Officials F**k Over Spartans, Wolverines Win
The University of Michigan is now 2-12 in their last fourteen games against the Michigan State Spartans.
The Wolverines beat the Spartans 72-67 to improve to 14-3, while State dropped to 15-5. It was U of M’s first win over a ranked opponent this year.
It appears as this may have been an impressive win for the Wolverines, but don’t be fooled. MSU was victimized by poor officiating all night.
Back on January 12th I wrote this:
"Last year road teams were 31-57 in the Big Ten. Not very good. I recently complained about the foul shoots in the Wisconsin/MSU game. Alando Tucker was 6-17 from the free throw line, while MSU (as a team) was 11-15. Wisconsin was 14-30 overall from the charity stripe. Last night the Spartans, this time at home, made twice as many free throws as the Hosiers took, 22-24 to 8-11.
I don’t like discrepancies like these. It made me think. Is this a product of the officials favoring the home team, or the home playing more aggressive and getting to the line more frequently?"
Tonight was inexcusable. State was clearly the more aggressive team. U of M settled for perimeter shots all night, while the Spartans took it to the hoop. If MSU lost this game because they were outplayed, I would be fine with it. But look at the numbers:
FG%: MSU 49.1 %, U of M 42.6%
3-Pt%: MSU 40.9%, U of M 33.3%
Assists: MSU 17, U of M 10
So where was the game decided? At the free throw line, due to absurd officiating. U of M was 27-34 and MSU was 6-10. The Spartans were called for 27 fouls while the Wolverines were whistled for only fourteen.
Paul Davis, Maurice Ager and Matt Trannon each had four fouls. Shannon Brown had three fouls and Drew Neitzel, who played an outstanding game, fouled out for the first time this season.
The officials took the game out of State’s hands in the first half and then completely screwed-up the second half. They missed an obvious technical foul on Brent Petway when he threw an elbow into Ager, as Ager posterized him on an alley-oop. Then they continued to make phantom calls away from the ball. Even U of M graduate Tim McCormick, who did the play-by-play, thought the calls against MSU were outrageous.
MSU wasn’t outplayed. U of M wasn’t the better team. It is just too hard to win a game win it is eight on five.
The officials took this game away from the players and it was a shame, because it could have been a great game. They have given hundred of U of M fans false hope that this team is actually worth anything. Don’t be fooled, the Wolverines are JV at best. I look forward to February 18th. Here’s my early prediction: MSU 89, U of M 64.
The Wolverines beat the Spartans 72-67 to improve to 14-3, while State dropped to 15-5. It was U of M’s first win over a ranked opponent this year.
It appears as this may have been an impressive win for the Wolverines, but don’t be fooled. MSU was victimized by poor officiating all night.
Back on January 12th I wrote this:
"Last year road teams were 31-57 in the Big Ten. Not very good. I recently complained about the foul shoots in the Wisconsin/MSU game. Alando Tucker was 6-17 from the free throw line, while MSU (as a team) was 11-15. Wisconsin was 14-30 overall from the charity stripe. Last night the Spartans, this time at home, made twice as many free throws as the Hosiers took, 22-24 to 8-11.
I don’t like discrepancies like these. It made me think. Is this a product of the officials favoring the home team, or the home playing more aggressive and getting to the line more frequently?"
Tonight was inexcusable. State was clearly the more aggressive team. U of M settled for perimeter shots all night, while the Spartans took it to the hoop. If MSU lost this game because they were outplayed, I would be fine with it. But look at the numbers:
FG%: MSU 49.1 %, U of M 42.6%
3-Pt%: MSU 40.9%, U of M 33.3%
Assists: MSU 17, U of M 10
So where was the game decided? At the free throw line, due to absurd officiating. U of M was 27-34 and MSU was 6-10. The Spartans were called for 27 fouls while the Wolverines were whistled for only fourteen.
Paul Davis, Maurice Ager and Matt Trannon each had four fouls. Shannon Brown had three fouls and Drew Neitzel, who played an outstanding game, fouled out for the first time this season.
The officials took the game out of State’s hands in the first half and then completely screwed-up the second half. They missed an obvious technical foul on Brent Petway when he threw an elbow into Ager, as Ager posterized him on an alley-oop. Then they continued to make phantom calls away from the ball. Even U of M graduate Tim McCormick, who did the play-by-play, thought the calls against MSU were outrageous.
MSU wasn’t outplayed. U of M wasn’t the better team. It is just too hard to win a game win it is eight on five.
The officials took this game away from the players and it was a shame, because it could have been a great game. They have given hundred of U of M fans false hope that this team is actually worth anything. Don’t be fooled, the Wolverines are JV at best. I look forward to February 18th. Here’s my early prediction: MSU 89, U of M 64.
posted by az at 11:00 PM
2 Comments:
Next time I guess they shouldn't call a time-out right before they tie the game with a nullified three pointer.
Those numbers on free-throws are ridiculous. It's terrifically frustrating when teams are given the opportunity to earn loads of free points. Of course, I'm sure that some of the fouls were justified, but it's just unrealistic to think that there's that big of a difference in the amount of contact between the teams.
About UofM being "JV at best," I'm not sure that I can agree with that. Dicky V told me that they're good, and I believe everything that he says. If Dick and Digger believe, then who am I to argue?
very true. jv at best was a a cheap shot. they are a good team. i love the way abrams plays. i don't think horton is as good as everyone thinks, but chris hunter is a solid sixth man and dion harris is just as explosive as any wing in the big ten.
you're corret. they are not jv. dicky v and digger are though. u of m will be 10-6 or 11-5 at the end of the big ten season.
excellent points. you're too smart.
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