re: Importance Of Free Throw Attempts In Final Four

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It would be odd if they weren't playing Wisconsin, who only averages a total of like 12.5 fouls a game. That's 6 a half, meaning teams don't get into the bonus against them often, and it is very rare to be in the double bonus racking up freebies.

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I am aware of Wisconsin's style of play. However, the success of that style against Kentucky was off the charts compared to its success against Arizona and North Carolina. I have a hard time believing that Wisconsin could defend the players from Kentucky without fouling so much more successfully than they could the players from Arizona and North Carolina, especially given the few jump shot attempts by Kentucky compared to Arizona or North Carolina. I believe the referees had a greater say than Wisconsin's players.

Wisconsin outplayed Kentucky. They definitely outhustled Kentucky. Willie Cauley-Stein disappeared completely for Kentucky. Calipari did a horrible job of adapting Kentucky's offense to the way the refs were calling the game. So, I'm not trying to make excuses for Kentucky as much as I'm trying to point out the unusual refereeing of the game.

I believe the championship game will be called closer to normal, and I predict Duke will shoot more than twice as many free throws against Wisconsin as Kentucky did. The Wisconsin players will be called for fouls more in line with the games against Arizona and North Carolina than against Kentucky. The referees will not put their whistles away like they did in the Kentucky-Wisconsin game.