The X factor

[Matty B]

I've been trying to make sense of this team all year, and I think I've got it.. we are simply most successful when we are getting to to foul line.

In MAC play (and EXCLUDING the 3 overtime losses where FTs are obviously inflated), we average 24 FT attempts in wins, and 16 FT attempts in losses.

It's clear that this offense is predicated on getting to the line and scoring from there. This is accentuated by our poor field goal shooting as of late.

More interesting, it seems we have been officiated differently in the 2nd half of the MAC season. In January (all OT games excluded) we AVERAGED 22 FT attempts a game. In February (again OT games excluded), we have not reached 22 FT attempts in ANY single game.

Our game plans have not changed. We are still attacking the rim hard, but it seems like we can't get the whistles underneath, especially Hill and Agee.

Not at all saying the officiating has been 1 sided in any game, but they've certainly been letting the teams play more in February and that affects us.

Definitely an adjustment we need to make as we head into March as refs let the teams decide the outcome late in the year. Understand that we are not going to get every whistle anymore and make that extra pass to get the open shot, and for the love of God knock it down! Lol.

We have let 4 MAC wins slip away (the 3 OT losses and OU last night) and no games that weve "stolen" in return, so i feel we are better than our record. I have faith this team can get at least 1 win in Cleveland. We all see it's there, just need to execute late!

[hammb]

I kinda hinted at this in my post in the shooting thread but I think you're right. As the season has gone on our defense has showed improvement in shooting percentages allowed, but ours have declined similarly, despite taking more shots close in than deep.

I agree the officials have called games more like a "playoff game" and that has been to our detriment. We're not finishing well enough through contact and we're not moving it to open shooters (or not taking those shots when we do).

I think we've also gotten into our own heads way too much in this one too. We spend a lot of time barking at the refs and it's only resulting in less and less calls.

[Falcon Fryed]

Simon started off pretty hot on the refs the first part of MAC play. For a team that wants to get to the foul line you have to work the refs in a better way. I was worried that he was starting make a name for himself in the wrong way with the MAC refs. At the beginning of the Toledo game Lamont Simpson flat out told him we are not begging for calls tonight.

He has seemingly adjusted and picks his spots where to get on them the last couple of games. Hill and Agee seem to feed off of his emotion towards the refs.