Fran Fraschilla voices major complaint in NCAA Tournament games

It’s been an entertaining NCAA Tournament, and a physical one too. However, not everybody believes the increase in physicality is better for the game. On Friday, ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla made a bold stance on the officiating in this year’s postseason.

“General prediction about the whole NCAA tournament: the physical contact has gotten out of control again,” Fraschilla wrote on X. “It’s like a five year cycle. Every game is a wrestling match. Probably gonna be dealt with after the season.”

When a fan asked Fraschilla if this was simply prediction or analysis, he wrote that it was both. He stated he had talked to people who would know and they believed the second half of the college basketball was too physical and restricted freedom of movement.

If other fans agree with Fraschilla, the viewership ratings don’t show it. Earlier this week, CBS and TNT Sports announced the best viewership for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament since 1993.

The Round of 64 and Round of 32 averaged a combined 9.3 million viewers, the networks announced – a 3% increase from last year. Sunday’s second-round games helped lead the charge as teams punched their tickets to the March Madness Sweet Sixteen.

An average of 10.1 million people tuned in for Sunday’s games, led by Kentucky vs. Illinois. Duke vs. Baylor also helped lead that charge, averaging 9.6 million viewers on CBS.

Florida’s thrilling victory over UConn in the final seconds also brought in 7.8 million viewers. Both games saw increases from the same windows last year, according to Sports Media Watch.

After several stunning showdowns between perennial powerhouses on Thursday and Friday, it’d be surprising if viewership wasn’t up for the Sweet Sixteen, as well. Alas, fans who enjoy the physicality of this postseason should soak it in now because, according to Fraschilla, it won’t be around next year.

Lamont Butler praises Zakai Zeigler after NCAA Tournament loss

Game recognizes game. After Kentucky fell 78-65 to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday, Wildcats point guard Lamont Butler had high praise for Volunteers star Zakai Zeigler.

“He’s a really good player. Really good player,” Butler said. “He’s one of the best point guards in the country. Tonight he played well, as he’s been doing pretty much all year. Just definitely congrats to him and his team for going on farther in the tournament.

“It was a great matchup and I feel like I held my own, and was able to go out there and really compete. And at the end of the day, that’s all I can ask for.”