(02-02-2018 11:45 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  While MT carries a massive deficit in fouls and free throws when our guys go on the road, free throws don't even tell the whole story. Nick King was basically getting assaulted every time he touched the ball last night. And while he led the team with 7 free throws (two of them late to stop the clock) it was like Hack a Shaq out there. I have no idea how he got into double digits. He's tougher I guess than I've been giving him credit for, but the refs inability to be objective in non-neutral court settings has gotten out of hand.

Back to getting more free throws at home it doesn't translate for MT. In our four home conference games we have shot three (3) more free throw TOTAL than our opponents and have been out shot in two of the four. I believe there is probably something to the design of the arena. Murphy Center seats protrudes away from the court. As you get closer to mid court the further away you are from the floor. It's also flatter as the seats go out instead of up. Seating that has a stepper incline also creates better crowd noise. Football depicts this well. Think Michigan vs. Neyland Stadium. Murphy Center was designed to also account for acoustics as a large venue site for musical performers. For arenas where fans sit right on top of you like Murray, Duke and even ODU to an extent I believe referees are more apt to be influenced - maybe even intimidated by the fan presence. If I was a billionaire I would love to tear down Murphy Center and build MT an 8,000 to 10000 seat basketball venue - maybe something similar to what ODU has.

There are teams (like UTSA) with a far greater foul disparity than yours. Whining is unbecoming.