What big man would want to play in the MVC?

[Trapped in CA]

One thing that Big E needs to learn is how to adapt his game to the officiating. He is not going to do his team any good riding the pine. Coming from a Big East school, he should used to refs calling it tight down low.

[Khan4Cats]

I agree on the bench warnings. Call the damn technical or don't do anything. A warning merely acknowledges that the coach is probably right and you blew it. I didn't even realize you could give warnings, other than maybe to tell the bench players to sit down.

On the fouls, Creighton, particularly the chosen one, got away with a lot last night. There were at least three plays where the lil one either hacked or shoved Jake Koch with no call. Amazing how many rebounds you can grab when you use a forearm to clear space first.

As for Echinique. The cheapest of his fouls was his fifth, at half court. There was one in the first half where Anthony James, admittedly 9 inches shorter and 80 pounds lighter, had defensive position and Echinique threw him about five feet. Sorry, just because you are bigger doesn't give you the right to just throw people around. I think his fourth foul was when Kwadzo got past him on the drive and shielded him with his body to take the shot and Echinique tried to block the shot by going through Kwadzo. Can't say I recall the other two directly. The travel calls were legit.

Still would like to see a replay of the blocked three-pointer in the corner by O'Rear that the shoe-polished hair ref called a foul on from half-court.

[blueblood]

Here's what I don't get in the MVC. Players LIKE Echinique and Teague lower their shoulder and drive defenders back. Not just in UNI games, but in general. You can see the defender stand their ground, but the big guys push them back 6 inches at at time. But if the defender does anything to fight the push, it's a foul.

To me, slamming into a defender with your shoulder is just as much of a foul as them trying to counteract it. Let them play or call the offensive foul as well.

In the Drake-MSU game, Drake's starting center picked up 2 fouls in the first 4 minutes, and both were exactly what you described. Then DU's backup center came in and picked up 2 fouls in 5 or 6 minutes, on similar plays. Creekmore would just physically move them 4-5 feet backward with his forearm and shoulder, but the minute they bodied him up, foul on DU. Maybe the key for the defender is to flop, rather than take a step back, every time the offensive player rams into you.

OK so if true isn't that the exact opposite of the way the game was called last night? How is a player or coach to know what the agenda is for a game? Look at how that affected Drake's game plan. Then you have the BYU-SDS game last night where bodies were flying all over the place and no calls. These games are too important for a player to have to get two quick fouls before he gets an idea of how tonights game is going to be called.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Still would like to see a replay of the blocked three-pointer in the corner by O'Rear that the shoe-polished hair ref called a foul on from half-court.

They showed it over and over and over on the TV broadcast. Both of the announcers thought O'Rear got Jones' left arm...

[DoubleJayAlum]

As to the physical play issue, After the SIU games, Echenique was quoted as saying, "I talked to Teague and we both agree that the officials should let us play more physically."

I do think it does the league a disservice when the referees completely take out physical play. We know that is how they play in BCS leagues. The best bigs in the league play pretty physically: Echenique, Teague, Durley, Blair, etc. O'Rear is usually a very physical player as well.

[unipanther99]

As to the physical play issue, After the SIU games, Echenique was quoted as saying, "I talked to Teague and we both agree that the officials should let us play more physically."

I do think it does the league a disservice when the referees completely take out physical play. We know that is how they play in BCS leagues. The best bigs in the league play pretty physically: Echenique, Teague, Durley, Blair, etc. O'Rear is usually a very physical player as well.

I think we're used to seeing a more physical style living in the midwest and seeing Big Ten / Big XII games on a regular basis. However, nationally I think the game is called more tightly than it is in those two leagues, and certainly it's called fairly tight in NCAA Tournament play.

[Trapped in CA]

Still would like to see a replay of the blocked three-pointer in the corner by O'Rear that the shoe-polished hair ref called a foul on from half-court.

They showed it over and over and over on the TV broadcast. Both of the announcers thought O'Rear got Jones' left arm...

I saw the same replays that you are citing. I was looking for it, but really couldn't see the CU player's arm/hand move in reaction to O'Rear's hand going by during the shot. Probably the camera angle, but I didn't see it. It wasn't exactly an HD broadcast.

[valleychamp]

As to the physical play issue, After the SIU games, Echenique was quoted as saying, "I talked to Teague and we both agree that the officials should let us play more physically."

Oh, well that settles it then.

[shockem]

here's my gripe on the big men foul calling that drives me nuts becuase it happens to the shocker big guys a lot:

Big man on defense stands firm on his spot between the opposing big man and basket with his hands straight up in the air. The opposing big man gets the ball and starts trying to push him back with his butt, ala Charles Barkley. Then the guy with the ball turns and leans into the big man while shooting. The ball gets knocked loose because the shooter literally scrapes his own arms across the defenders torso and the defender gets called for a foul. What the heck is supposed to do? Step back and let the guy shoot it? Is this really a foul when he just stood his ground with his arms in the air? I can't tell you how many times Stutz has been called for that foul.

[SubGod22]

here's my gripe on the big men foul calling that drives me nuts becuase it happens to the shocker big guys a lot:

Big man on defense stands firm on his spot between the opposing big man and basket with his hands straight up in the air. The opposing big man gets the ball and starts trying to push him back with his butt, ala Charles Barkley. Then the guy with the ball turns and leans into the big man while shooting. The ball gets knocked loose because the shooter literally scrapes his own arms across the defenders torso and the defender gets called for a foul. What the heck is supposed to do? Step back and let the guy shoot it? Is this really a foul when he just stood his ground with his arms in the air? I can't tell you how many times Stutz has been called for that foul.

That's a huge thing with me. I hate seeing it called and am amazed how often it's called in college. I've had some dialogue with a few of my partners over that sort of thing in the past. And you're right, Garrett gets called for that a lot and it's ridiculous. There's something about tall guys for some reason. I'm sure just about every team has been irritated by that call.