I don't think anyone thinks officiating was the only reason we lost last night -- I certainly don't. But every team will have a so-so outing now and then, especially on the road. And if the other team has a good game on the night you have a so-so one, you're likely to lose and all you can really do is tip your hat to them.
But that's not what happened last night. KSU didn't have a good game. They shot 26.5 percent. They made a total of 13 baskets. Without the help of the officials -- not just the 18 additional free throws, but the fouls KSU got away with, the three-point shot that wasn't, the questionable out-of-bounds calls, the unearned negating of Spangler -- they simply don't win, even with us playing a so-so game.
And I think what many who lean toward never (or rarely) blaming the officials is that the impact of one-sided, inept officiating can't only be measured strictly by the final stats. It can (and I think, often does) impact how the team being leaned on plays. It impacts how they play defense (how could it not, as the fouls pile up), it impacts how ferociously they rebound (ditto), it can cause them to force it on offense, as each possession takes on greater importance (the sense of playing 5-on-8 can't help but create a bit of panic).
In citing these effects, I'm speaking of extreme cases, which most agree last night was -- not your average game when a call or three might not have gone the way you think it should.
And for most of the last night's game, the disparity in fouls was greater than it was at game's end, and I know many would say, "What matters is the final totals." I say that's wrong. A few make-up calls down the stretch may help a bit, but the team benefiting from the one-sided officiating for 30-35 minutes comes out way ahead. Having the officials on your side (or having it feel as if they are) keeps that team (especially if it's the lesser of the two squads) feeling as if they have a shot, when they might not have otherwise (especially a team on a five-game losing streak), and all those free throws keep them within striking distance. And benefiting from questionable calls gives them the mindset, "Hey, this is our night." I can't imagine Hurt didn't feel that way when he slung Spangler to the floor and was "punished" by Ryan heading to the bench with his fourth foul.
In short, that kind of officiating bolsters one team's spirits while (potentially, at least) creating a sense of panic for the other. I agree that, ideally, our team should be able to overcome that, but when the officials are favoring one team to an exceptional degree, as most agree they were last night, that's asking a lot.
KSU didn't come out and punch us in the nose, they didn't take control of the game on their own, even though they were at home. The only reason they were even in the game was the free throws. And one could argue that the only reason they were in a position to hold us off down the stretch (which, to their credit, they did) was the helping hand they had received in the first 35 minutes of the game.
