[M T]

Adia Barnes spoke directly about what you wrote in her postgame interview. 

https://x.com/raoul_000/status/202739128...QaSyTEUwgA

Adia Barnes: "very hard to play the last two games with nothing to play for, and it showed"

I guess one of the consequences of hiring athletes to be basketball players is that their primary reason to play is the pay.  No particular drive to honor the shirt they wear this year.  Especially if they are in their last year of eligibility.  8 SMU players are listed as grad students, seniors, or red-shirt seniors.  If there isn't some carrot out there, why do it?

A new term?  Lame Duck Athletes

I don't blame the athletes as much as I would blame the system.

---

Fascinating. Remember how we'd complain about the Pac-12 refs calling every little thing, then we'd get to the NCAA tourney and they'd call next to nothing? I would think that players who played in the Pac-12 (so our juniors/senior) would be much less likely to draw fouls...unless, unless, unless something fishy is up.

Foul calls are subjective.  I've felt like the former PAC-12 refs call, er.. not call, things differently in the ACC.

Styles of play are different.  Do you call the star for carrying the ball when she palms it?  I see that happen but haven't seen it called in recent memory. If a different player doesn't palm the ball while baiting the defense to commit, she is at a relative disadvantage. 
Players, coaches, and coaching are going to slowly adapt to a different style, i.e., different unwritten rules.

Here's another usually uncalled rule:

Likewise, when
the offensive post player backs down the defender and illegally displaces them,
or uses their free arm to "swim" around the defender by holding them off or
displacing them, a foul shall be ruled on the offensive player.

[M T]

Adia Barnes spoke directly about what you wrote in her postgame interview. 

https://x.com/raoul_000/status/202739128...QaSyTEUwgA

Adia Barnes: "very hard to play the last two games with nothing to play for, and it showed"

I guess one of the consequences of hiring athletes to be basketball players is that their primary reason to play is the pay.  No particular drive to honor the shirt they wear this year.  Especially if they are in their last year of eligibility.  8 SMU players are listed as grad students, seniors, or red-shirt seniors.  If there isn't some carrot out there, why do it?

A new term?  Lame Duck Athletes

I don't blame the athletes as much as I would blame the system.

---

Fascinating. Remember how we'd complain about the Pac-12 refs calling every little thing, then we'd get to the NCAA tourney and they'd call next to nothing? I would think that players who played in the Pac-12 (so our juniors/senior) would be much less likely to draw fouls...unless, unless, unless something fishy is up.

Foul calls are subjective.  I've felt like the former PAC-12 refs call, er.. not call, things differently in the ACC.

Styles of play are different.  Do you call the star for carrying the ball when she palms it?  I see that happen but haven't seen it called in recent memory. If a different player doesn't palm the ball while baiting the defense to commit, she is at a relative disadvantage. 
Players, coaches, and coaching are going to slowly adapt to a different style, i.e., different unwritten rules.

Here's another usually uncalled rule:

Likewise, when
the offensive post player backs down the defender and illegally displaces them,
or uses their free arm to "swim" around the defender by holding them off or
displacing them, a foul shall be ruled on the offensive player.