The B10 has always been a physical leage. Iowa's problem is the last few years we haven't had the horses to do this.
I'd say McCabe is a pretty physical player and he ends up being ridiculed and taken out of the game, because of foul trouble. I realize he doesn't move his feet well a lot of times, but he picks up fouls on plays that are just scrappy/physical basketball plays. White is pretty physical as well and he doesn't move his feet very well either. He just isn't agile/quick enough at this point, but he doesn't seem to have the same sort of foul troubles as McCabe most of the time.
I'm ok with refs allowing the game to be physical.
If the officials decide that hand-checking is ok, then alright.
If the officials decide that they are going to allow contact on the arm when going for a block, fine.
If the officials are going to allow players to hook and use their arms/elbows/hands to gain an advantage when driving to the hoop, ok.
If the officials are going to allow the defender to reach in constantly when going for the steal, that's their choice.
BUT THEN IT HAS TO BE CONSISTENT AT ALL TIMES.
A perfect example would be the NW game. Their pg drove the baseline and was out of control. Head down, leaning forward, shoulder lowered, expecting contact... that never game and he ended up BARELY tripping over someone's foot that was standing still(mostly tripped over himself) as he threw the ball up at the hoop to avoid a travel and a foul was called.
...but multiple times that game players would drive to the hoop and it would be pretty physical and would endure a lot of contact with no foul being called.
You can't have instances when an MSU player is hooking/lowering his shoulder/bulldozing the defender out of the way.... and then call a foul on the defender for not being straight up or for leaning into/pushing against the person their guarding.
You can't allow one team to hack the **** out of the ball-handler as they are trying to dribble up the court... and then call a reach in foul 30 seconds later when someone slaps the ball-handler on the wrist on a breakaway(when going for a steal) and they lose possession.
The problem is that it has not been consistent a lot of times this year. I'm not saying that Iowa was screwed every time either. Sometimes, it worked in our favor, but if you think McCabe would have gotten away with 1/3 of the **** MSU got away with the first time we played them... You are insane.
Just like Duke players get an advantage and the benefit of the doubt on a lot of games... for the simple fact that it is Duke and Coach K is such a prestigious coach. Izzo is pretty high up there and I wouldn't doubt that Spartans are more likely to get the benefit of the doubt from the ref, because "well their coaches are good and they are just playing good defense like they were taught" or "that is just a great little trick that their coach taught them" when they jump into a defender to draw the foul.
It is just good coaching right?
Some players and some teams are going to get the benefit of the doubt over others due to their reputation. It is human nature to be affected by reputations and what
everyone knows. Zach is known as someone who fouls a lot... well anything questionable is probably going to be called a foul.
Players known as great defenders, and I'm just going to say... Craft (just as an example, because he is known for his defensive ability)... He is more likely to pick up the charge when an opposing player comes barreling down the lane as opposed to someone like McCabe.
I realize McCabe is not as good of a defender and does not move his feet as well as Craft, but if the situation occurred where: the offensive player is barreling down the lane and has his shoulder lowered and runs into:
McCabe -- it will most likely be called a blocking foul.
If it is Craft -- it is more likely to be called a charge.
I haven't seen today's game yet, but I will be watching it on my DVR soon. Maybe the officials weren't inconsistent today, I don't know yet and I'm sure opinions vary, but in a good majority of the games I have watched this year (not just Iowa games)... You can see a lot of inconsistencies in the way the officials are calling the game.
The officials just need to make sure they are calling the game consistently and fairly.
