The most astonishing aspect of the Oklahoma State-Kansas basketball game was that Brad Underwood did not get hit with a technical foul.
“I get mad. I get frustrated,” OSU’s first-year coach said on Monday. “But I keep it bottled up.”
If I had coached the Cowboys during their 87-80 defeat at Lawrence on Saturday, there’s no way I could have stifled my emotions. I would have gotten 30 technical fouls -- a total equal to the number of personal fouls whistled against Oklahoma State players.
In the great majority of all games played in all sports at all levels, officiating is not the most prevalent factor in the outcome. It is my belief that in 99.999 percent of all games played, officials don’t have agendas.
At the same time, officials are just like anyone else in any type of job. They can have the occasional sub-par performance.
During OSU-Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, the officials were Mike Stuart, Keith Kimble and Tony Padilla. They all have gotten NCAA Tournament assignments. Stuart is the veteran of several Final Fours. Padilla worked the 2016 Final Four. Their credentials are impressive, and there’s no way that I suspect there was an agenda on Saturday, but they didn’t seem to have their best day.
By game’s end, statistical discrepancies were glaring.
While Oklahoma State was called for 30 fouls, Kansas was called for 14.
During a Monday phone conversation, I recited that stat in a question to Underwood: “OSU was charged with 30 fouls. Now that you’ve reviewed the video, did OSU actually commit 30 fouls?”
Underwood’s response: “No.”
Kansas attempted 45 free throws. Oklahoma State attempted 14.
Kansas scored 30 points on free throws. Oklahoma State scored 11.
During the final 10 minutes of a tight, physical and exceedingly entertaining contest, Kansas was whistled for one foul. Oklahoma State was whistled for 11.
Kansas guard Devonte’ Graham played 36 minutes and finished with zero fouls.
Six Cowboys had at least three fouls.
After having played the game of his life, OSU big man Mitchell Solomon fouled out.
After having played their guts out in Lawrence, the Cowboys are 0-5 in the Big 12.
Obviously and substantially improved since last season, OSU might be the best 0-5 team in college basketball.
Underwood doesn’t see it that way.
“People say, ‘Well, you fought hard.’ No. Losing is unacceptable,” he said. “We can’t have these inconsistencies and win games. Mitchell Solomon is a good basketball player. He had 16 points in one half (at Kansas). He’s capable of doing that every night. We aren’t guarding late in games. It’s upsetting me.
“We’re 0-5 for a reason. We haven’t played well enough.”
With its current streak of 12 consecutive Big 12 titles, the Jayhawk program is great because the University of Kansas has sustained a commitment to basketball, because Allen Fieldhouse is filled to capacity for every game, and because Bill Self has signed 19 McDonald’s All-Americans since 2003.
Officiating is not why LeBron James is the world’s best player, but you see it all the time -- he initiates contact with a defender, and he winds up with free throws.
Superstars get calls.
Kansas has a superstar program.
Before Monday night’s Kansas-Iowa State clash in Ames, every Big 12 team had played five conference games. The Jayhawks were conference leaders in free throws attempted with 130. They had attempted 62 more free throws than Iowa State, 52 more than TCU and 41 more than Oklahoma.
During the 1995-96 season -- which began only a few months after the Cowboys were Final Four participants -- OSU had an 0-5 start in the Big Eight. After an 18-point loss at Kansas doomed OSU to that 0-5 mark, Eddie Sutton said this to the Tulsa World: “It’s been pretty tough on the coaches, but it will make us appreciate the good times when they come back again.”
After that, OSU prevailed in seven of its final nine regular-season games.
Underwood has experienced extremes during his basketball life. During his three seasons as Stephen F. Austin’s head man, he drove the Lumberjacks to a 53-1 conference record. As a Western Illinois assistant during the 2000-01 season, he endured an 0-16 start.
Maybe the memory of that 0-16 nightmare helps Underwood cope with OSU’s current slump.
On Wednesday, Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State. In 1984-86, Underwood was a Wildcat guard. In 2006-12, he was a K-State staff member.
Underwood says he has completely shifted his focus to the Kansas State challenge. He says he won’t dwell on or complain about the OSU-Kansas officiating “because there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.”
When a coach is at the unfortunate end of a 30-14 discrepancy on fouls, that type of restraint is remarkable.
“I get mad. I get frustrated,” OSU’s first-year coach said on Monday. “But I keep it bottled up.”
If I had coached the Cowboys during their 87-80 defeat at Lawrence on Saturday, there’s no way I could have stifled my emotions. I would have gotten 30 technical fouls -- a total equal to the number of personal fouls whistled against Oklahoma State players.
In the great majority of all games played in all sports at all levels, officiating is not the most prevalent factor in the outcome. It is my belief that in 99.999 percent of all games played, officials don’t have agendas.
At the same time, officials are just like anyone else in any type of job. They can have the occasional sub-par performance.
During OSU-Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, the officials were Mike Stuart, Keith Kimble and Tony Padilla. They all have gotten NCAA Tournament assignments. Stuart is the veteran of several Final Fours. Padilla worked the 2016 Final Four. Their credentials are impressive, and there’s no way that I suspect there was an agenda on Saturday, but they didn’t seem to have their best day.
By game’s end, statistical discrepancies were glaring.
While Oklahoma State was called for 30 fouls, Kansas was called for 14.
During a Monday phone conversation, I recited that stat in a question to Underwood: “OSU was charged with 30 fouls. Now that you’ve reviewed the video, did OSU actually commit 30 fouls?”
Underwood’s response: “No.”
Kansas attempted 45 free throws. Oklahoma State attempted 14.
Kansas scored 30 points on free throws. Oklahoma State scored 11.
During the final 10 minutes of a tight, physical and exceedingly entertaining contest, Kansas was whistled for one foul. Oklahoma State was whistled for 11.
Kansas guard Devonte’ Graham played 36 minutes and finished with zero fouls.
Six Cowboys had at least three fouls.
After having played the game of his life, OSU big man Mitchell Solomon fouled out.
After having played their guts out in Lawrence, the Cowboys are 0-5 in the Big 12.
Obviously and substantially improved since last season, OSU might be the best 0-5 team in college basketball.
Underwood doesn’t see it that way.
“People say, ‘Well, you fought hard.’ No. Losing is unacceptable,” he said. “We can’t have these inconsistencies and win games. Mitchell Solomon is a good basketball player. He had 16 points in one half (at Kansas). He’s capable of doing that every night. We aren’t guarding late in games. It’s upsetting me.
“We’re 0-5 for a reason. We haven’t played well enough.”
With its current streak of 12 consecutive Big 12 titles, the Jayhawk program is great because the University of Kansas has sustained a commitment to basketball, because Allen Fieldhouse is filled to capacity for every game, and because Bill Self has signed 19 McDonald’s All-Americans since 2003.
Officiating is not why LeBron James is the world’s best player, but you see it all the time -- he initiates contact with a defender, and he winds up with free throws.
Superstars get calls.
Kansas has a superstar program.
Before Monday night’s Kansas-Iowa State clash in Ames, every Big 12 team had played five conference games. The Jayhawks were conference leaders in free throws attempted with 130. They had attempted 62 more free throws than Iowa State, 52 more than TCU and 41 more than Oklahoma.
During the 1995-96 season -- which began only a few months after the Cowboys were Final Four participants -- OSU had an 0-5 start in the Big Eight. After an 18-point loss at Kansas doomed OSU to that 0-5 mark, Eddie Sutton said this to the Tulsa World: “It’s been pretty tough on the coaches, but it will make us appreciate the good times when they come back again.”
After that, OSU prevailed in seven of its final nine regular-season games.
Underwood has experienced extremes during his basketball life. During his three seasons as Stephen F. Austin’s head man, he drove the Lumberjacks to a 53-1 conference record. As a Western Illinois assistant during the 2000-01 season, he endured an 0-16 start.
Maybe the memory of that 0-16 nightmare helps Underwood cope with OSU’s current slump.
On Wednesday, Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State. In 1984-86, Underwood was a Wildcat guard. In 2006-12, he was a K-State staff member.
Underwood says he has completely shifted his focus to the Kansas State challenge. He says he won’t dwell on or complain about the OSU-Kansas officiating “because there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.”
When a coach is at the unfortunate end of a 30-14 discrepancy on fouls, that type of restraint is remarkable.
