Inentional Fouls? in NCAA Tournament

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Dennis Nicely
I am sure that a lot of you,like me,have been watching at least some of the NCAA Div I tournament. I have seen two intentional fouls called in two different games that I questioned when called and really questioned upon instant replay. KU vs Syracuse toward end of first half, lead called foul on defender who reached around and slapped at ball of offensive player who was dribbling on breakaway - obvious play on ball, not hard and official's position was behind defensive player where he could not see the entire play although he could see the defenders player go around for the reach - foul? Yes - intentional? Highly questionable.

If the dribbler was going in for a breakaway, I have no problem with this call.

Very same thing happened last night in USC versus Kentucky. In the paint offensive player, with ball in hands, standing back to basket, defensive player behind him with back to basket, official directly behind defensive player. Defensive player reaches around and slaps at ball. Again official's view of total play was blocked - definitely looked like a foul - but an intentional??

I disagree. That's not what happened, if we're talking about the same play. The defender swiped at the shooter. But when he missed him, he grabbed his arm and pulled as he was falling OOB. Both the C and the L signaled an intentional foul and rightfully so.

BTW, whether the play is extremely hard or rough typically has nothing to do with whether an intentional foul is called or not.