If I had 5k to spare I would pay the fine for English myself and I have not been the biggest fan of his this yrIt all started on March 23, 2023, when Kim English was named the head coach of the Providence Friars. While it was his first season, he ensured he left an impact. Under his coaching guidance, the Friars had a 21-14 overall record and a 10-10 record in Big East play. Well, his impact wasn’t just limited to this. Devin Carter, who flourished in his first season, became the 44th Friar drafted all-time in the NBA as he was selected with the 13th pick in the 2024 draft. And it was right then that English signed a six-year contract extension with the Friars, thinking the run would be as efficient as before. But what happened after made fans frustrated.
Last Wednesday, English found himself in hot water during Providence’s 91-82 loss to Xavier. The drama unfolded early in the first half when referee Brent Hampton hit English with a technical foul at the 15:11 mark. While English was trying to understand what happened, another tech followed.
The Big East has fined Providence coach Kim English $5,000 for derogatory comments directed at referee Brent Hampton following his ejection from last Wednesday’s game against Xavier.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 17, 2025
It came less than two minutes into the second half after English called out a missed travel that led to a Xavier three-pointer. And with that, he was sent packing to the locker room. But English, staying true to his nature, didn’t stay silent.
Right after the game, he vented about the calls, questioning the fairness of officiating and specifically calling out Hampton. While the damage—a loss and two techs—was already done, this criticism landed him a fine. According to the Big East, the head coach has been fined $5,000 for “derogatory comments directed to a game official.”
Well, this is just one side of the story.
Fans defend Kim English against the announcement
When the news about Kim English’s tech fouls and fine came out, fans couldn’t resist but dive into the comment section to fire back at refs. “How much are they fining Brent Hampton for being a bad referee?” one questioned. The HC’s side of the story reveals he felt wronged for his first tech. Brent Hampton, the referee for the night, supposedly asked English to ask one of his two assistant coaches to sit down. When the coach pointed out that two from the opponent’s side were also standing up, it did not sit right.
“And he said, ‘Oh, that’s how you’re going to do it? That’s how you’re going to do it?’ I said, ‘They have two assistant coaches standing up.’ I got a tech,” English narrated. But that wasn’t all to the story. He also revealed that there was a missed travel call that would end in a three for the Xaviers. Instances as such has fans questioning the officiating.
Dec 10, 2023; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Brown Bears forward Nana Owusu-Anane (31) dribbles the ball against during the first half against the Providence Friars at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
“Where are the penalties for missed and inconsistent calls by the referees! They are getting worse and worse, and replay does not help the situation,” another noted. Just last year, the calls for referee accountability soared when frequent officiating calls had become a concern, drawing reaction from the likes of Geno Auriemma and Utah athletic director Mark Harlan. There are internal reviews and corrective actions in place for bad calls. But the processes of those haven’t been as frequent, leaving fans agitated.
“And zero accountability for officials The NCAA Way,” added another spectator. “That’s my exact question when do the referees get fined?” expressed another.
English hasn’t been a stranger to whistles this season. The Friars have reportedly attempted 59 fewer free throws than its opponents through 26 games this season and have been whistled for 60 more personal fouls. So he isn’t laying all the blame on referees each time. “I have not said one thing about officiating. It’s about us,” he had said. So when he spoke about the officiating against Xavier, fans knew he was making a valid point.
“If I had 5k to spare I would pay the fine for English myself and I have not been the biggest fan of his this yr,” another added.
Well, the debate keeps going. For now Friars are standing with a 12-14 overall record and a 6-9 Big East record. They’ll be back in action on Wednesday night at Georgetown. Will English’s squad see an improved number on the call?
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