Question on fouling...

[EricSD]

Early in the season, there were a lot of complaints about the team fouling too much, and the large FT disparity we often saw. That really hasn't changed but I'm not seeing as many complaints...

Is there more to this? I enjoy the games, but am not an good analyst from an X's and O's perspective. I know on here at times folks have blasted the refs, and that seemed right at the time. Over the last 5 games in reverse chronological order...

• Tonight we got called for 3 more fouls and Xavier shot 8 more FT's than we did.
• Vs Depaul we got called for 3 more fouls and they shot 5 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Butler, we got called for 7 more fouls and they shot 11 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Texas, we got called for 6 more fouls and they shot 15 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Florida we got called for 1 more foul and they shot 11 more FT's than we did (i'm guessing they got a lot of "and 1's").

Thoughts on this? It seems like in a close game it could bite us, especially deep in the NCAA's. But people aren't talking about it as much (it seems). The announcers tonight mentioned several times that our defense is elite, but all those fouls? Thoughts?

 

[UC1995]

After watching the game live they still
Have stupid fouls but not as many stupid ones. I also think they play so hard it hard to complain when they foul. They also don’t affect the flow of th game like they did earlier. Helps the refs were pretty even with foul calls and it was not so one sided.

 

[CL82]

Our fouls don't bother me as much as the ones that aren't called on the opposing team. There is so much grabbing on the perimeter to knock the timing off of our guys, it kills me. That coupled with the fact that it seems like all of our fouls are called is aggravating. Admittedly, it's considerably less aggravating in a blowout.

(Note that you don't have to think that there's a conspiracy against us to acknowledge this. Our fouls are often in the paint in the act of shooting, and those are likely to get called.)

 

[QDOG5]

Demary had two fouls I’m sure he wishes he had back.

 

[NJHusky]

Our fouls don't bother me as much as the ones that aren't called on the opposing team.

This ^^ 100%

 

[UCan3]

This ^^ 100%

Our fouls don't bother me as much as the ones that aren't called on the opposing team. There is so much grabbing on the perimeter to knock the timing off of our guys, it kills me. That coupled with the fact that it seems like all of our fouls are called is aggravating. Admittedly, it's considerably less aggravating in a blowout.

(Note that you don't have to think that there's a conspiracy against us to acknowledge this. Our fouls are often in the paint in the active shooting, and those are likely to get called.)

All I ask it to be consistent both teams which it hasn’t been. Last night wasn’t too bad. There was one where Xavier ball handler literally leaps in Jayden Stewart with Elbow out and it’s a foul on on Stewarts? That was a head scratcher... Last night overall though no big complaints as they did let us play and I don’t think anyone fouled out.

 

[NJHusky]

All I ask it to be consistent both teams which it hasn’t been. Last night wasn’t too bad. There was one where Xavier ball handler literally leaps in Jayden Stewart with Elbow out and it’s a foul on on Stewarts? That was a head scratcher... Last night overall though no big complaints as they did let us play and I don’t think anyone fouled out.

I often wonder if refs subconsciously (or maybe consciously) call more fouls against the winning team as the margin get bigger.

 

[REB1094]

Our fouls don't bother me as much as the ones that aren't called on the opposing team. There is so much grabbing on the perimeter to knock the timing off of our guys, it kills me. That coupled with the fact that it seems like all of our fouls are called is aggravating. Admittedly, it's considerably less aggravating in a blowout.

(Note that you don't have to think that there's a conspiracy against us to acknowledge this. Our fouls are often in the paint in the active shooting, and those are likely to get called.)

This is it 100% and it has been the same since 2023

We foul on ball. Our opponents foul off ball. On ball fouls tend to get called, off ball fouls tend to not get called. Most teams run offense on ball, we run offense off ball. So it’s a bad combination for us

Yesterday’s game was actually a breath of fresh air. The game was physical both ways and the refs were consistent and called things pretty evenly. Maybe it’s because Xavier doesn’t have an identity yet (ie - Seton Hall’s identity is to be overly physical so they are allowed to be overly physical) but Xavier was not getting the types of calls that teams usually get against us

 

[Lafayette]

we are a very physical defensive team so some fouls are expected…cleanup and silly ones and we are fine

 

[uh-no]

we are a very physical defensive team so some fouls are expected…cleanup and silly ones and we are fine

I largely agree here. We have too many silly fouls. It's getting better, but still some issues. We need reed and demary to be able to stay on the floor.

That said, though, demary still is hesitant to attack off the dribble (multiple times yearstday i was yelling at him to drive it after he came off a screen and had a lane, but passed it instead....he's making HUGE progress, but still missing some spots), and that is inevitably going to lead to fewer fouls than the pass-heavy off-ball sets we end up in....which are clearly hugely efficient, but not great at generating fouls.

 

[nomar]

Early in the season, there were a lot of complaints about the team fouling too much, and the large FT disparity we often saw. That really hasn't changed but I'm not seeing as many complaints...

Is there more to this? I enjoy the games, but am not an good analyst from an X's and O's perspective. I know on here at times folks have blasted the refs, and that seemed right at the time. Over the last 5 games in reverse chronological order...

• Tonight we got called for 3 more fouls and Xavier shot 8 more FT's than we did.
• Vs Depaul we got called for 3 more fouls and they shot 5 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Butler, we got called for 7 more fouls and they shot 11 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Texas, we got called for 6 more fouls and they shot 15 more FT's than we did.
• Vs. Florida we got called for 1 more foul and they shot 11 more FT's than we did (i'm guessing they got a lot of "and 1's").

Thoughts on this? It seems like in a close game it could bite us, especially deep in the NCAA's. But people aren't talking about it as much (it seems). The announcers tonight mentioned several times that our defense is elite, but all those fouls? Thoughts?

This is not based on a statistical analysis, but I’ve always felt like the refereeing in the NCAAT benefits teams who play more physically/handsy. Maybe that’s not the case anymore, but year after year Big East teams who were used to winning 60-55 rock fights beat ACC teams who regularly score 90. And it’s not like our physical play has hurt us in the tournament in recent years.

As far as this season goes, and the foul disparity, at a certain point we have to admit that we just foul a lot—if the game is being called with a tight whistle.

 

[ucp990411]

All I ask it to be consistent both teams which it hasn’t been. Last night wasn’t too bad. There was one where Xavier ball handler literally leaps in Jayden Stewart with Elbow out and it’s a foul on on Stewarts? That was a head scratcher... Last night overall though no big complaints as they did let us play and I don’t think anyone fouled out.

Ho

All I ask it to be consistent both teams which it hasn’t been. Last night wasn’t too bad. There was one where Xavier ball handler literally leaps in Jayden Stewart with Elbow out and it’s a foul on on Stewarts? That was a head scratcher... Last night overall though no big complaints as they did let us play and I don’t think anyone fouled out

How about when Silas was absolutely mauled going to the rim and no call. The ref, not O’Connell or Gaffney, I believe his name is Henderson was looking at the play

 

[Palatine]

It is a fine line that Hurley is asking his players to navigate. Play tough, aggressive defense but do not foul. Complicating the matter is that different refs call the game differently. It does take a while to figure it out.

 

[ucp990411]

Thing is about officiating I have noticed this year is that they officiate totally different in the second half. In the first half they let everything go. In the second half they call everything. Not fair to the players or coaches.

 

[UCan3]

Thing is about officiating I have noticed this year is that they officiate totally different in the second half. In the first half they let everything go. In the second half they call everything. Not fair to the players or coaches.

The BYU game best example of this. The refs chose to tilt scales after we got up by 20 and never looked back.

 

[willie99]

We foul, they don’t

Late March we foul less and they foul more. It's really one of the world's great mysteries

Lucky we have enough assists and paint dominance to overcome our obvious flaws

And once our kids leave UConn, they foul less too

We just don’t reach in and grab as good as the rest of college basketball

I blame Hurley

 

[UConnTrumbull]

We have a top 10 defense. Fouls are a small price to pay to keep up an aggressive defensive game plan.