UConn't Commit a Foul?

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

In 18 games, the Huskies were 278-of-423, while their opponents were 148-of-206. All I can say is Wow!

In their four losses, the Huskies were 61-of-100 from the line, while opponents were 80-of-101.

That shows when UConn doesn’t get the calls, it has a hard time winning.

It can blame poor free-throw shooting in the losses as the attempts were virtually even.

How have the Huskies fared in the NCAA tournament?

Well, UConn is 89-of-128 in four games (that’s 32.5 attempts a game).

Opponents are 31-of-50 (that’s 12.5 free throws a game).

Granted, some of these attempts come during late-situation fouling, but when you win two games by more than 25 points, it isn’t much.

Perhaps the funniest thing I saw was the team who has shot the third most free throws on the year. It is Chattanooga.

It played UConn in the opening game of the tournament. UConn shot 39 freebies to 10 from the Mocs.

During the game, the Mocs only took two more three pointers than their average. One might say the athletic differential led to the disparity.Well, the Mocs opened the year with four straight tournament opponents: Missouri, Tennessee, Memphis and USC.

In those games they shot 95 freebies to their opponents 114. So, they averaged five less attempts per game than their powerhouse opponents. But 29? Come on.

It is amazing to see a team who leads the nation in blocks has such a foul disparity in their favor. Normally when you go for blocks, you commit fouls. Obviously, UConn always gets all ball. Or, the respect from officials.

You can argue with me all you want, but the stats back it up. That leads me to my Final Four picks. UConn is facing Michigan State in one semifinal.

With the Final Four in Detroit, the Spartans will have a home crowd, which should help balance out the fouls a bit. The game will likely be won on the glass.

Both are good rebounding teams, but Michigan State may be the best in the country, getting several second chances. It will be interesting to see how MSU can rebound against 7-foot-3, Hasheem Thabeet.

The Spartans also struggle shooting the ball at times, while UConn has a solid field-goal percentage defense, which makes offensive rebounding even more vital for Sparty.

In the end, I think the Huskies will use their length and the refs to prevail 78-68. The other semifinal features Villanova and North Carolina. The Tar Heels should be solid favorites, but Villanova has been red hot after an early tournament scare from American.

The Wildcats are solid throughout their line-up, but will need Scotty Reynolds to have a big game. As he goes, the team normally goes. North Carolina is back in the Final Four for the second straight year and Tyler

Hansbrough and company want that title. It seems like the Tar Heels are as healthy as they have been since very early in the year.

Villanova will have to contain Ty Lawson if it wants to win. While I think the Wildcat guards can keep UNC in check, there will be no answer for Hansbrough. North Carolina wins, 85-77.

A UConn-UNC final would be a great one.

It is hard to imagine UConn getting all the calls against the Tar Heels, which should make the game fair and compelling.

A couple of great battles feature Lawson against Connecticut guard A.J. Price and Hansbrough against Thabeet.

The challenge will be for the Tar Heels to score on the inside against Thabeet, or get him in foul trouble.

While I originally picket UNC to win it all, I had a change of heart last week and went with UConn heading into the Sweet 16. Well, they are both here, and I am going with UConn.

Coach Jim Calhoun has won two championships in as many Final Four appearances, with both regional titles in Arizona, five years apart. It has been another five years and UConn just won in Arizona.

Give me the Huskies, 77-71, but boy am I rooting against them. It would be funny, though, to watch them win the title and then give it back if the NCAA finds some wrong-doing in its current search.

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