Kick to the chest leads to Illinois State collapse
by Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports
Illinois State’s Jackie Carmichael said he earned a nickname that he’s not too proud of.
A day after his team’s stunning loss to Wichita State, the senior forward was still confounded by the game’s ending. Carmichael was issued a controversial flagrant foul when he leaped into the air for a rebound with less than one minute remaining.
When he jumped, his foot extended, connecting with Wichita State’s Tekele Cotton. In slow motion, it looks like a karate kick to the chest.
Carmichael’s new nickname? “Some people on campus were calling me ‘Jackie Chan Carmichael’ If it wasn’t such a bad memory, I might keep it,” Carmichael said on Monday morning.
“Anyone who watches me knows I’m not a dirty player,” Carmichael said. “I saw (the replay). If I was someone who wasn’t at the game in our fanbase, I guess I would think it was intentional. I’m looking at it from my point of view, though, and I didn’t mean it. I went up for a rebound like I usually do.”
Carmichael’s flagrant foul served as the first domino to fall in a head-scratching Wichita State rally. The Shockers used an 8-0 run in the game’s final 41 seconds to erase a seven-point deficit and steal a Missouri Valley Conference road victory at Normal, Ill.
In other words, the Redbirds got Reggie Miller’d (kind of) by the Shockers.
Cleanthony Early’s three-pointer with 4.8 seconds left helped Wichita State clip Illinois State 68-67, leaving Redbird fans shocked. (no pun intended). Loud boos were heard throughout Redbird Arena because Carmichael wasn’t initially issued a foul. ISU’s Johnny Hill shot and made two free throws after a WSU foul before officials made the call after reviewing the replay and deeming it a flagrant based on NCAA rules.
“They said he kicked him above the neck and he intentionally did it,” A perplexed Illinois State coach Dan Muller said after the game. “How Jackie was getting a rebound and intentionally was kicking a moving target? I haven’t seen it, but that was the explanation to me.”
Carmichael is one of the Valley’s best players, averaging 18.4 points and 9.3 … [For more on Kick to the chest off rebound leads to stunning Illinois State collapse, click here.]
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