Stats and more stats

[amishboy]

I’ve often had the vague feeling that this year’s team plays higher “quality” basketball than some of our other successful teams, meaning few turnovers, many assists, strong rebounding, high shooting percentage, etc. So I finally checked at ncaa.com to see if my impression was confirmed by stats. Among all D1 teams, UConn ranks:

1st-assist/turnover margin

3rd-assists per game

5th-FG percentage

81st-FT percentage

9th-rebound margin

34th-3 point percentage

127th (!)-turnover margin

Overall, I’d say, “pretty, pretty, pretty good.”

 

[husky429]

I’ve often had the vague feeling that this year’s team plays higher “quality” basketball than some of our other successful teams, meaning few turnovers, many assists, strong rebounding, high shooting percentage, etc. So I finally checked at ncaa.com to see if my impression was confirmed by stats. Among all D1 teams, UConn ranks:

1st-assist/turnover margin

3rd-assists per game

5th-FG percentage

81st-FT percentage

9th-rebound margin

34th-3 point percentage

127th (!)-turnover margin

Overall, I’d say, “pretty, pretty, pretty good.”

Not sure why the (!) after turnover margin. That's just about median for D1 teams.

What really sticks out to me is the assists. I don't recall ever seeing a college team pass so well. And not just a couple guards passing well--it's a BUNCH of guys who can pass.

 

[amishboy]

Not sure why the (!) after turnover margin. That's just about median for D1 teams.

What really sticks out to me is the assists. I don't recall ever seeing a college team pass so well. And not just a couple guards passing well--it's a BUNCH of guys who can pass.

I should have included that we ranked 26th in turnovers per game (9.8). So I guess I was surprised that, as few TOs as we have, the margin over opponents wasn’t greater.

Maybe teams that press more have a wider TO margin?

 

[Huskybass]

Not sure why the (!) after turnover margin. That's just about median for D1 teams.

What really sticks out to me is the assists. I don't recall ever seeing a college team pass so well. And not just a couple guards passing well--it's a BUNCH of guys who can pass.

Agreed. The best teamwork I can recall in my 44 years as a UConn fan. Lots of assists and GREAT D usually result in double digit wins.

 

[uh-no]

Not sure why the (!) after turnover margin. That's just about median for D1 teams.

What really sticks out to me is the assists. I don't recall ever seeing a college team pass so well. And not just a couple guards passing well--it's a BUNCH of guys who can pass.

right, but given we are pretty good at protecting the ball, it means we are bad at forcing turnovers....which it turns out is correct. we are 230th in the country in TO% on defense. It is by far our worst stat.

Clearly we don't NEED it (given we're the most highly rated team in the country), but it's a part of our game that could be even better.

 

[McLovin]

right, but given we are pretty good at protecting the ball, it means we are bad at forcing turnovers....which it turns out is correct. we are 230th in the country in TO% on defense. It is by far our worst stat.

Clearly we don't NEED it (given we're the most highly rated team in the country), but it's a part of our game that could be even better.

I think all of that is the result of the game plan. We are one of the best teams in the country at defensive eFG% (3rd best). Don’t over play and gamble to get turnovers, just force the opponents into tough shots.

Among the top 25 teams in TO%, only 2 are also top 25 in eFG% (Iowa State and Merrimack). All but 6 rank 100th or worse in eFG%.

 

[husky429]

right, but given we are pretty good at protecting the ball, it means we are bad at forcing turnovers....which it turns out is correct. we are 230th in the country in TO% on defense. It is by far our worst stat.

Clearly we don't NEED it (given we're the most highly rated team in the country), but it's a part of our game that could be even better.

No one is good at everything. Just not hiw the game works. Our defense, by design, doesn't value generating TOs so much. We focus on taking away 3s, denying assists, and blocking shots at the rim.

 

[uh-no]

No one is good at everything. Just not hiw the game works. Our defense, by design, doesn't value generating TOs so much. We focus on taking away 3s, denying assists, and blocking shots at the rim.

oh totally. there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[jibsey]

The thing about stats is that all D1 teams have different levels of competition. Does that matter? Are these stats different when comparing power conferences?

 

[Huskybass]

No one is good at everything. Just not hiw the game works. Our defense, by design, doesn't value generating TOs so much. We focus on taking away 3s, denying assists, and blocking shots at the rim.

You do those three things well and rebound, lots of Ws will follow.