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[QUOTE="diggerfoot, post: 4267714, member: 1673"]
Nice observation, but I still maintain my view.  One characteristic of risk averse/run our plays offense is they do not go looking for fouls.  Though getting a team in foul trouble is a good thing, going away from a usual game plan to do so risks being less efficient and even backfiring.  Certainly, they would not look to exploit Muhl in particular with this risk.

However, near the end of close games is a time when a team is more likely to try and draw fouls.

It could be that timing is everything with your observation.  It could be with more than 35 seconds left there is no way Auriemma would put Muhl in because NCST would respond by trying to draw a quick foul and go for two for one possessions to end the game.  With less than 30 seconds Auriemma might have have been figuring NCST wants to avoid getting to the line until the last second, eliminating the point of concern for Muhl.

If that is precisely what was going through Auriemma’s mind, then a tip of my cap to both his decision and your observation.  I am not swayed by the general practicality, but admit it was a good situational response.
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