Ivy Championship Game - Foul Up 6?
Do you ever consider fouling on purpose up 6 late in a game?
One of the more incredible finishes in college basketball this season in the Ivy League Championship game between Brown and Yale. Brown was up 6 with under :25 to play, and Yale outscored them 8-1 in the last :22 to win the game at the buzzer.
https://x.com/CBSSportsCBB/status/1769424728006050054?s=20
This brings up the question - do you ever consider fouling when you are up 6 late in a game? There is a lot of conversation about whether or not to foul up 3 late, but not a lot of people talk about fouling when you are up 6.
When up 6 in the last 20 seconds you feel like you are in control. Just get one stop and the game is basically over. However, if you give up a 3 in that situation, the game completely changes. Now it is a one possession game and you are forced to get the ball inbounds - somewhat unexpectedly - against full court pressure. I’ve seen teams - and I’ve coached teams - that panic in this scenario. The tone of the game changes, and it’s easy for the offensive team to get tight.
I started fouling in this situation when the clock got below the :15 second mark. It’s reasonable to think the other teams best chance to beat you - and perhaps their only chance - is if they hit a 3 in that situation. If the make a 2, or they hit 2 free throws, you are still up 2 possessions. If they make the 2 free throws and foul you, and you only hit one free throw, you are still up 5. Heck, if you miss both free throws or turn the ball over you are still up 4.
I recognize it’s not an easy decision, but I do feel that fouling when up 6 around the :15 second mark gives you the best chance to win. I’ve seen countless teams bury a difficult 3 without much thought, and all of the sudden it’s a different game.
Joe Mazzulla actually fouled up 6 with :12 to play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which I don’t see in the NBA that often. Unfortunately due to a Jayson Tatum missed block out, the Pacers got the ball back after making the first free throw now down just 5. But it is still a two possession game at that point, and the Celtics went on to win relatively smoothly.
It’s worth thinking about. If you believe in fouling up 3 late in a game, you might consider fouling up 6 as well. I think it gives you the best chance to win.