UM @ OSU special Match up: Howard vs Officiating.

If you were to look at the numbers inside this game without knowing the final score, you would have thought the margin was probably pretty close. Sure, OSU shot well from the outside, over 50 percent, including two banked- in shots by the Wesson brothers to beat the shot clock. 

But in a game where officiating didn't seem an issue because both teams sought to beat each other from the outside, it was still a primary factor in the substitution pattern for Michigan while the home team, down two players before the game started, was never in any moderate foul difficulty.

Michigan was whistled for 18 fouls to 12 for OSU. The Buckeyes were 12-13 from the line, Michigan 6-8, and never got a free throw in the second half. Think about that. Michigan outscored the Buckeyes inside, getting 18 points in the paint, but no trip to the line, in the final 20 minutes. In fact, at one point, Michigan trailed in fouls called 9-2 in the second half. In fact, Michigan barely reached the bonus in the first half when Ohio State committed 8 of its 12 team fouls. But as noted even though down two rotational players, the Buckeyes managed to play pretty solid defense without fouling or at least not getting called.

There were a lot of offensive fouls called in this contest which is the reason you had fewer trips to the line. The way a game is called clearly influences the manner in which it is played. And in this game, emphasis was put on calling charges and illegal screens. The Wesson brothers got several of these calls to go their way. Michigan had one drive by Wagner split a pair of defenders just outside the arc underneath the basket get called as a charge when it was dubious at best.

Michigan had its most meaningful spurt at the start of the second half, going on a 9-2 run that put it  up by four 38-34 when it got hit with like 5 straight foul calls in less than a 2 minute span. This influenced the play, Michigan's momentum, and sent Ohio State on a resurgence for the win with the Wolverines making last contact with a 54-54 tie. In the end, the game's outcome was factored by 6 made free throws, two banked-in threes and a fadeaway jump shot.

This game merely echoed the past in terms of B!G officiating in which home-cooking is what it is, regardless of the circumstances or who calls the game.

An offensive foul is potentially a 4 point swing, whereas a defensive foul can give you parity with a made bucket (or plus one if it still went in and was called on the shot vs before). 

So I get the post but what you don't really spell out is the difference that calling offensive fouls, when driving/shooting makes, against just one team. 6x4 is a big number in the basketball world.