Washington Redskins quarterback and Baylor University alumni, Robert Griffin III, took to Twitter Sunday night to defend Baylor Woman’s basketball player Brittany Griner, after the Bears' 82-81 lost to the Louisville Cardinals in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
Griner, in her last season with the team, has been arguably the best player in the country for the past few years. However, in Sunday night’s game she had only 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting. Griner's averaged 33 points in the first two games, according to ESPN.com.
After Sunday’s loss, Griffin unleashed a barrage of tweets defending the Bears star player and standing up to anyone who may might be ridiculing the team.
He tried to show restraint, but that didn’t last long.
“Whew.....ok I took my time to calm down and not go off on twitter about the Baylor Girls Basketball game....BUT I CAN'T DO IT!!!!!”
Griffin went on to say that the Cardinals were hammering Griner on the in the paint and were being more than just physical.
“People poke and make fun of B. Griner all the time but C'MON MAN....Them girls were LITERALLY throwing elbows, slaps, weave,” he tweeted.
The Cardinals were unconscious from the 3-point line Sunday, hitting a remarkable 16 out of their 25 attempts. Griffin acknowledged their 3-point prowess but said it did not make up for their excessive play on Griner.
“Yes people Louisville hit the 3 ball all night. But for every 3 they made, they threw 6 elbows, 5 straight lefts, 4 right hooks, 3 roundhouse kicks, 2 jumping knees, & 1 superman punch at B. Griner's abdominals. Aiming for her face but couldn't reach,” he said.
Griner towers over most players in NCAA at 6-foot-8.
Bears Coach Kim Mulkey echoed Griffin’s sentiments.
“I thought the game started out way too physical, way too physical," she told reporters after the game. "I thought that all three of [the officials], if they go past this round of officiating, it will be sad for the game."
This loss would be Griner’s last collegiate game. She expressed her feelings about her performance after the loss. “
"I'm just sad," she said according to ESPN.com. "I didn't do what I needed to do to get my team to the Elite Eight and just disappointment in myself.”
Baylor guard Odyssey Sims finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and six steals. Louisville guard Antonita Slaughter put up 21 points and six rebounds and went 7 for 9 from the three point line to help the Cardinals to victory.
The Bears had been on a 32-game winning streaks.
