Article in the N.Y. Times on UConn's ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. Every coach wants their team to make more free throws than their opponent even attempts.
When it comes to fouls in college basketball, not all teams are created equal. And this season’s UConn team was called for fewer fouls than any other (12.1 a game in the regular season) while getting fouled more than most (20.6).
That foul differential of 8.5 is far larger than any other team’s. It allowed UConn to shoot an average of 14.5 more free throws a game than its opponents.
UConn averaged nearly 10 more points a game on free throws. That’s unusual, but it’s a great advantage.
“Ours is, without question, a concerted effort to try to get fouls,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “For example, if one of our kids tries to take the ball to the rim and avoids the foul by trying to scoop the ball, we would be all over him. We want him to initiate contact. Nine times out of 10, around the basket, if you’re trying to complete a shot, the call’s going to go against the defensive player.”
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