Loiusville actually got called for lots more fouls than Michigan. I think though that they committed even more, but because they got called for so many, I think the refs do back off some, because they just feel like they are calling too many on the team.
It’s kind of a strategy, if you have enough players I guess, you just keep fouling and fouling, and you get away with enough because they can’t call every one, and if it leads to turnovers, you make up for the easy baskets you give up at the free throw line.
Also, all that fouling tires out the other team. It’s hard enough to run for 40 minutes without a defender dragging your arm or pushing on you all the time.
And they are really quick, which helps a lot. But if you take just two of those turnovers, and call the clear fouls (like the one where they guy tackled the person with the ball), that might be an 8-point turnaround. And if not, there’s the perfect block at the end of the game called a foul, worth another 2 points and momentum.
At the beginning of the championship game I predicted that Louisville would win with the help of the whistles (see post #19).