This was ridiculous.

Social media is clowning the Duke Blue Devils’ radio announcers for their outrageous call during the team’s heartbreaking loss to the UConn Huskies in Sunday’s epic Elite Eight showdown.

The Duke Blue Devils endured a gut-wrenching meltdown in the waning seconds of the highly anticipated game, just when it looked like they had a victory in the bag. With his team trailing 72-69 and only 10 seconds on the clock, UConn Huskies star Silas Demary Jr. drew a foul.

He missed the first free throw, but made the second to cut the lead to two. On the ensuing inbound, Duke star Cayden Boozer turned the ball over. Braylon Mullins then drilled a long-range three-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining to send his team to the Final Four:

Duke radio announcer David Shumate was so angry and unhappy with the result that he called for the referees to issue a technical foul on Malachi Smith of UConn for running on the court during the celebration:

News alert: The refs did not issue a technical flag on Smith.

Fans Call Out David Shumate After Duke Blue Devils’ Brutal Loss

Duke players (Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
Basketball fans wasted no time clowning Shumate over his call on the game-winning three-pointer:

“The Duke radio guy going through all 5 stages of grief in 30 seconds is peak March M@dness content 😂,” a fan wrote.

“Here’s your technical, Losers!” another posted.

“Imagine being so used to getting bailed out by the refs that you expect a technical foul to be called on someone for leaving the bench after that play. 🤣,” a user added.

“They didn’t know Malachi Smith was in the game 😂😂😂 they’re always looking for something,” a fan said.

“Wanting a tech on a guy who was actively in the game is a new low even for Duke 🤣🤣🤣,” quipped a user.

“Woulda been hilarious if they actually did call a technical and then Duke missed the free-throws to lose,” another wrote.

The resilient UConn Huskies will now take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in their Final Four matchup. In the other semifinal game, the Michigan Wolverines will take on the Arizona Wildcats.

As for Duke, they’ll spend another lengthy offseason wondering what went wrong. For a team with consistent regular-season success, there’s never any solace in constantly bowing out before the championship game. Next season will mark 12 years since their last triumph.

Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup.

Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday’s episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw.

Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood, in December after 10 years of marriage.

She has since made swipes at Jesse and moved on with TV director Elliot Hegarty, with the pair having been seen kissing during a recent night out.

Fearne has had a difficult few months after undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jawline, just days before her split with Jesse emerged.

She told host Lorraine: ‘It’s all very amicable and kids are doing great. I am in a very good place.’place.’

Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup

Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood , in December after 10 years of marriage (both pictured in February 2024)

Discussing her recent surgery, she added: ‘I feel very grateful to have completely recovered.

‘I feel really good. I have a lot of people reaching out who have had the same thing.’

Davina McCall, 56, announced in November she’d been diagnosed with a colloid cyst, a rare type of benign brain tumour, and has supported Fearne.

She continued: ‘Everyone needs a Davina. She’s been amazing, weird that we had the same health thing going on at the same time. She’s so calming and we speak every day. She is just the best

It comes after Fearne has seemingly made another thinly-veiled dig at her ex-husband as she gushed that she is the happiest she’s ever been in a positive update.

Speaking to Scott Mills on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Fearne gushed that she is ‘really happy’ and is ‘springing out of bed in the morning ready for life’.

Scott, who has known Fearne for 25 years, said he has never seen her ‘more positive or happier’, prompting Fearne to agree and reply: ‘Yeah I feel great!’

She told how her health scare has changed her outlook and said she has been seeking comfort from Davina.

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Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday’s episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw