Illinois HC Brad Underwood Says Ref Admitted RJ Melendez Technical Was Wrong Call

It's a case of too little, too late for the referee who whistled Illinois freshman RJ Melendez for a technical foul in Sunday's NCAA men's tournament loss to Houston.

Melendez was punished for hanging on the rim after throwing down a two-handed jam in the second half to cut the Fighting Illini's deficit to four points.

Head coach Brad Underwood said the call was "deflating" and "changes the momentum of the game." He added that official Brian O'Connell "told me he shouldn't ever have called it."

Melendez added that O'Connell didn't address the technical in the moment:

It's tough to know where the 6'7" guard erred. His momentum initially took his body forward, so he couldn't immediately let go of the rim without falling flat on his back. He didn't hang on the rim for any longer than necessary, either.

That call didn't single-handedly cost Illinois the game. The Fighting Illini lost by 15 and shot 34 percent from the field. Kofi Cockburn was the only Illinois player to score in double figures.

Still, it's fair to wonder how much impact the technical had. Beyond the fact that Jamal Shead sank a free throw to put Houston back up five, the break in play allowed the Cougars to reset a bit with Illinois continuing to hang around.

And purely on principal, Underwood and Melendez have every reason to be angry in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.