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Setting the tone? Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills goes on early tirade vs. Arkansas in Sweet 16
Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills made sure officials understood his displeasure after an early call didn’t go his way in the Sweet 16 vs. Arkansas.
Following a questionable charge call with just over 16 minutes remaining in the first half, Mills lost his temper. He was quickly T’d up, which allowed Arkansas to take a 4-3 lead.
Here’s an abbreviated clip of Mills’ tantrum:
Paul Mills is FIRED UP pic.twitter.com/lb20QqgOXA
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 27, 2021
His frustration seems to have fired up the Golden Eagles, though — at least early on. ORU’s first five field goals all came from 3-point range, and it held a 15-7 lead at one point in the first half.
Mills is typically mid-mannered, so college basketball fans and media enjoyed seeing him get fired up at the officials.
Here’s some of the reaction to his frustration and subsequent technical:
I appreciate Paul Mills just annihilating these officials for charge calls.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) March 27, 2021
Paul Mills is all of us. We’ve all had it with the charge calls
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) March 27, 2021
And Paul Mills picks up a T. He's still livid at the officals. Rare to see a T this early in an NCAA game. We're not even at the Under 4. https://t.co/g7m3Vuwmu8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 27, 2021
12-5 Oral Roberts run since the tech. Think that was intentional by Paul Mills?
— Kyle Deckelbaum (@KyleDeckelbaum) March 27, 2021
Been a while since I was on the Paul Mills watch — but I don't remember him getting a Technical.
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) March 27, 2021
Oral Roberts is attempting to become the first college basketball team ever to reach the Elite Eight as a 15-seed. Meanwhile, Arkansas is trying to get to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.