Did Final Four refs screw Duke with controversial foul call on Cooper Flagg?

The Duke Blue Devils were in control for most of their Final Four matchup with the Houston Cougars. They led by as many as 14 points and had a nine point lead with 2:06 remaining. Somehow, they lost the game.

For many Duke fans, the "somehow" is directly tied to a controversial decision by the referees with 20 seconds remaining.

After a missed free throw, Cooper Flagg was called for an over-the-back foul while attempting to rebound. The foul sent Houston to the line, down just one point, for a one-and-one. The Cougars took the lead on those foul shots and won the game 70-67. They'll be going to the national title game to face Florida, not the Blue Devils.

Duke fans on social media rage over foul call against Cooper Flagg

Fans of the Blue Devils and others weren't happy with the foul call, especially considering how much contact the refs had been letting go for much of the game. Consistency is all most fans want from the officials. That call wasn't consistent with the rest of the decisions made by officials across 60 minutes of play.

Here's where I stand on this: It was a soft call, one you don't want to see made at such a crucial point in the game. Did it cost Duke the game, though? No, not any more than the missed kicked-ball call earlier in the second half would have cost Houston the game.

J'Wan Roberts is a 62.5 percent free throw shooter. A one-and-one with him at the line was no certain thing for the Cougars. Tyrese Proctor, a career 77.2 percent free throw shooter, missed the front end of his one-and-one. Make the first and there's no chance for the refs to whistle for a foul on the rebound. On the next possession, Flagg got a good look from 10 feet with the chance to take back the lead and missed.

There were plenty of opportunities for Duke to win or lose the game. It didn't come down to that foul.