Why do refs let WVU mug the opposition?

I think they are so aggressive and often cause their opponents to play timid. Officials always seem to reward the aggressive team. If teams play soft they get beat by both the defensive pressure and the lack of calls by the officials.

I totally agree that they seem to have less success in the tourney. I think this is due to running into teams with good guard play and maybe some officials that call it differently outside of conference play.

You watch the games they play and if you have more than 10 functioning brain cells, you must conclude that the refs call the games the way they do for one of three reasons. Or perhaps two of three, or maybe even all three. 1. they are inept; 2. they are crooked; 3. they realize that if they call all of the fouls that WVU commits, they would foul out the entire team in 20 minutes or less.

Would someone tell me which one of the three, of which ONES of the three are, in fact, the 'why' in all of this. I've heard every kind of pseudo-explanation, but to this point nobody has actually provided something believable.

As a coach, you play a style that allows you to compete. WV does not have the talent that we have, so Huggy has implemented a style that relies on physical, aggressive play. He knows all fouls will not be called and it works for him.

Actually, I remember Self's Illini teams playing much the same way only in the half court. The old Arkansas teams with 40 minutes of hell also come to mind. The Big East used to play this style consistently.

I think having WV play with this style is good for us. It prepares us for teams that we may see come tourney time and makes us man up. Not all games can be pretty, we must be able to win the ugly ones.

I am in complete agreement with Eric on this issue. It's not 'why,' but rather 'why don't the refs do their stinking job?' Are they operating by a variable set of rules? Do some fouls get called on one team which plays 'nice,' and the same fouls are not called on the 'bullies?' I always believed that a foul is a foul, and it's the refs job to call it when he sees it. Is this not true? Are refs told to allow certain teams to get away with fouls to a greater degree than others? That is what I don't understand. I watch a lot of basketball, and although we all recognize that different refs call fouls differently, they generally call fouls. Except, of course, when they are working a West Virginia game. Again, I ask 'Why?'

Not sure why they are not called, but in watching them play I do know they play very physical with their lower bodies and not as much with their hands. Much of the new rules focus on hand checks and arm bars. Those are automatics. Physical play with the lower bodies are more open to interpretation. I totally agree that they get away with fouling at a high rate, but I also think officials are looking at points of emphasis and WV is coached to play physical and not commit the fouls that will be automatically called.