Was this cheap shot from Kon Knueppel really necessary?

Jae'Lyn Withers' lane violation with seconds remaining in the game ended up being the major storyline of the ACC Tournament semifinals meeting between Duke and North Carolina.

This costly mistake took away a free-throw make by Ven-Allen Lubin, one that would have tied the game. While that mistake has drawn a lot of heat, due to the timing of it and how it essentially ended the game, there are plenty of other things that the Tar Heels could've done better to improve their chances of winning the game.

Following the lane violation, Duke freshman Kon Knueppel was fouled and proceeded to make his free throws to seal the deal. What Knueppel had to say after the game when asked what he told his teammate before taking the free throws is a low-blow that wasn't needed.

Kelly Flagg talked about how North Carolina fans are "classless a-holes," maybe she should take a look at her kid's teammates.

Knueppel told the media following the game was to tell his teammate, Patrick Ngongba II, to "not to do anything stupid like get a lane violation."

It's one thing to tell your teammate to be mindful not to make that same mistake; it's a whole other thing to blast it to the media as a low-ball dig.

As a fellow student-athlete, I'm sure Knueppel wouldn't like it if the roles were reversed. If he was the one to make the mistake, he would likely not want his counterpart adding fuel to an already burning fire, as he obviously had to see that Withers was upset with what had transpired.

If we're in the business of being cocky, Kon Knueppel has NO business talking. His team blew a 24-point lead to be in that position, he should just be lucky that they escaped with a win.

Oh, and ESPN spent more time monitoring Cooper Flagg's every move during the game and talking about him than any of the actual players on the court. I guess making digs like the one he threw Withers' way is his way of getting some attention from the media, because clearly, he is crying for some media love.

Too bad you'll always be second-fiddle to the Cooper Flagg show. I just hope that you never have to experience something like Jae'Lyn Withers did on Friday night, because quite frankly, it's something he'll never forget.