Duke Gets All the Calls: The Oldest Complaint in College Basketball

Duke's Jon Scheyer is the latest focus of the "Duke gets all the calls" conspiracy theory.

After defeating Virginia Tech on Saturday, a game in which the Blue Devils never trailed, opposing fans and a slew of college basketball writers have pointed to a missed traveling call in the final seconds as the most pivotal (pun intended) moment of the game.

Scheyer picked up his pivot foot while caught in a trap by two Virginia Tech players, but no traveling call was made.  Instead, Duke called a timeout and got fouled on the ensuing possession, allowing Scheyer to clinch the game on the free throw line.

The game's announcers quickly focused their attention on Scheyer's travel, criticizing the officials for missing such an obvious call. Never mind how obvious it was in the replay that Virginia Tech was trying to foul Scheyer to stop the clock, hacking him several times with no call from the refs—all the attention was on Duke getting a no-call.

Duke is used to the suggestion of getting preferential treatment from the refs; it's a frequent complaint from opposing fans, and has been for some time. It's the biggest conspiracy theory in college basketball and, thanks to the animosity felt towards Duke by so many opposing fans, it's not going away anytime soon.

Is it true? Does Duke really get all the calls?  

They certainly didn't in the game against Virginia Tech.

Gerald Henderson was given a technical foul after a post-dunk celebration in the first half. The replay made it clear that Henderson said nothing after his celebration.  He gave a loud yell (pretty much common post-dunk fare) and gave A.D. Vassallo an intense look.  

If intense looks have become worthy of technical fouls, expect about twenty technical fouls per game during March Madness.

In the second half, the refs missed one of the most obvious flagrant and intentional fouls of the season. Virginia Tech's Terrell Bell delivered an elbow to Kyle Singler's throat as Singler made his way into the lane. Video replays show that the elbow was clearly intentional.  

Bell was looking directly at Singler and made no attempt to block out or move his feet to cut Singler off; he simply lifted his elbow and went right for Singler's jugular (literally).  

Yet, there was no in-game or post-game outcry about the no-call. 

The simple truth is that Duke does not get all the calls—they get some of them, just like every other team in college basketball.

But don't tell that to opposing fans. Watching an away game for Duke usually means watching home team fans booing after every single call that goes Duke's way, as if the Blue Devils never get fouled or take a legitimate charge.

Duke doesn't seem to mind, though. That hatred is why Duke brings sellout crowds wherever they play. It's what makes opposing fans become Cameron Crazy look-a-likes for one fleeting game per year. It's the reason that winning a conference game against Duke is a rush-the-court experience for most ACC teams.

If the "Duke gets all the calls" complaints were to stop, it would be a sign of Duke's decline from the ranks of college basketball's elite.  

Those complaints, however, show no signs of slowing down, and that it is a good thing for Blue Devils fans; it's a sign that Duke is still on top, at least in the minds of opposing fans.