the line for the winning free throws.
Morton said he and his players were already in the postgame handshake line when officials initially signaled the contest had ended. Moments later, however, confusion erupted as referees returned to the court amid protests from Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones.
“The referee called the game,” Morton told longtime Alcorn State broadcaster Charles Edmond after the game. “I was in the handshake line, leaving the court, and the referees were walking off the floor. Then I just saw Johnny Jones run at him, and I’m like, for what? The game was called.”
Listen to audio of Jake Morton’s postgame comments below:
According to Morton, after the referees huddled and spoke briefly, the lead official signaled “game over.” Morton said he shook Jones’s hand and began walking toward the tunnel, only to see officials blow their whistles again and bring both teams back on the court.
“They said the foul was called before the clock expired,” Morton explained. “But it wasn’t even a foul. Shane Lancaster was just boxing his man out — not a shooting foul, nothing. The kid did what he’s supposed to do.”
Morton, who reviewed video of the final sequence afterward, said it confirmed his belief that no foul occurred.
“I went back and looked at it,” he said. “He didn’t foul him. It’s just unbelievable.”
Frustrated by a finish Morton called “impossible to explain.”
“You’d be appalled if you saw the tape,” Morton said. “At the time, I’m thinking the kid was shooting the ball. It was a box out. A box out. A box out. The kid was just boxing out. No foul.”
Morton said he would send video of the final sequence to the SWAC office for review.
“There is no doubt, he said. There is no doubt. I mean, this is unbelievable.”
