After the officials reviewed the play, they gave Jarreau a flagrant foul 2 and ejected him from the game, which the Cougars lost to the Bearcats, 64-62. The officials said they had carefully examined the replays and saw evidence on the forward’s leg.
Coach Sampson Didn’t Agree at First
The decision to eject Dejon Jarreau was strongly contested by Houston’s coach, Kelvin Sampson, who told reporters after the game that his player didn’t bite his opponent. According to the coach, who reviewed the play three times, there is no undeniable evidence of a bite. He was adamant about his player’s innocence and shared that the decision was too harsh for an alleged bite. He also went on to comment on the fact that Cincinnati got 31 free throws throughout the game while his team was accorded only 10.
The Cougars led by as much as 15 points in the second half before the Bearcats started their comeback and ended up snatching a two-point victory. At the time of the ejection, Houston was leading by two points.
The next day, however, coach Sampson renounced his initial comments. He confirmed that after looking at additional footage, Dejon Jarreau had indeed bitten Mamoudou Diarra during the fight for the loose ball.
Dejon Jarreau’s Career and Stats
The 6′ 5″, New Orleans-born guard has started in 13 games for the Cougars this season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He was in the starting lineup for six consecutive games before the incident. Before transferring to Houston in 2018, Jerreau attended classes for one year at Howard College (without being part of the basketball team) and spent one season at UMass.