Stan Van Gundy blasts no-call after Houston’s JoJo Tugler hits Illinois player in face TBS broadcaster Stan Van Gundy strongly criticized the officials for failing to call a foul when Houston’s JoJo Tugler struck Illinois forward David Mirkovic in the face during the Sweet 16 game on March 26, 2026. The incident occurred early in the first half, with Illinois leading 2-0. Mirkovic was dribbling near the right wing when Tugler hit him along his left jawline, a play that Van Gundy described as an “obvious foul.” Van Gundy pointed out that Tugler had already committed two fouls in the first two minutes of the game, which would have resulted in his second foul. “That would have been Tugler’s second foul in the first two minutes of the game— that was Tugler’s second foul,” Van Gundy said. He added that Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson was aware of the situation, telling Tugler, “You got to be smart.” Robbie Hummel, another TBS commentator, initially noted the play, stating, “Hit to the face there by Tugler.” Hummel also highlighted that Tugler ranked third in the Big 12 Conference for fouls during the regular season. Van Gundy emphasized that the issue wasn’t the number of fouls but the manner in which they were committed. “To me, it’s not the number,” he said. “It’s how you get them. Like when you play as hard as JoJo Tugler, you’re going to get some. But they can’t be like that.” Mirkovic remained in the game after the incident, though he appeared shaken. The play occurred with over 18 minutes left in the first half, and Illinois maintained its early lead. Houston, the No. 2 seed, entered the matchup with a 30-6 record, having defeated Texas A&M 88-57 in the second round. Illinois, the No. 3 seed, came into the game with a 26-8 record, having beaten VCU 76-55 in the previous round.#david_mirkovic #toyota_center #stan_van_gundy #jojo_tugler #kellin_sampson
