Q: Ray, the ESPN announcers got all over the refs when they got into "ticky-tack mode" (McGhee's 3 quick fouls, Thabeet's 4th, etc.) and constantly complained that Big East officials have not let teams play all year. On the other hand, Calhoun was griping after the game that the refs let the players essentially play football out there. Which one is true? Or is that just life in the Big East ... you cannot call every call because essentially, there is a foul on every play. Do the refs have to do "ticky-tack" from time to time to keep players honest? And, do you think the rematch with UConn will be called tightly because of Calhoun's complaining?

David Dutwin, Merion Station

FITTIPALDO: I thought the fourth foul on Thabeet was very questionable, but I thought the refrees were very consistent in their calls overall. Each team had players in foul trouble. Tyrell Biggs and Sam Young were in foul trouble for Pitt, and Thabeet was for Connecticut. I think Calhoun's press conferences are hilarious, but who is he kidding about the physical play?

Connecticut is a team that has thrived in the physical Big East for years. The Huskies like to play physical, but they got a double dose of physicaltiy Pitt-style Monday night.

I think a few things played into the way the game was called. First off, Pitt played West Virginia in a Big Monday game last week that was marred by four of the five best players on the court being in foul trouble. I don't think the Big East wanted this marquee nationally televised game to go down the same road. I think the officials did the right thing in letting the players decide the game. Other than the Thabeet fourth foul call they called what was necessary. The other thing about this game was that it ws so physical that it was hard to call every foul. Both teams were going at each other every time down the court.

I'm sure part of Calhoun's postgame rant was gamesmanship in setting up the officials for the next game against Pitt at the Petersen Events Center on March 7. The Huskies didn't do very well in a physical game, and I think he thinks his team would fare better in an up-and-down game where his guards can have more congtrol over the tempo of the game.