This home team advantage thing has always bothered me because I think it goes to the integrity of the game. And a game without integrity, it is not even a game; it is a farce.

Having played football, basketball and baseball the only time I really thought of a home team advantage was in baseball. The dimensions of baseball fields vary and the home team does get the last at bat, while basketball and football present the exact same dimensions regardless where you play.

I know that the fans are a factor and all but from experience, I can say that the view from the arena does not include the fans.

Basketball however, defies logic. This can no better be demonstrated than today's shocker as Texas Tech upset Texas in Lubbock.

The number 5 team in the nation fell to an unranked team (on the road incidentally). The final score was 83-80 and was amazingly close in many areas. The field goal percentage was about the same .408 (UT) to .429 (TT). Three point shooting was also close .321 (UT) to .350 (TT) but then an all too common basketball statistic rears its ugly head.

Texas was 9-13 from the foul line while Texas Tech was 34-43! That's right, the number five team in the nation went up against an unranked team and was so intimidated that they committed 30 fouls and a technical to boot.

Here is a listing (Complete) of every offensive play that Texas Tech made from the 3:08 mark until the end of the game:

Trevor Cook missed Two Point Layup.
Foul on Charlie Burgess
John Roberson missed Free Throw.
John Roberson made Free Throw.
Charlie Burgess missed Free Throw.
Charlie Burgess missed Free Throw.
Martin Zeno missed Free Throw.
Martin Zeno made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
John Roberson made Free Throw.
John Roberson made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.
Alan Voskuil made Free Throw.

Am I to believe that this just happened? And it is not a problem unique to the Big 12.

The top 10 teams in the country according to the latest AP Poll, have cumulatively lost 32 games; of which 27 were on the road and more than a dozen against unranked teams.

Being an official in any sport is tough and particularly when subjective judgment is needed but it is a complete joke in college basketball.

Why is the NCAA Tournament so wildly popular? Maybe because there is no home team?