Kentucky and Fouling

[pnkranger]

Only four games into the season, Kentucky has been called for 38 fewer fouls than its opponents. That's an AVERAGE of almost 10 fewer fouls per game. Consider that UK is starting five freshman, and this just seems totally impossible, especially watching the way they put their hands all over UT-Arlington in tonight's game.

That wouldn't be weird if UK were being called for 25 fouls a game, but they had 14 fouls in one game, 19 in another...considering the focus on the new rules, I'm just confused.

 

[StatGeek]

Interesting numbers, but I presume we will such disparity with the really athletic teams.

 

[ksSooner13]

just for reference...counting tonight's game
UK is averaging 18.6 fouls per game (93 over 5 games)
OU is averaging 19 (57 over 3)


maybe, it's not a conspiracy and just a good job coaching new players a new rule, and not having to reteach defense... but where's the fun in that, am i right?

 

[Sooner-Bred]

It's really simple.

Kentucky is an incredibly physical team.

They throw it down low, get offensive rebounds, push the ball ahead, and draw contact.

On the defensive side, they have two 7-footers, a 6'11 Marcus Lee, and Julius Randle who can all block shots and lock down the paint.

That's where the foul discrepancies come in.

You have to factor in style of play when looking at foul differences. Not just the name on the jersey.

 

[campbest]

just for reference...counting tonight's game
UK is averaging 18.6 fouls per game (93 over 5 games)
OU is averaging 19 (57 over 3)


maybe, it's not a conspiracy and just a good job coaching new players a new rule, and not having to reteach defense... but where's the fun in that, am i right?

Damn those facts!

 

[pnkranger]

Camp, facts can be made to say what you want, and the poster above neglected the most important fact that I was making, which was foul MARGIN. In three games, OU has 11 fewer fouls than its opponents, an average of 3.7 per game.

Kentucky on the other hand has been called for 9.5 FEWER fouls than its opponents on the season. In last night's game they were called for 8 fewer fouls than their opponent.

 

[campbest]

Camp, facts can be made to say what you want, and the poster above neglected the most important fact that I was making, which was foul MARGIN. In three games, OU has 11 fewer fouls than its opponents, an average of 3.7 per game.

Kentucky on the other hand has been called for 9.5 FEWER fouls than its opponents on the season. In last night's game they were called for 8 fewer fouls than their opponent.

You mean players from UTA are having problems staying in front of Kentucky guards? At the same time funneling opponents to their bigs in order to minimize perimeter contact? Sounds exactly like what Cal said in the preseason on one of the ESPN shows on their approach to the new rules.

A paint presence that can alter shots is invaluable now.

 

[Max Power]

Camp, facts can be made to say what you want, and the poster above neglected the most important fact that I was making, which was foul MARGIN. In three games, OU has 11 fewer fouls than its opponents, an average of 3.7 per game.

Kentucky on the other hand has been called for 9.5 FEWER fouls than its opponents on the season. In last night's game they were called for 8 fewer fouls than their opponent.

Did it ever occur to you that to stop the athletes Kentucky has a team has to foul more? Other than the Michigan State game, what team have they played that can match them physically and Athletically?

 

[AdaSooner]

I don't rule out the possibility (maybe probability) that teams like Kentucky get an occasional break from the officials, especially at home. Truth is, I think we all know they do from time to time.

That said, the style of play has a much bigger role in the number of fouls being called now. Teams that force the action by attempting to score off of the dribble will simply draw more fouls than teams than perimeter oriented teams.

I have no idea if my theory applies to UK games? I have only seen parts of two of their games so far. But to be honest, I have been pleasantly surprised by the consistency I have seen in the officiating from one conference to another. That may change at some point of the season, but for now I like the way the men's officials are calling the games.

As a footnote, that is not the case with the women's officials. In the two OU games I have watched, the officials were still going by the old rule in calling charges. Assuming the new rule applies to the women's game, guess the crews that worked those games didn't get the memo.

 

[MI Sooner]

Michigan State can't match Kentucky physically and athletically, just in basketball ability.

 

[BCSooners]

Michigan State can't match Kentucky physically and athletically, just in basketball ability.

Dawson and Harris easily match or surpass any of the Kentucky players athletically. Payne can match all of them physically except for maybe Randle. MSU looked to run at every chance, Kentucky tried to slow it down a little more to try and utilize Randle and get their shooters spot up.

 

[MI Sooner]

Dawson and Harris easily match or surpass any of the Kentucky players athletically. Payne can match all of them physically except for maybe Randle. MSU looked to run at every chance, Kentucky tried to slow it down a little more to try and utilize Randle and get their shooters spot up.

Harris and Dawson are both great athletes, especially Dawson. But both are also way smaller than the players Kentucky rolls out. Dawson is kind of small for a 3 in the NBA and they have him at the 4. Harris is about as small as a good 2 prospect can be at 6'4". And you mentioned three guys. Appling, like Harris, is athletic but only average height, and no one else on Michigan State who plays much is athletic or physically imposing. Everyone on UK is long, most are big, and most are great athletes, too.

They compare favorably with NBA teams when you're just watching them warm up.