Charles Barkley accuses Texas' Sean Miller of making costly mistake in loss
New York Post • • general
Key Points:
- Charles Barkley criticized Texas coach Sean Miller for benching key rebounder Matas Vokietaitis during the final possession of Texas’ Sweet 16 loss to Purdue, calling it a crucial mistake.
- Miller removed Vokietaitis, who had four fouls and was the team’s second-leading rebounder, to avoid a potential foul out, but this decision contributed to Purdue securing the game-winning tip-in with 0.7 seconds left.
- Despite forcing a miss from Purdue’s Braden Smith, Texas failed to secure the rebound, allowing Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn to score the decisive basket, ending Texas’ tournament run.
- Miller defended his decision by citing matchup concerns and foul trouble but acknowledged that rebounding was the key factor in the game’s outcome and that Texas could have done better.
- Texas’ unexpected run to the Sweet 16 in Miller’s first season, including wins over higher-seeded teams, is still considered a success despite the late-game error that ended their March Madness journey.
