Talk today is about the foul-happy refs in the Virginia Tech-Duke game. Folks were upset that most of Virginia Tech’s best players were in foul trouble all night, with Malcolm Delaney playing much of the second half with four fouls.
No surprise. People have thought that Duke gets all the calls since time immemorial.
For what it’s worth, I have no idea whether last night’s game was called poorly; I was watching the Millercle on Ice. Certainly, though, referees are capable of calling, and do call, miserable, one-sided games from time to time. (I’m sure you all remember this great day in ACC refereeing history. “Forty-three shining moments / It’s Duke at the line … “)
It’s still only one game, though. On a macro level, Duke doesn’t get all the calls, at least not this year. The difference between Duke’s foul differential and Virginia Tech’s in ACC play is 0.2 per game.
In place of that claim, however, a new claim has risen. It’s not that Duke gets all the calls; it’s that Duke gets all the no-calls, particularly at Cameron Indoor.
Is it true? Do the refs hold their whistles, not over one game but on a systemic basis, when they look over and see K prowling the sidelines and the desperate nerds who are destined to one day lead another Wall Street crash Cameron Crazies howling in the stands?
Obviously, this isn’t a question that stats can answer. The NCAA, as far as I know, doesn’t track “crappy no-calls.” We can, however, muse.
