Assist Differential

[elmcityboy]

did anyone else not realize that uconn was the #1 team in assist differential this season? i was aware of how good we were with rebound differential (#2 only to purdue) but hadn't seen this stat posted anywhere. obviously the villanova game was a really good example.

2023-24 Men's College Basketball Team Differential Stat Leaders - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NCAAM stats! Find a list of the Differential team stat leaders for the 2023-24 NCAAM Regular Season.

www.espn.com

i have seen others (namely @husky429) point this out, but it really feels like this team's ability to pass is what is (hopefully) going to distinguish us in march. hurley's teams always rebound and play d, but our ability to take and make open shots via ball movement is pretty special.

 

[mussels]

And of note, the Florida Atlantic Owls are number 4. Jalen Gaffney leads the team in assists with 80.

 

[MDHuskFan]

17.3 per game this year vs 14 last year.

 

[husky429]

did anyone else not realize that uconn was the #1 team in assist differential this season? i was aware of how good we were with rebound differential (#2 only to purdue) but hadn't seen this stat posted anywhere. obviously the villanova game was a really good example.

2023-24 Men's College Basketball Team Differential Stat Leaders - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NCAAM stats! Find a list of the Differential team stat leaders for the 2023-24 NCAAM Regular Season.

www.espn.com

i have seen others (namely @husky429) point this out, but it really feels like this team's ability to pass is what is (hopefully) going to distinguish us in march. hurley's teams always rebound and play d, but our ability to take and make open shots via ball movement is pretty special.

There's a really (really, really) good coach in Canada named Dave Smart who had a GREAT system for taking away a team's ability to pass. They just relentlessly force teams to their weak hand instead of baseline/middle like a regular man-to-man vs a packline. I did something similar as a coach, but maybe not with the focus he had. We always forced to the weak hand first, and practiced recovering and forcing baseline when the opponent drove. I friggen hate packline even though it works. Every coach should watch his teams.



Dude has a 591-48 record in what is equivalent to about a low D1 level. Most players can't pass with both hands (and very most passes are not made with two hands), so he coaches his teams to take away the strong passing hand. I suspect our team is doing something similar--it's one of the reasons we have such intense ball pressure. This means we give up the drive a lot, but cover the 3 and smother the other teams ability to pass to shooters/cutters.

I would venture to guess having a more mature, higher-IQ team is a factor too. Taking away a team's ability to pass the ball well has a lot to do with having a really good scout, and taking them out of their primary options on offense.

Something interesting about us, compared to a team like Marquette with Kolek, is just how many guys we have who can pass the rock. Newton and Andre are obviously great passers. But after them, we have 5 guys averaging 1-2 assists per game. Most teams DO NOT have those kinds of numbers. Karaban is someone I expect to make a big jump in his assist numbers because he CAN pass with both hands.

 

[Punkbo]

It’s such a pleasure watching this team distribute the basketball. Ball movement has been a major positive. Compare these stats to the 2017-18 team. The difference is incredible.

 

[REB1094]

Other than Sanogo backing down in the paint, or late-clock plays from Newton/Hawkins, it seems like every single play and every single set is designed to move the ball and get guys in spots ready to score

Pindowns/flares/DHOs for Hawkins
Pindowns/flares for Karaban
High-low with Andre or Newton passing to Sanogo
P&Rs with Clingan
Alleyne catch and shoot from weak side wing
Fast break threes from Andre to everyone

We don't have a lot of great 1v1 creators, but every single perimeter player loves to get the ball moving. Beautiful to watch when it's clicking

 

[elmcityboy]

17.3 per game this year vs 14 last year.

last year, uconn was #23 in assist differential. #1 and #2 were gonzaga and arizona (two one seeds and sweet sixteens teams) with +7.8 and +7.7, respectively.

uconn is +8.3 this year.

 

[husky429]

last year, uconn was #23 in assist differential. #1 and #2 were gonzaga and arizona (two one seeds and sweet sixteens teams) with +7.8 and +7.7, respectively.

uconn is +8.3 this year.

Love that. A huge signal we're forcing opponents to iso and getting easier buckets ourselves... we can live with that.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Love that. A huge signal we're forcing opponents to iso and getting easier buckets ourselves... we can live with that.

I was stunned at how "iso heavy" Nova ended up playing on offense on Saturday.

Some of it was they just aren't the same "Jay Wright Nova" team of recent years (with dizzying ball movement to free up shooters).

A lot of it was just stifling great defense on our part that only left low-percentage ISO-based shots.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

UConn is currently 8th in the nation in A/FGM ratio with a whopping 62.5% of their FGMs resulting from an assist.

21-22: 52.6% (135th)
20-21: 49.3% (233rd)
19-20: 51.2% (227th)
18-19: 48.3% (278th)
17-18: 43.8% (334th, Ollie's last season)

 

[auror]

We're 8th/363 in offensive assist rate and 10th/363 in defensive assist rate.

Some of the defense comes from ball pressure, and some of it comes from not allowing catch and shoot 3s (which are assisted at a high rate).

I thought it was so funny when they showed a Nova timeout last game and their coach was like "just catch and shoot." Good luck with that against us, pal. We allow the 3rd least amount of points from 3 as well.

 

[AdamaNation]

did anyone else not realize that uconn was the #1 team in assist differential this season? i was aware of how good we were with rebound differential (#2 only to purdue) but hadn't seen this stat posted anywhere. obviously the villanova game was a really good example.

2023-24 Men's College Basketball Team Differential Stat Leaders - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NCAAM stats! Find a list of the Differential team stat leaders for the 2023-24 NCAAM Regular Season.

www.espn.com

i have seen others (namely @husky429) point this out, but it really feels like this team's ability to pass is what is (hopefully) going to distinguish us in march. hurley's teams always rebound and play d, but our ability to take and make open shots via ball movement is pretty special.

If only we had a real point guard.

 

[August_West]

I was stunned at how "iso heavy" Nova ended up playing on offense on Saturday.

Some of it was they just aren't the same "Jay Wright Nova" team of recent years (with dizzying ball movement to free up shooters).

A lot of it was just stifling great defense on our part that only left low-percentage ISO-based shots.

The always play iso ball, it's just that when its good their iso's lead to kick out's and swing arounds, which looks (and works) great. But they couldn't do anything with ANY of their matchups on their back downs Saturday, so we never needed to help off people. We could stay at home on shooters.

We played REALLY great D on Saturday and it all started with none of our guys getting punked on back downs and all flowed from there.

 

[SubbaBub]

I haven't checked but I suspect that if you compare our wins against our losses you will see this is an important stat for us.

 

[husky429]

The always play iso ball, it's just that when its good their iso's lead to kick out's and swing arounds, which looks (and works) great. But they couldn't do anything with ANY of their matchups on their back downs Saturday, so we never needed to help off people. We could stay at home on shooters.

We played REALLY great D on Saturday and it all started with none of our guys getting punked on back downs and all flowed from there.

Alleyne's minutes were really huge in stopping those back downs. He takes a hit really well in the post on defense. Great footwork.

 

[navery12]

I haven't checked but I suspect that if you compare our wins against our losses you will see this is an important stat for us.

18 assists for vs 8 assists against in wins, and 14.7 assists for vs 12.3 assists against in losses

 

[MTBingNinja]

At times, I know it’s been mentioned that we don’t have a true point guard. We’ll, the hole team is filling that void and acting like a collective point guard.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I haven't checked but I suspect that if you compare our wins against our losses you will see this is an important stat for us.

During that bad streak we were allowing 20 more ppg than OOC. It hasn’t just been our offense that’s changed, our defense has been playing better.

The change in our offense has allowed for more free flowing and sharing of the ball. It’s nice to watch again

 

[navery12]

18 assists for vs 8 assists against in wins, and 14.7 assists for vs 12.3 assists against in losses

I had it in a spreadsheet so might as well post the rest, here's the wins vs losses for all the major stats

		PPG	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF
Wins	UConn	81.9	47.7%	9.2	24.6	37.3%	15.7	20.7	76.1%	11.3	36.4	18.0	7.3	5.4	11.7	17.7
	Opponent	61.8	39.1%	4.3	15.1	28.8%	15.0	20.5	73.2%	6.8	25.6	8.0	6.3	3.2	13.7	18.2
Losses	UConn	68.9	40.0%	8.3	26.4	31.4%	11.7	16.1	72.6%	13.9	35.6	14.7	5.0	3.7	14.1	20.7
	Opponent	75.4	47.1%	5.6	16.7	33.3%	18.7	24.9	75.3%	7.6	29.4	12.3	7.7	2.7	10.6	15.6

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

And of note, the Florida Atlantic Owls are number 4. Jalen Gaffney leads the team in assists with 80.

Also is averaging 4.9 ppg, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 23 minutes and playing in CUSA but ignore those stats.

In all honesty, idk if you’re simply pumped for a former husky or trying to say we would be better off with him on the team like a few other select posters on this board. But in reality he wouldn’t play on this team, good for him for finding a role on another D1 team.

 

[willie99]

More statistics that all add up to one thing. We're very good, we're playing great, I'm the most optimistic I've been since 2011, 2009, 2006 and 2004

The way we moved vs Nova it reminded me of, dare I say it?....... drum roll....

The women

Seriously, their movement and passing was off the charts

 

[Chin Diesel]

last year, uconn was #23 in assist differential. #1 and #2 were gonzaga and arizona (two one seeds and sweet sixteens teams) with +7.8 and +7.7, respectively.

uconn is +8.3 this year.

We're 8th/363 in offensive assist rate and 10th/363 in defensive assist rate.

Some of the defense comes from ball pressure, and some of it comes from not allowing catch and shoot 3s (which are assisted at a high rate).

I thought it was so funny when they showed a Nova timeout last game and their coach was like "just catch and shoot." Good luck with that against us, pal. We allow the 3rd least amount of points from 3 as well.

This is the type of stat that national media and broadcast crews will latch on to during the NCAA and then make it a talking point all game long. Not sure if that is good or bad for viewing.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Alleyne's minutes were really huge in stopping those back downs. He takes a hit really well in the post on defense. Great footwork.

Yeah. He took one, I want to say from Dixon, where the Nova got just rammed right in to Alleyne's chest. Alleyne took one or two steps back but overall held his ground and made it perfectly clear the Nova guys would have to run through him and not over him.

 

[Chin Diesel]

One other thing with this.

UConn's reliance using one on one defense and not helping also limits drives and dishes which has the double effect of lower assists for opponents and the low 3pt shooting FG percentage of UConn's opponents since there is usually a UConn defender on the perimeter player and UConn doesn't get caught with poor rotations on the perimeter after a drive, dish and perimiter pass.

 

[Punkbo]

One other thing with this.

UConn's reliance using one on one defense and not helping also limits drives and dishes which has the double effect of lower assists for opponents and the low 3pt shooting FG percentage of UConn's opponents since there is usually a UConn defender on the perimeter player and UConn doesn't get caught with poor rotations on the perimeter after a drive, dish and perimiter pass.

AWARD WINNER: Longest sentence in the history of the BY. Congratulations @Chin Diesel on winning this prestigious award.