Dr. Mung Chiang, the president of Purdue University, made noise on social media with his comment about the Tennessee-Purdue basketball game on Tuesday night.
The game between the Vols and the Boilermakers game was extremely physical and led to 78 total free throws in the game, 48 from Purdue and 30 from Tennessee. Chiang’s tweet alluded to Tennessee taking the physicality to a different degree on the court.
“Watching [Purdue Basketball] playing against a wrestling team that fouls 100%,” Chiang said in his tweet. “Boilermaker student-athletes, be safe!”
Despite comments not being open on the tweet, Chiang’s social media post racked up more than half a million views in the first two hours that it was posted.
Watching @BoilerBall playing against a wrestling team that fouls 100%. Boilermaker student athletes, be safe! pic.twitter.com/qQiVUWca7t
— Dr. Mung Chiang (@PurduePresident) November 22, 2023
More from RTI: Three Quick Takeaways as Tennessee Falls To Purdue In Maui Invitational Semifinals
The tweet from the Purdue president prompted Tennesssee Director of Athletics Danny White to respond on social media and defend his team.
“We must not be watching the same game,” White commented.
We must not be watching the same game. https://t.co/d15Qim03Mo
— Danny White (@AD_DannyWhite) November 22, 2023
Tennessee fans flooded the comment section to show support to the tune of more than 250 replies and more than 800 reposts.
Tennessee was called for 31 fouls compared to 21 fouls from Purdue in the Vols’ 71-67 loss to the Boilermakers on Tuesday night in the second round of the Maui Invitational. The Vols lost forward Tobe Awaka and forward Jonas Aidoo to foul outs in the crucial final few minutes of the game.
Aside from the quick whistle to both teams on the night, Tennessee went cold offensively in the second half. The Vols finished the game shooting just 33 percent from the field and 28 percent from the perimeter in the loss to the Boilermakers.
For more on the rock fight between Tennessee and Purdue on Tuesday night, check out Rocky Top Insider’s postgame takeaways by clicking here.
No. 7 Tennessee will play the loser of No. 1 Kansas – No. 4 Marquette on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. ET in the third-place game of the 2023 Maui Invitational.
14 Responses
The officiated fro football has carried over to the Tenn. Basketball Team. Amazing, apparently the Zebras only see Orange and White on the field or the Court.
I understand support for your favorite team. But the officiating in the Purdue – Tennessee game was absolutely terrible. My only hope is something is done ti correct these officals. The game was way to physical. Look at Edey first two fouls. He was fouled not the other way. Even the players looked surprised. Something needs done with poor officiating across the board.
They hate us cause we so good! We give our all in Tennessee!! I think they try to keep us down because they’re haters! They hate our hard work mentality, giving your best, and besting those who are allegedly better than you!! It’s been that way ever since Johnny Majors lost the Heisman to the only person ever to win the illustrious award on a losing team, Paul Hornung! Peyton lost to Charles Woodson who wasn’t even the best player at his own position!! Dre Bly from North Carolina won DB of the year!! I can go on and on. The Sugar Vols ended at number four after destroying number one Miami 35-7 and had a better record than all three of em in front because they tied Bama when Tony Robinson got hurt and Daryl Dickey won out! The Dale Carter games back to back against Bama, but my all time worst is Lane Kiffin game in Tuscaloosa and down 12-10 , senior Daniel Lincoln with a torn quad, has a 44-yarder and the big Mountain Cody blocks it immediately taking his helmet off while Luke Stocker conceivably could have returned it for a TD and then they fined Lane twicet for saying the truth that that’s a penalty everywhere in the world except Tuscaloosa!! I think it’s a sign that we’re so good they fear us! It should be seen as a sign of such disrespect that’s because of jealousy. I don’t think it’ll ever change in my lifetime 😕
Boiler Up!!! We held up to the trash they were dishing out! And proved it with the final score!
Tenn needs to play more Big Ten teams so they can learn how to play tough without playing alley ball.
I think if folks re-watched the game, they would tend to see what I believe happened: the first half was extremely brutal. Tennessee was fouling excessively, and only got called occasionally, still lots of fouls. I think it worked well for the Vols as Edey was filed at least three times as much as was called. And even more silly, or the two fouls that he was called on, that didn’t even exist!
The second half, the officials decided they would try to get the game a bit more civil. Seem like at least half the files were sticky tack, that certainly would not have been called in the first half. Makes for a aggravating game for both players and fans.
Replay from last season. Barnes ain’t fixed the problem. Hopefully Knecht won’t end up like Key. Start off guns a blazing and then disappointing the rest of the way.
I totally agree the officiating was horrible but in both ways. As far as Edey goes a)l he does is use his size to foul under any kind of pressure. If he was 4-6″ shorter he wouldn’t even be playing D1 ball. Both teams are great teams and hopefully they’ll meet again when it counts with tight refs. Honestly TN played like crap and if they’re playing well and the reffing is clean and tight the outcome won’t be the same would be my guess, might not even be that close. GO VOLS
I’m not a fan of either team but I saw this quote after seeing the game. Chiang makes a ridiculous statement on X and then Danny White replies with a simple (non-hyperbolic) quote “we must not have been watching the same game”. Why are Purdue fans victims all the sudden. You won! Your President shouldn’t have opened his trash-talking mouth. Speaks to his integrity.
No matter which sport it is when its a loss for ut, its the officiating!!!! Wow people maybe the extra help is why you get so far. Let’s face it the parade of cheating coaches coming thru says alot about the mentality of the program. How many in the last 10 years?
The Big Ten has always been known for playing rough on the hardwood. The officiating in both sports has gone down the tubes in recent years and Tennessee has definitely got the raw end of the deal in football. The officials in football are definitely scared of Saban and as Tim Brando recently stated writers don’t need to be intimidated by Coach Saban anymore. There has definitely been a downward spiral in officiating of college football in recent years. A lot of that is due to being able to replay so many close calls. It has made officials lax at theirs jobs in some cases
The Big 10 is the whiniest entity in America.
I have no problems with Mung Chiang’s tweet or Danny White’s response; all in good jest. Unfortunately, many Tennessee fans tweeted racist rhetoric in reply. Looks like racism and bigotry are still alive and well in Tennessee!
Tennessee might have lost the game, but I’m sure it’ll make them mentally tougher and physically tougher, not to say that they aren’t already, I’m hoping to meet them again around March!! Go Vols, haters will hate, God bless everyone!!