Refs just can't help themselves as Florida Basketball falls to Colorado

We knew all season that Florida Basketball had its fair share of flaws. One of them was the fact that the Gators were 310th in opponent free throw attempts per game, though some of that can also be chalked up to the fact the Gators play at a high tempo.

There were a multitude of other factors that led to Florida's demise against Colorado, but having the court feel tilted 8 versus 5 for many stretches of the game, including the final shot, almost guaranteed and early exit for the Gators.

Florida Basketball: All Good Things Must Come To And End

Florida normally allows opponents to shoot 22 free throws per game. Tempo inflates that a bit, but the Gators were still 268th in the opponent free throws per offensive play, with teams shooting on 25% of plays.

Colorado meanwhile came into the game 114th in free throws attempted per game, normally taking 20, and normally go to the line themselves 25% of the time.

And just as a baseline, there were 76 possessions in the game, which is Florida's average for the season.

Final stats from Florida's 102-100 loss to Colorado:

• Free Throws Attempted: Colorado 33, Florida 22
• Free Throws Attempted Per Possession: Colorado 40%, Florida 25%
  

The maddening part of this game was that the officials couldn't decide with any consistency what constituted a foul and what was a play on. Stand straight up with arms vertical? Foul. Extended arm and push off to hit a game winning shot? It's cool.

To give an idea of how cataclysmiclly bad the officiating was, when Todd Golden took a technical foul in the second half to protest a call, Gene Steratore, the rules analyst that thinks every call is a good call, even chimed in saying that the refs baited Golden into the technical.

Winthrop led the country this year in free throws attempted per possession at 33%, and somehow Colorado was able to go 15% above their season average, taking 13 more free throws than they normally take, and 7% above the top rate in the country.

It's frustrating because in the end there is nothing Florida can do about it and it joins a long list of questionable decisions that went against the Gators all season long.

This is March.