Howard Bison head coach Ted White did not hide his frustration after his team suffered a heartbreaking late-game collapse against Indiana, launching into an emotional postgame criticism of the officiating and calling for the NCAA to review what he believed were crucial decisions down the stretch.
White argued that Howard had done enough to win the game and claimed the momentum shifted dramatically during the fourth quarter. According to the Bison coach, Indiana benefited from several calls — and non-calls — that he believed played a significant role in the final outcome.
“We were the team that deserved to win this game,” White said following the loss. “From where I was standing, it was clear that things went differently in the fourth quarter. Indiana committed penalty after penalty and somehow got away with it, while it felt like everything we did was called against us.”
The Howard coach went even further, urging the NCAA to take a closer look at the officiating and warning that he was not prepared to simply move on from the controversy.
“If the NCAA doesn’t take this seriously,” White continued, “this won’t be the end of it.”
White’s comments immediately added another layer of drama to an already emotional finish, with attention quickly shifting from Indiana’s comeback to the Howard coach’s accusations surrounding the final quarter.
But when Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was asked about White’s remarks, he reportedly offered no lengthy explanation, no public apology and no attempt to soften his position.
Instead, Cignetti fired back with a blunt six-word response that reportedly left White visibly furious and red-faced during the live television exchange.
The confrontation quickly became the dominant storyline following Indiana’s victory, as White continued to stand by his belief that Howard had been denied a fair opportunity to close out the game.
Indiana, meanwhile, celebrated the win while Cignetti made it clear he had no intention of allowing the postgame accusations to overshadow his team’s performance.
Now, with White publicly demanding answers and Cignetti refusing to retreat from his position, the controversy surrounding the dramatic Indiana victory is likely to continue drawing attention well beyond the final whistle.
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