MVC Article about how the new foul rules will HURT the Valley more than most leagues

[tornado]

The MVC has made it's mark with tight, stingy defenses, taking charges, and making it tough on opposing offenses...
It works as you can see from all the Sweet Sixteen appearances the Valley has over the past decade..

BUT - the new foul rules are gonna throw a monkey wrench into MVC defenses..

http://thesouthern.com/sports/college/basketball/mens/mvc-defense-could-take-on-whole-new-meaning-with-new/article_289ba450-4dba-11e3-b55d-0019bb2963f4.html

"The MVC built its defensive reputation on some of that physicality.

Northern Iowa’s 2010 squad .. was second in the nation in scoring defense
Three other Valley teams ranked among the top 100 in the nation.

Four of SIU’s six NCAA tournament teams between 2002-07 allowed less than 64 points per game.
The Salukis wore down opponents mentally as much as physically back then ..

Last season, when the Shockers finished second to Creighton in the regular season but went on to their first Final Four,
Wichita State was one of three Valley teams in the top 100, defensively.
Northern Iowa, which has been in the top 150 nationally in scoring defense each of the last five seasons

The Valley has had at least four teams in the top 100, nationally, in scoring defense in four of the last five seasons.

“They are going to blow the whistles a lot to start the year to emphasize these rules. Free-throw shooting is going to be at a premium"

[tornado]

current statistics show...

-fouls per game are up considerably from about 35 fouls per game last year to 42 per game this year (more than 15% increase)

-scoring is up 73 ppg, compared to 67 ppg - but much of that is from more FT's

-one year ago only 10% of games had 48 fouls or more...but on opening night this season there were 37 such games!

[tornado]

Tom Izzo sees the new rules pretty much as most fans do....and remember - he is saying all this after his team WON...

"Everybody is going to think points are up. They??™re up because free shots are free shots!??? Izzo said.
???What I??™m worried about is are we going to teach [players to] just dribble in and get fouled?
Is that good basketball? We had a two hour and 32 minute game tonight. Is that going to be good for basketball????

...that was by design. ???I told Keith at the end, if he takes a jump shot I??™ll kill him,??? Izzo said. ???I just want him to drive in there and get fouled.???

Izzo believes that??™s the crux of the issue in college hoops right now. No contact is allowed, which means that defense can??™t be played.
The best offense, as a result, is to simply isolate your team??™s best penetrator, allowing him to drive headlong into the lane and wait for an official to bail you out.
That??™s not entertaining. That??™s not basketball. It??™s a free throw contest, one that results-minded coaches are going to be forced to play to.

???What are we going to teach? Are we going to teach the kids to just drive in there???? Izzo said.
???I??™m going to coach it this week. Just drive in. I??™m going to put on football pads again this week.
Not to rebound, but offensively. Just go in there, full back dive, three yards and a cloud of dust.???

???It??™s going to sound like I??™m coming out and bitching about the officiating, but I??™m not. I??™m bitching about the rules.???

???We??™re going to be fooled that [we're] scoring more points. I think before it??™s done you??™re going to see more teams zoning, and it??™ll get slower yet.???

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/24/tom-izzo-im-not-bitching-about-officiating-im-bitching-about-the-rules/related/