I am Still so pissed

[rumseyhouse77]

Granted, Michigan could have won if the team had hit all its shots and made all its free throws. This is true, but a tall order, especially when the other team is hacking and only being called for half or so of its fouls. I haven't rewatched the game, so I am just going by memory, but it seemed to me that when Michigan got up by 15 in the first half, Pitino called a time out and the game changed. Louisville started hacking making it difficult for Michigan to get a clean shot. I think Pitino knew Michigan was not a great free throw shooting team and the refs were not going to call all the fouls, so hack and put them on the line expecting that they will miss a significant number of free throws and keeping your team in it. Look at how the fouls are spread among the Louisville players so no one fouled out. I think all of their starters had at least 3 fouls, and Hancock should have fouled out before the end. The fact that he didn't because of someone else getting charged with the foul he committed was just lucky(?) for them. Granted Hancock started hitting threes that got Louisville back into it in the first half, but he should not have been in the game at the end when he was hitting shots staving off every run by Michigan at the end.

If this is the case, then this is the way the game is played these days. Pitino made a coaching call and it worked. Did he watch how the calls were being made in the first half and decided to start hacking to keep Michigan from getting too far out in front. Was he aware of Michigan's foul shooting percentage? I would expect so! But shouldn't that be a part of the coaching strategy? Though it sucks, I can't begrudge Louisville for that.

 

[tsume99]

Which is all the more reason why Michigan needs to spend more time working on free throws.

Still doesn't change the fact that I freaking hate Louisville.