Interesting stats from the Tennessee camp

[pap49cba]

"After last season, UT's coaching staff compared its statistics with those of the four teams that reached the Women's Final Four and noticed a big difference. Despite playing a comparable number of games, all four of the teams (Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Connecticut and Stanford) had at least 97 more assists than Tennessee's 522. UConn's 738 topped Tennessee by more than 200. Only one of the teams, Notre Dame, had more turnovers than assists. But the Irish's disparity (669-689) wasn't as great as Tennessee's (522-567) and still reflected more productivity."

Lady Vols working on passing game

 

[wire chief]

That is intriguing, pap. One wonders if that kind of deficit can clearly be made up quickly.

 

[Icebear]

Team offense vs individual based offense.

 

[semper]

Team play...it has as much to do with talent and recruitment as it does with coaching and establishing team desire as much as individual desire, the difference between a great concerto player and a brilliant string quartet or a chamber choir. A lot would need to change at UT, it would seem...it's the great team play that makes UConn bball so beautiful to behold.

 

[VAMike23]

Would be even more interesting to see a longer time series vs. just the one year. Guess I should go look it up

Also, I am curious to see how it would look if you took a subset of each team's schedule and only looked at games against the top 50 ranked teams. (It might not look all that different - there are reasons that assists could go down against crappy teams just as there are reasons they could go up.)

 

[MilfordHusky]

After 30+ years, they are finally looking at offense?

Massengale should help that stat--if Simmons makes her shots.

 

[VAMike23]

After 30+ years, they are finally looking at offense?

Massengale should help that stat--if Simmons makes her shots.

She is gonna be a great one --

 

[vtcwbuff]

While there are several factors to consider including SOS and number of games played, the numbers over the last 5 years clearly indicate a difference in coaching philosophy.

For the last 5 years UConn has averaged 734.8 assists per season and 555.6 turnovers. Their A/TO is 1.32 over that period. UTenn has averaged 539.4 assists and 566.6 turnovers for the same period with an A/TO ratio of 0.95. UConn has played 8 more games than UTenn, 6 of them in the Ball State year when UTenn managed a whopping 445 assists and 566 turnovers.

 

[VAMike23]

While there are several factors to consider including SOS and number of games played, the numbers over the last 5 years clearly indicate a difference in coaching philosophy.

For the last 5 years UConn has averaged 734.8 assists per season and 555.6 turnovers. Their A/TO is 1.32 over that period. UTenn has averaged 539.4 assists and 566.6 turnovers for the same period with an A/TO ratio of 0.95. UConn has played 8 more games than UTenn, 6 of them in the Ball State year when UTenn managed a whopping 445 assists and 566 turnovers.

Thanks for that expanded stat - very interesting

 

[Kibitzer]

Coaching emphasis could be a contributing factor. Coach Summitt is known for stressing rebounding as a vital tool to success. It is possible (maybe one of our stats mavens can confirm or refute this) that her players are required to concentrate so intensely on rebouding that other facets of the game (e.g., passing) do not get as much attention as they deserve.

This is not an attempt to knock Coach Summitt, but an opinion that her team or any team will likely excel at some things, possibly to the detriment of others.

Now, if the LadyVols DON'T have a major favorable difference in rebounds, throw my theory out.

 

[Husky68]

Coaching emphasis could be a contributing factor. Coach Summitt is known for stressing rebounding as a vital tool to success. It is possible (maybe one of our stats mavens can confirm or refute this) that her players are required to concentrate so intensely on rebouding that other facets of the game (e.g., passing) do not get as much attention as they deserve.

This is not an attempt to knock Coach Summitt, but an opinion that her team or any team will likely excel at some things, possibly to the detriment of others.

Now, if the LadyVols DON'T have a major favorable difference in rebounds, throw my theory out.

Player selection has something to do with it, bring in lot of big bodies you are unlikely to have good passers. Bring in a lot of Faris, Hayes, Maya, Greene, Swin, Ashia type "big" players and you get better passing and better movement.

Also, from the Ann/Barbara/Wilnett era; seems like get a lot more turnovers (thinking Tenn) if you try and pound into the post which seemed to me to be what that Uconn team tried to do too often.

 

[Kevin G]

I'm not surprised at these stats whatsoever. I don't think its that shocking. Great research Pap!

 

[UConnCat]

The high-water mark for UConn was 2002 when it had 846 assists for the year.

As the post above points out, Tenn has never been a good passing team that relied on player and ball movement, even during the Parker years. Having Massengale at the point and moving Simmons off the ball should help. But I'm fairly certain Summitt would've preferred not to read about what's good for Simmons' professional career, at least not at this time.

Interestingly, Lockwood noted sophomore Meighan Simmons' improvement as a passer. Even while playing point guard last season, Simmons couldn't resist being a shooting guard. She racked up a team-leading 438 shot attempts, compared to just 104 assists.

"Now, I feel like I have to be better at every aspect,'' Simmons said. "I think if I want to go to the WNBA or play overseas, I have to be good at passing. I have to be good at making sure my teammates are getting points and shots up as well."

 

[alexrgct]

Although Massengale is a talented player, I'd be hesitant to rely on the insertion of a freshman PG to resolve this problem.

Additionally, UConn's gaudy assist numbers are not attributable to the PG alone. UConn runs a pass-first offensive system that's all about five players working together to create the best shot possible. An elite PG can help facilitate that, but realistically, all five kids on the floor have to be bought into this concept.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Coaching emphasis could be a contributing factor. Coach Summitt is known for stressing rebounding as a vital tool to success. It is possible (maybe one of our stats mavens can confirm or refute this) that her players are required to concentrate so intensely on rebouding that other facets of the game (e.g., passing) do not get as much attention as they deserve.

This is not an attempt to knock Coach Summitt, but an opinion that her team or any team will likely excel at some things, possibly to the detriment of others.

Now, if the LadyVols DON'T have a major favorable difference in rebounds, throw my theory out.

Well Kib your theory is correct. The LadyVols do have a favorable rebound record. At least over the last five years. They have averaged 42.5 rebounds per game with a +5.5 rebound margin over their opponents.
What's more interesting is when their rebound stats are compared to UConn during the same 5 year period. While UTenn averaged 42.5 RPG, UConn averaged 43.4. Not a huge difference but when you look at opponent's rebounds the difference between the teams is obvious. UTenn's rebound margin of +5.5 is puny when compared to UConn's +12.5.
Again I think it goes to coaching philosophy. Auriemma has always been about defense and guard play. How many times have we heard Summitt screaming "get the rebound?"

 

[UConnCat]

Although Massengale is a talented player, I'd be hesitant to rely on the insertion of a freshman PG to resolve this problem.

Additionally, UConn's gaudy assist numbers are not attributable to the PG alone. UConn runs a pass-first offensive system that's all about five players working together to create the best shot possible. An elite PG can help facilitate that, but realistically, all five kids on the floor have to be bought into this concept.

Not sure if your post is directed at mine, but I never suggested that Massengale would resolve the problem. Rather, if Tenn is trying to change its offense to one of more player and ball movement, which is what I took from the article, it should help if the first instinct of the point guard is to initiate an offense rather than jacking up a 25-footer. And as your other point suggests, this change won't happen overnight and it starts with recruiting, not drills.

 

[Kibitzer]

Permit one additional comment about the value of assists.

When (the incomparable IMO) Diana was a senior, she was poised to pass the Sales/UConn record for career scoring. Her teammates wanted her to earn and claim this record and would have done anything within reason to help her get it.

Diana's reaction? "Nah. But I would be proud to earn the 'most assists' record." And, of course, she did.

I have total faith in my belief that the only true leaders are those who lead by example.

Diana. Not only leadership by example but (especially when playing vs. Tennessee) a form of "in your face" example.

 

[stamfordhusky]

When comparing assists, a better way to do it is to only look at road assists. Home assists can be skewed dramatically depending on who is keeping track of them. There is a huge difference in the ratio of assists: baskets from one scorer to another. Using only road assists balances out those differences and minimizes the effects of the clueless and/or cheaters.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

When comparing assists, a better way to do it is to only look at road assists. Home assists can be skewed dramatically depending on who is keeping track of them. There is a huge difference in the ratio of assists: baskets from one scorer to another. Using only road assists balances out those differences and minimizes the effects of the clueless and/or cheaters.

Very good point. While this happens more frequently in high school games, road/neutral sites vs. home games is something to consider.

 

[UConnCat]

Looking just at last year, home court was worth about 2 assists per game for UConn. UConn averaged 20 assists per game at home and 18 on the road. Teams generally play better at home so I'd guess some variation of this disparity exists for other teams as well.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Also the disparity is not always a home/road one - but rather some scorers being generous on giving out assists and others going the other way.

There are many grey areas in college basketball when it comes to assists. Things like a pass to a player who then makes an outside shot, or a pass to a player who then drives by her defender to score. Etc.

 

[vtcwbuff]

" I'd guess some variation of this disparity exists for other teams as well. "

Exactly. A home/away disparity would apply to both teams that are being compared. You could probably split gnat hairs and factor in the number of home games for each team but in the case of UConn assists compared to UTenn the gap is so large that the difference is probably insignificant.