UNC Forward Brady Manek Ejected With Flagrant-2 Foul vs. Baylor

The forward earned a flagrant-2 after elbowing Bears’s Jeremy Sochan.

With around 10 minutes of the No. 8 UNC vs. No. 1 Baylor Round of 32 game on Saturday, one of the Tar Heels’ star players, forward Brady Manek, was ejected due to a flagrant-2 foul.

The foul was called after Manek pushed himself into Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan under the basket. 

Baylor has been on a roll after UNC's Brady Manek was ejected.

Can the Bears complete the comeback?

(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/pxjiLESeGE

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 19, 2022

Here is a closer look at Manek elbowing Sochan.

At the time, the Tar Heels were up 67-42 after leading the majority of the game. Manek led the team at the time with 26 points and had four three-pointers.

After Manek’s ejection, the Bears went on a 9-0 run to close more of the score gap.

The controversy the ejection sparked was whether or not Manek’s elbow was intentional or now. To some fans, the elbowing looked accidental and not work a flagrant-2.

Brady Manek ejected, wow. I don't think that changes the outcome here, but in a closer game that would be huge.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 19, 2022

We’re really ejecting Brady Manek for that? Sometimes we need to use some common sense (I know that’s difficult with the rule book).

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 19, 2022

Brady Manek’s heat check elbow changed this whole game. UNC got rattled, and it caused the refs to feel like they have to call everything.

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) March 19, 2022

That Brady Manek call was a bit excessive if you ask me. Officials need to use a little bit of common sense at some point. Flagrant 2’s should be reserved for intent to injure plays, not accidental elbows IMO.

— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) March 19, 2022

If UNC wins, Manek will not be suspended from play in their next matchup. He would be suspended if it was a fighting situation, but it was not.

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