Is WVU Really Getting a Bad Whistle in Big 12 Conference Play? A Look at the Numbers

Several games this season, particularly in Big 12 Conference play, West Virginia hasn't received the good side of the official's whistle. This has led to the Mountaineers getting outshot at the free throw line seemingly every night, causing frustration from fans, and to some degree, they have a point.

Here are the free throw numbers for WVU this season for anyone wondering:

Season:
WVU: 381
Opponent: 461

Vs P5 teams
WVU: 275
Opponent: 360

Big 12 play
WVU: 191
Opponent: 258

Last 7
WVU: 84
Opponent 141

In February:
WVU: 58
Opponent: 101
— Ofri Naveh Enjoyer (@a_person58) February 15, 2025

Officiating has been inconsistent all year long, but that's always been the case in college basketball. This is more about controlling the controllable. How can WVU overcome the free throw line disparity?

Well for starters, defending without getting too grabby or handsy. Because of the way West Virginia plays defensively, they're prone to be called for more fouls. They're aggressive, get up in you, and smother the ball. Without a true rim protector on the roster, it gets a little dicey when the ball enters the paint. Guys start slapping, holding, and doing everything they can to prevent the ball from getting too deep.

Head coach Darian DeVries talked about this following the loss to BYU, noting that the intention and effort was there, but not deployed in a disciplined manner. Sometimes you have to know when to back off or take chances at smacking the ball away.

Feb 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Sencire Harris (10) reacts to getting knocked on the ground during the second half against the Utah Utes at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Offensively, they don't pressure the rim nearly enough. Just like they've created a reputation on defense, they have one offensively that makes it challenging to get calls. It sounds silly because you can just say a foul is a foul, but these officials study these teams and how they play so they know what to look for.

On the season, the Mountaineers have jacked up the second-most three-point attempts (672) of any team in the Big 12, trailing only BYU (712), hence the reason for having so few attempts at the charity stripe. The bigger problem? They rank 14th out of 16 in three-point shooting percentage (32.7%).

Feb 15, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Toby Okani (5) scores a three-point basket against the Baylor Bears during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

If you take 26.8 shots from three per night, you need to be cashing in at a much higher clip. Not driving the ball reduces the chances of getting a foul called, meaning you're leaving free points on the table. It's really that simple.

Can the officiating crews do a much better job? Yes, there is no denying that. But nothing Darian DeVries says is going to change how a game is called. The matter has to be taken care of by slightly adjusting the offensive and defensive approach and becoming more efficient shooting from range.

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