VT was the better team on Sunday, and admittedly the best team at the end of the year in the ACC. However, the disparity in FTs is reminiscent of the two earlier losses to ND, where I remain convinced the officiating punishes UL inside the paint, and in our aggressive perimeter defense. I cannot identify motive, but the difference in how those 3 games were called, explains a lot to me. Kitely's "over the back" rebounds serve as an example ..... obtaining an offensive rebound instead of being whistled for a foul, makes a huge difference over the course of the game.
Examine the statistics in the 2 losses to ND and the one yesterday, where VT and UL were very close with UL having a slight edge, except for FTs . Some of the late intentional fouls made the margin larger than what would have been somewhat smaller if the game was closer in the end, but 27-12 in attempts is too much to overcome.
Our FG shooting percentage was horrible, and explains the loss ...... cannot blame the officials for that, but then UL is not particularly efficient in that category in most of our contests.
Lastly, not blaming the officials for the loss, but the imbalance in FTs is on the officials, and it does affect the outcome. I know that it disturbs CJW, as he addresses this with media in careful and delicate terms as to avoid ACC fines, but privately he is convinced that it has cost us several games that we would have won otherwise.
Examine the statistics in the 2 losses to ND and the one yesterday, where VT and UL were very close with UL having a slight edge, except for FTs . Some of the late intentional fouls made the margin larger than what would have been somewhat smaller if the game was closer in the end, but 27-12 in attempts is too much to overcome.
Our FG shooting percentage was horrible, and explains the loss ...... cannot blame the officials for that, but then UL is not particularly efficient in that category in most of our contests.
Lastly, not blaming the officials for the loss, but the imbalance in FTs is on the officials, and it does affect the outcome. I know that it disturbs CJW, as he addresses this with media in careful and delicate terms as to avoid ACC fines, but privately he is convinced that it has cost us several games that we would have won otherwise.