Lets talk about....fouls

[Jaydumo20]

Often a topic after every game. Many complain, many others say "stop complaining"
Whatever your side, one thing is clear:
This team, as well as the two natty teams under Dan Hurley, shoots less foul shots than their opponents quite often.

Why?

Our offensive style?
Defensive style?
Lack of discipline?
Anti-UConn bias?

To claim it's a combination of these doesnt come close to explaining such huge disparities between us and the other teams.

What's going on with the whistle?

 

[Hurleyman216]

It seems like very often (such as the 1st half last night) we get 7-8 fouls called on us very quickly and often in the act of shooting. On the flip side, once the refs realize the huge foul discrepancy we often see “make up” calls in our favor. The problem is these aren’t shooting fouls and they happen 30-40 feet from the basket on every play. So the foul numbers end up looking not so lopsided, but the fouls our opponents get called for don’t really help us. Most of our FT’s last night came from Florida intentionally fouling us at the end. I’m not sure the cause, but it’s infuriating to watch. Reed in particular got a horrible whistle last night. Seemed like he got clobbered a number of times making a move down low and all no calls, then on the flip side every time Condon or Cheniyu touched the ball in the block it was a foul on us.

The one thing that needs to change is all the grabbing and clutching that happens to us. Watch the guys guarding AK and Solo every game and they are holding their jerseys, body checking them off their routes and none of that stuff gets called. It’s what has really limited our offense so far this season.

 

[ctchamps]

IF the refs are doing it as payback to Hurley’s behavior sooner or later they’ll realize that all it does is put a chip on our players shoulders. It’s not working refs.

Speaking of foul, that’s the perpetual state of the chat room.

 

[Mr. French]

It seems like very often (such as the 1st half last night) we get 7-8 fouls called on us very quickly and often in the act of shooting. On the flip side, once the refs realize the huge foul discrepancy we often see “make up” calls in our favor. The problem is these aren’t shooting fouls and they happen 30-40 feet from the basket on every play. So the foul numbers end up looking not so lopsided, but the fouls our opponents get called for don’t really help us. Most of our FT’s last night came from Florida intentionally fouling us at the end. I’m not sure the cause, but it’s infuriating to watch. Reed in particular got a horrible whistle last night. Seemed like he got clobbered a number of times making a move down low and all no calls, then on the flip side every time Condon or Cheniyu touched the ball in the block it was a foul on us.

The one thing that needs to change is all the grabbing and clutching that happens to us. Watch the guys guarding AK and Solo every game and they are holding their jerseys, body checking them off their routes and none of that stuff gets called. It’s what has really limited our offense so far this season.

This is what I observe as well, from a trying to be objective perspective.

I don’t know how often UConn is the first team in the bonus.

 

[OkaForPrez]

It seems like very often (such as the 1st half last night) we get 7-8 fouls called on us very quickly and often in the act of shooting. On the flip side, once the refs realize the huge foul discrepancy we often see “make up” calls in our favor. The problem is these aren’t shooting fouls and they happen 30-40 feet from the basket on every play. So the foul numbers end up looking not so lopsided, but the fouls our opponents get called for don’t really help us. Most of our FT’s last night came from Florida intentionally fouling us at the end. I’m not sure the cause, but it’s infuriating to watch. Reed in particular got a horrible whistle last night. Seemed like he got clobbered a number of times making a move down low and all no calls, then on the flip side every time Condon or Cheniyu touched the ball in the block it was a foul on us.

The one thing that needs to change is all the grabbing and clutching that happens to us. Watch the guys guarding AK and Solo every game and they are holding their jerseys, body checking them off their routes and none of that stuff gets called. It’s what has really limited our offense so far this season.

 

[Rocktheworld]

We always hear that Hurley’s practices are harder than actual games. Is there a chance he encourages too physical of defense in practice such that a) our guys are more likely to be called for fouls with what is accepted in practice all summer and b) aren’t used to drawing fouls through more typical, lighter contact?

 

[NJHusky]

We always hear that Hurley’s practices are harder than actual games. Is there a chance he encourages too physical of defense in practice such that a) our guys are more likely to be called for fouls with what is accepted in practice all summer and b) aren’t used to drawing fouls through more typical, lighter contact?

IMO, it's not the issue that we are getting called for fouls, it's that fouls against our guys don't get called...like the AK pic above or the grab on Mullins were they pulled his jersey out of his shorts...Solo get's mugged routinely.

Do the refs only call certain types of fouls...hitting hands on shots and don't care about thinks like a hold

 

[nomar]

To claim it's a combination of these doesnt come close to explaining such huge disparities between us and the other teams.

This makes zero sense. Regardless of which factors you ascribe to, OF COURSE it's a combination of those things.

Or, wait, maybe it's

 

[98Uconn]

The clutching/grabbing has been happening to us for years. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, I just don’t think it’s called. I think we should just start doing it as well.

 

[dennismenace]

IMO, it's not the issue that we are getting called for fouls, it's that fouls against our guys don't get called...like the AK pic above or the grab on Mullins were they pulled his jersey out of his shorts...Solo get's mugged routinely.

Do the refs only call certain types of fouls...hitting hands on shots and don't care about thinks like a hold

Remember when poor T. Newton used to drive down the lane and get hammered, thrown into the seats and usually never get a foul called?

 

[HailUConn]

Two words:


James Breeding

 

[Edward Sargent]

Golden got a warning about complaining about Boogies last foul. Replay clearly showed his arm wrapped around Solo. I think Florida's defense like St Johns and others is based on keep your hands steadily on your guy as they won't call it. If you make any motion especially downward its visible and will be called

 

[WhereistheDove?]

The clutching/grabbing has been happening to us for years. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, I just don’t think it’s called. I think we should just start doing it as well.

It’s far less impactful for other teams than it is on us, just because of our actions. But yeah, it’s clearly just not a point of emphasis and is pretty consistently allowed across the board.

 

[HW611]

We always hear that Hurley’s practices are harder than actual games. Is there a chance he encourages too physical of defense in practice such that a) our guys are more likely to be called for fouls with what is accepted in practice all summer and b) aren’t used to drawing fouls through more typical, lighter contact?

I remember hearing or reading that Hurley would lightly call fouls in practice to prepare the team for Big East play.

Think the combination of that and our team being more shooters than rim attackers can lead to foul discrepancy.

Newton was the only guy in those back to back runs that really drove well enough to draw fouls and get to the line. Possibly Castle too but his useage wasn’t as high.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I remember that hearing or reading that Hurley would lightly call fouls in practice to prepare the team for Big East play.

Think the combination of that and our team being more shooters than rim attackers can lead to foul discrepancy.

Newton was the only guy in those back to back runs that really drove well enough to draw fouls and get to the line. Possibly Castle too but his useage wasn’t as high.

I do agree. I think the preponderance might be our offensive style. I think we are a very disciplined team and I can't see how there'd be anti uconn bias every single year.

 

[NJHusky]

It’s far less impactful for other teams than it is on us, just because of our actions. But yeah, it’s clearly just not a point of emphasis and is pretty consistently allowed across the board.

I wonder if players making a point about pushing guys away when they grab would highlight it more

 

[HW611]

I wonder if players making a point about pushing guys away when they grab would highlight it more

Personally, there’s easy ways to defend yourself from it and draw attention to it. If we let guys freely get into our shirts and do nothing about it that’s on us.

 

[willie99]

James Breeding is one of the worst officials in the history of officiating. Some defend him, I think he has mental health issues

He sees and calls stuff that just doesn't happen. The replays, even on the big screen at MSG, are my witness

He's just not a good man. He thinks he's the show.

 

[CL82]

it's not the issue that we are getting called for fouls, it's that fouls against our guys don't get called...like

This. Teams have decided that the way to slow down Hurley's motion offense is to grab and hold to slow down players and throw off the timing. We do foul a lot in part of that is from an aggressive defense mentality, but other teams are grabbing us on virtually every play end daring the refs to call them all. That's what makes us all frustrated during the game.

 

[dtrumpet]

Very often, especially last night, it was guys getting beat off the dribble or a too slow switch off a pick which ended up with being out of position, chasing and fouling. Not to say we don't seem to get more ticky tack calls then opponents, but often its bad defense on the perimeter that puts someone in a bad spot.

 

[aceboon]

Offball grabbing/holding doesn't really get called to the level that it should across all levels of basketball for both the men and women, just look at Steph Curry in the NBA, he gets manhandled without much being called. Meanwhile alot of our fouls are from handchecking and putting forearms on guys on the perimeter and straight line dribble drives, which is easier to see. I've pointed this out before but when The Athletic published their Final Four anonymous coaches scout of the teams in both 2023 and 2024 the anonymous coaches pointed out how often UConn fouls and that opponents could take advantage of that by getting into the penalty early.

 

[KingAG]

Offball grabbing/holding doesn't really get called to the level that it should across all levels of basketball for both the men and women, just look at Steph Curry in the NBA, he gets manhandled without much being called. Meanwhile alot of our fouls are from handchecking and putting forearms on guys on the perimeter and straight line dribble drives, which is easier to see. I've pointed this out before but when The Athletic published their Final Four anonymous coaches scout of the teams in both 2023 and 2024 the anonymous coaches pointed out how often UConn fouls and that opponents could take advantage of that by getting into the penalty early.

Watching the games it just doesn’t feel like we foul any more than the other team. Definitely not at the discrepancy we see. The refs just suck at the collegiate level. That’s the easiest explanation

 

[auror]

Officials know that calling too many fouls ruins the flow of the game, so there is a hierarchy of things that rise to the level of foul based on the amount of contact and the context.

On ball fouls will get called way more often than off ball because they are much more easily visible, to both refs and fans. But especially fans, as officials are conditioned to respond to what fans care about, and that is on ball fouls (especially in the act of shooting, but also driving and with freedom of movement emphasis revamp also dribbling).

On ball fouls happen much more often when contesting shots, as the alternative to contesting shots is often to concede a sure basket, so the incentive for (most, looking at you Creighton) defenses is to contest strongly, risking contact, and hope not to commit a foul.

On defense, you make choices about what to take away strongly and what to take away weakly. We take away pick and rolls strongly (hard hedge) and we take out kick out threes strongly. That dictates what is available to the offense. What is left is isolation drives to the basket. These are highly contested drives, often by the man defending and a rotating rim protector. Being highly contested, they are more likely to lead to fouls.

Other teams allow more controlled pick and rolls in drop coverage. These plays generate space advantages and as such are more open and less contested, leading to less fouls. These also lead to rotation to cover the advantage and that leads to kick out threes, which are open shots and as mentioned less likely to lead to fouls.

Our offensive philosophy is rooted in off ball movement which tries to generate space advantages (open shots or open cuts). Jump shots in general lead to less fouls, and open jump shots even less. Fouls committed in trying to stop what we do are off ball fouls, which as mentioned are called less frequently. Our 2pt% year over year is very high because our attempts at the rim tend to be wide open from cuts, not contested drives (and again contested drives are the most frequently called fouls.)

Also, some refs don't like Dan Hurley. And yes, he probably has harder practices with less called fouls and more physicality. And yes, he values aggression and toughness in defensive philosophy. And we crash the glass aggressively which will lead to some fouls.

 

[Coach J]

It seems like forever we get called for at least 1 moving screen a game by our post players at the 3 pt. line. Against Fl last year in the tournament, we had a key made 3 wiped out because of one Samson Johnson got called for. It's easily correctable and it's one less foul before our opponents are in the bonus. Something we need to limit.

 

[Travelman6]

I remember Duke used to make more freethrows than the other team took, that was commonly sited in the early 2000s. Wouldn't mind UConn trending that way.