The elbowing and shoving is allowed, I believe, because the officials just can't keep up with the level of athleticism. But that doesn't explain why Duke is favored in these situations. One thought is that the Blue Devil players just are good enough to make their indiscretions look legal better than anyone else. Actually, I wish it wasn't an issue, but when an otherwise neutral crowd of 30,000 rides the officials, it isn't just my perception that is in focus. And, while I don't usually care much for Billy Packer, he is one of the few unbiased announcers in the country who will point out when officiating becomes an issue.
Basketball is a great game, but it is the game that is most affected by officiating.
I used to think the game most affected by officiating was ice hockey. I'll probably change my mind again on this. Last night, the Penguins could have promised the officials weekends and free Pepsi with Brittany Spears and they wouldn't have beaten the New York Islanders. In fact, the Penguins just can't beat the New York Islanders. They never could.