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Marquette’s Shaka Smart is one of the more animated coaches in college basketball, often seen directing his team from the bench with enthusiastic body language. Some might even call it distracting.
Many around the Big East believe those Shaka Smart antics to have gone too far. They’re begging the conference to do something as he often strays away from his sideline and into the field of play.
That was again the case during a Wednesday night matchup with UCONN, and it had a number of Husky fans fuming.
This guy should be suspended, no hyperbole. Are we kidding ourselves here? pic.twitter.com/vhXoG6EgCc
— Barstool (still better than your school) Storrs (@BarstoolStorrs) March 7, 2024
“Nobody, and I mean nobody, cuts off the baseline drive like Shaka Smart does. Incredible defender to have on the floor.”
While he’d likely argue he’s simply preaching defensive technique, others would say he’s making himself a part of the game. And it’s far from his first offense!
Smart had Creighton fans peeved with an even more egregious incident in a game earlier this season.
Shaka Smart with the ELITE help defense😤‼️
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 30, 2023
Watch him walk out onto the court, follow the ball, throw his hands up when a Bluejay player turns his way, then move down to the corner as said player dribbles towards the baseline.
He’s literally playing defense!
There are other instances in conference play that have struck a nerve with rival fans, sparking an online reaction.
“If you’re an offensive player you should be able to two-hand shove Shaka Smart when he’s coming on the floor.”
“Is he even going to get a warning for this behavior?”
“Shaka Smart for 6th man of the year”
“Is the Big East going to do something about this?”
Shaka Smart’s annoying antics riled up a UCONN player.
Cam Spencer got T’d up for trash talking the Marquette head coach after drilling a three-pointer for the Huskies. He’d had enough!
#UConn’s Cam Spencer hits the three and gets the tech for trash talking #Marquette HC Shaka Smart 🤣
pic.twitter.com/s2xScCnXNi— UConn Huskies | UConnReport.com (@UConnRivals) March 7, 2024
Warranted? You be the judge.
Based on Smart’s history, he seems to have asked for it!
The technical foul wouldn’t come back to haunt the Huskies. UCONN took down its Big East rival 74-67 to improve to 27-3.