Every year a certain team in the ACC, usually in dark blue, has been made out to get calls that other teams do not. Typically, there are a number of factors that fans tend to overlook when judging foul numbers though. For example...
- A team that plays more on the perimeter will not get as many calls
- A team with more athletically gifted players are more likely to get more calls in their favor
- A team that plays more zone will not be called for as many fouls as one that plays an aggressive man-to-man
Provided you understand those factors (and many more that aren't printed here) the foul differential chart can still be interesting. The foul different chart is kept up-to-date here so bookmark it for future reference. I've also copied the current standings into this article for your convenience.
ACC Foul Differential
| Team | Opp Fouls | Per Game | Fouls | Per Game | Difference | Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 204 | 18.5 | 149 | 13.5 | 55 | 5.0 |
| Wake Forest | 237 | 21.5 | 187 | 17.0 | 50 | 4.5 |
| NC State | 213 | 19.4 | 173 | 15.7 | 40 | 3.6 |
| Maryland | 195 | 17.7 | 158 | 14.4 | 37 | 3.4 |
| Boston College | 213 | 19.4 | 182 | 16.5 | 31 | 2.8 |
| Duke | 213 | 19.4 | 186 | 16.9 | 27 | 2.5 |
| FSU | 229 | 20.8 | 202 | 18.4 | 27 | 2.5 |
| UNC | 206 | 17.2 | 185 | 15.4 | 21 | 1.8 |
| Georgia Tech | 165 | 16.5 | 155 | 15.5 | 10 | 1.0 |
| Virginia Tech | 228 | 19.0 | 216 | 18.0 | 12 | 1.0 |
| Clemson | 177 | 16.1 | 173 | 15.7 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Virginia | 191 | 15.9 | 188 | 15.7 | 3 | 0.3 |
The thing that struck me when looking at the foul differential chart this season is that the two weakest teams in the ACC (BC, Wake) are both ranked fairly high. So, does a foul advantage really matter? The other interesting thing is that despite Duke's success the Blue Devils are sitting right in the middle of the pack. Miami ranking first place doesn't surprise me much as they fit the mold of a "tough to guard" team. They also play a more conservative defense in which they may not foul as much as a team like Duke. No team has fouled as much per game as FSU which shows the struggles that the Noles have had on defense.
Once conference play starts on January 5th the conference view of this chart will be even more interesting.
Keep this chart handy as the season progresses and don't fall into the "_____ gets all the calls" cliche.
