Foul up 3?

[The Thing]

Same situation as Creighton. Again did not foul. What's the right call here? It worked in our favor tonight but I was yelling "Foul!" at the TV and they did get a pretty clean look at a 3. Thoughts?

[BM1090]

Not the same situation. 8 more seconds. If it got under five with an opportunity to foul, I would have liked them to take it. But Nova shot quickly and I was fine playing it out there.

Creighton was an obvious foul situation.

[94Warrior]

Yes, Gillespie would have made the shot.  I was disappointed we didn't foul on the catch when the ball was passed to the top of the key.  I don't understand it, but I'm over it (until next time).   Great win!

[CountryRoads]

I thought the fact that nova would have needed to foul at least three times before MU would shoot free throws made it an easier decision to foul up 3. Guess not, but at least worked out.

[BallBoy]

Being up three with that much time, you are likely getting the ball back with enough time to get a decent shot so you try to slow them done and force them into a bad, contested shot.  Moore missed the shot with 7 seconds left so even if they did make you still have chance.

If we fouled too early Villanova likely would have made 2 putting MU up 1. They likely would have fouled MU until in the bonus so if MU misses or only makes the first, Nova calls timeout down 1, 2. Or worse case 3. If the former two, three pointer wins it. If up 3, Shaka fouls and game should end. 

[GB Warrior]

I thought the fact that nova would have needed to foul at least three times before MU would shoot free throws made it an easier decision to foul up 3. Guess not, but at least worked out.

You would have needed to not botch 3 baseline inbounds, too. All in all, too risky for my taste - thought the decision was sound this time.

[MU82]

Very different situation.

[lostpassword]

Not the same situation. 8 more seconds. If it got under five with an opportunity to foul, I would have liked them to take it. But Nova shot quickly and I was fine playing it out there.

Creighton was an obvious foul situation.

Agreee.  Not all that comparable at all in my opinion.  Nova likely doesn't even need to intentionally miss a free throw as there would have been time to defend MU and foul.  Considering they had a foul (I think 2?) to give, we probably need to inbound it successfully multiple times.  Lots of opportunity for a miscue and turnover.

[PointWarrior]

But all that matters - "did Shaka pass this test?"

[MU82]

But all that matters - "did Shaka pass this test?"

Ha!

This was, what? ... Shaka's 74th test?

[1SE]

Ha!

This was, what? ... Shaka's 74th test?

That was a serious test test night, and Shaka passed with flying colors, no matter which number it was. Although, he might have copied off of J-Lew.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think they would have fouled had it gotten under 6 seconds

[PGsHeroes32]

I said on the game thread it was a perfect situation to foul

-Nova shooting 1 and 1
-Us needing to be fouled 3 times before we could even shoot free throws.

Tought thing was, Nova knew the situation too. And they went for the 3 shot really quick. Which made it tougher to foul and a bit riskier if they get into the shooting motion. So the way it played out not really a bad thing.

Wasnt like Creighton where there was a clear cut chance to grab McConnell with like two seconds left and literally no shot of him entering a shooting motion.

[jfp61]

Nova is an excellent foul shooting team. There was 11.9 left and 6-7 seconds left when the shot went up.

Completely fine not fouling. I like fouling under 4 seconds.

[tower912]

The choice worked, so it must have been the right one.

[brewcity77]

There really wasn't a good opportunity tonight. Nova took the shot with 7 seconds and he went quick into that motion. Maybe a couple seconds later or a less defined shooting motion and you foul, but not in that circumstance.

[cheebs09]

I will say, the Gillespie shot looked much closer at the gameplay camera angle. I thought it was going to at least hit backboard. The other angle showed it wasn't in the zip code.

[mileskishnish72]

Very different situation.

Agree, 82.

This is such a nice win I've almost forgotten the Creighton debacle.

Almost.

[MU82]

Tought thing was, Nova knew the situation too. And they went for the 3 shot really quick. Which made it tougher to foul and a bit riskier if they get into the shooting motion.

Wright conducted a clinic on what to do in that situation from an offensive standpoint. Too many teams diddle around looking for the perfect shot and hoist one at the buzzer, or they play passively expecting to be fouled and then have to sling one at the buzzer.

Nova got upcourt quickly and took the first decent look available. It more or less kept us from fouling, and it gave them either a chance at the rebound or a chance to foul us if we got the rebound. We were fortunate that the ball bounced the way it did, and then Kolek made a great heads-up play to bat it away.

I hope that if we're down 3 in a similar situation we can get that good a look for one of our better shooters with plenty of time still on the clock.

I agree with you that, given the foul situation at that time, fouling would have been A-OK, even if we had done so in the backcourt just a couple seconds after the ball had been inbounded. But for reasons many other Scoopers already have stated, I'll respectfully disagree that it was "the perfect situation" to foul. I preferred fouling only if there were 5 seconds or fewer on the clock and if I was sure Nova wasn't in the shooting motion.

And of course, regardless of what either of us thinks, we didn't foul ... and we won the game!

[We R Final Four]

I think they would have fouled had it gotten under 6 seconds

I thought the same thing. I was surprised Moore shot so quickly, too much time left to foul. If he makes that three, we have 5-6 seconds left in a tie game. That is an eternity to get a good shot off.

[Uncle Rico]

I thought the same thing. I was surprised Moore shot so quickly, too much time left to foul. If he makes that three, we have 5-6 seconds left in a tie game. That is an eternity to get a good shot off.

I think it was their best option.  If they make, play it out, if they miss, you're unlikely to get another good shot but you might

[panda]

I thought the same thing. I was surprised Moore shot so quickly, too much time left to foul. If he makes that three, we have 5-6 seconds left in a tie game. That is an eternity to get a good shot off.

I don't think they/he were concerned about getting fouled. Thought process should be get a shot to relatively quickly and maximize time for a board and second shot if he misses.

In the end, it was a pretty poor shot.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I thought the same thing. I was surprised Moore shot so quickly, too much time left to foul. If he makes that three, we have 5-6 seconds left in a tie game. That is an eternity to get a good shot off.

Nova had two fouls to give.

[We R Final Four]

Nova had two fouls to give.

Yes—see that now. Great job by VU to avoid the foul and get that shot off.

[Scoop Snoop]

I don't think they/he were concerned about getting fouled. Thought process should be get a shot to relatively quickly and maximize time for a board and second shot if he misses.

In the end, it was a pretty poor shot.

Agree. From Nova's/Jay's point of view, that was the best plan.