WNBA foul calls rise slightly as the league cracks down on physical play
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA is trying to fix its physicality problem and is going through some growing pains during the opening week of the season . Fouls are up so far in the first week of the WNBA season with teams averaging 21. 6 fouls — that's up just under two per game from the same point last year (19.
9). That number dropped over the course of the year with 17. 5 fouls on average per game for each team.
“Fouls are up. I don't think if we are going to get rid of rough play that we saw in previous seasons there is any other outcome other than at the beginning fouls will be up," said Monty McCutchen, who is the head of WNBA officiating, on a Zoom call with The Associated Press. "That's a fairly safe assumption.
” The increased fouls aren’t really leading a major increase in free throws with 21. 9 being attempted this season to 21. 4 last year at this point.
By the end of the year, 18. 2 free throws were attempted by each team on average. The WNBA formed an officiating task force in the offseason as part of the “state of the game” group that included players and coaches.