alexrgct
RIP, Alex
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- Aug 26, 2011
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So, I am trying to figure out if we could define UConn's best season. What I'd like to do is come to a consensus as to what the criteria are. That part of the exercise can spring organically from this discussion. I guess I have an idea what the criteria are, but I can't really say which criterion matters more than others.
One criterion that I think has to be employed is that only undefeated teams can be considered as the greatest season. Sure, The 2000 team lost a single game by a single point, but it's an imperfection just the same. So my ballot will be restricted to the five undefeated teams UConn has produced. The fact that there are five to choose from warms the cockles of my heart, but in any event, here are some data:
1995:
Overall record- 35-0
PPG- 89.49
Points allowed per-game- 56.31
Average MOV- 33.17
Three closest games- four points over Virginia (regional finals), six points over Tennessee (NC game), 10 points over Kansas
2002:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 87.03
Points allowed per-game- 51.59
Average MOV- 35.44
The closest games- nine points over Virginia Tech, 12 points over Oklahoma (NC game), tied at 14 points over Oklahoma and Tennessee (both 86-72 games)
2009:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 83.95
Points allowed per-game- 53.44
Average MOV- 30.51
Three closest games- 10 points over Notre Dame, 10 Points over Rutgers, 12 points over USF
2010:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 81.21
Points allowed per-game- 46.18
Average MOV- 35.03
Three closest games- six points over Stanford (NC game), 12 points over Stanford (12/23/09), 14 points over St. John's
2014:
Overall Record- 40-0
PPG- 82.08
Points allowed per-game- 47.83
Average MOV- 34.25
Three closest games- 11 points over Baylor, 15 points over Texas A&M (Regional Finals), tied at 17 points over Louisville and Maryland
A lot of questions jump out at me:
One criterion that I think has to be employed is that only undefeated teams can be considered as the greatest season. Sure, The 2000 team lost a single game by a single point, but it's an imperfection just the same. So my ballot will be restricted to the five undefeated teams UConn has produced. The fact that there are five to choose from warms the cockles of my heart, but in any event, here are some data:
1995:
Overall record- 35-0
PPG- 89.49
Points allowed per-game- 56.31
Average MOV- 33.17
Three closest games- four points over Virginia (regional finals), six points over Tennessee (NC game), 10 points over Kansas
2002:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 87.03
Points allowed per-game- 51.59
Average MOV- 35.44
The closest games- nine points over Virginia Tech, 12 points over Oklahoma (NC game), tied at 14 points over Oklahoma and Tennessee (both 86-72 games)
2009:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 83.95
Points allowed per-game- 53.44
Average MOV- 30.51
Three closest games- 10 points over Notre Dame, 10 Points over Rutgers, 12 points over USF
2010:
Overall Record- 39-0
PPG- 81.21
Points allowed per-game- 46.18
Average MOV- 35.03
Three closest games- six points over Stanford (NC game), 12 points over Stanford (12/23/09), 14 points over St. John's
2014:
Overall Record- 40-0
PPG- 82.08
Points allowed per-game- 47.83
Average MOV- 34.25
Three closest games- 11 points over Baylor, 15 points over Texas A&M (Regional Finals), tied at 17 points over Louisville and Maryland
A lot of questions jump out at me:
- Is it a more impressive season to have gone 40-0 than it is 35-0? What about 40-0 vs. 39-0?
- How important is the MOV criterion?
- How important is the "three closest games" criterion?
- Are there other criteria I should be considering? I left out the number of WNBA draft picks because I didn't consider that as being part of the best team head-to-head; I'm trying to evaluate the best season here.