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[QUOTE="DefenseBB, post: 5309857, member: 7492"]
Using DER, my last 10 years of data has the 2018 Notre Dame team that didn't sniff being a good defensive team but was lethal offensively at #3 in points per game.

2025 UConn #7 in Pts per game and #1 in DER
2024 SC #3 and #1 DER
2023 LSU #3 and #14
2022 SC #15 in pts per game and #2 DER
2021 Stanford #10 and #6 DER
2019 Baylor #6 and #4
2018 Notre Dame #3 and worse than #40 in DER
2017 SC #12 and #11
2016 UConn #1 and #1
2015 UConn #1 and #1

So from a "Title contender component", you see direct evidence of an elite defense winning. However, as I noted many times (and much to [USER=9864]@YKCornelius[/USER] chagrin) to get to the Final Four, a top offense gets you there, but a top DER might not. Of the last 40 Final Four participants, 36 have had a top 15 offense and only 26 have had a top 15 DER ranking. A top 10 Pts per game earned 21 Final Fours and a top 10 DER earned 18 Final Fours.

Yes, you need a very good defense to win a title but offense appears to mean a bit more..... :cool:
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