Defense Without Fouling and Offense Without Turning the ball over...

[Drsupremo]

Besides individual improvement of the players (old and new), what has jumped out to me so far is the reduction in the number of fouls being committed per game by Rutgers and the reduction of turnovers per game. This is harder to achieve than you might think. If you can play defense without fouling + take more shots at the basket by reducing turnovers (not to mention limiting easy buckets for the opposition) + sprinkle in a relentless pursuit of rebounds, you will win more games than you think even if you cannot hit the broad side of a barn!

Further, if you acknowledge the fact that most of the current roster are comprised of Jordan holdovers or players Jordan recruited (e.g., Thiam), it serves only to highlight how effective this coaching staff has been + the upgrade that is occurring re: talent level (Baker, Duke, Omuruyi).

If our shooting % picks up (from the field and foul line), we will have a very good year. Otherwise, we will have to grind out victories.

Here's the statistical proof re: fouls and turnovers. The improvement is dramatic. (This review also highlights how well Michigan and Wisconsin are coached -- both teams are always in the top 10 in these important statistical categories.

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/stat/turnovers-per-game?date=2017-11-27
1. Fouls Per Game:

2010-2011- Mike Rice (first Year) 19.7 per game -- Ranked 241/345. Ohio St was ranked 1 w/14 fouls per game.

2011-2012 -- Mike Rice (second year) 20.8 per game -- ranked 326/345. Miss St ranked 1 w/13.8 per game.

2012-2013 -- Mike Rice (third year) 19.5 per game - ranked 289/347. Michigan ranked 1 w/12.7 per game.

2013-2014 -- Eddie Jordan (first year) 20.5 per game -- ranked 272/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/14.2 per game.

2014-2015 -- Eddie Jordan (second year) 16.6 per game - ranked 54/351. Wisconsin ranked 1 w/12.5 per game.

2015-2016 -- Eddie Jordan (third year) 17.3 per game - ranked 40/351. Notre Dame ranked 1 w/15.1 per game.

2016-2017 -- Steve Pikiell (first year) 17.6 per game -- ranked 78/351. Villanova ranked 1 w/14.3 per game.

2017-2018 -- Steve Pikiell (second year through 6 games) --13 per game - ranked 2/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/12.2 per game.

2. Turnovers Per Game.

2010-2011- Mike Rice (first Year) 12.1 per game -- Ranked 70/345. Wisconsin was ranked 1 w/7.4 per game.

2011-2012 -- Mike Rice (second year) 14.6 per game -- ranked 277/345. Purdue ranked 1 w/8.6 per game.

2012-2013 -- Mike Rice (third year) 13.8 per game - ranked 218/347. Michigan ranked 1 w/9.4 per game.

2013-2014 -- Eddie Jordan (first year) 12.6 per game -- ranked 199/351. Georgia St ranked 1 w/7.9 per game.

2014-2015 -- Eddie Jordan (second year) 13 per game - ranked 234/351. Wisconsin ranked 1 w/7.5 per game.

2015-2016 -- Eddie Jordan (third year) 13.6 per game - ranked 267/351. Old Dominion ranked 1 w/9.1 per game.

2016-2017 -- Steve Pikiell (first year) 13.3 per game -- ranked 208/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/9.2 per game.

2017-2018 -- Steve Pikiell (second year through 6 games) --9 per game - ranked 5/351. St. Mary's ranked 1 w/7.9 per game.

It will be interesting to see if we can maintain these numbers when we start to play the big boys. We shall see....

 

[Big East Beast]

That’s not statistical proof as much as bad data analysis.

I’m not saying your hypothesis is invalid, but at minimum you should compare a similar sample. For example, pull the stats for the first six games of those years and see what it looks like. My guess is the field narrows quite a bit, since we always have a weak out of conference schedule.

 

[RutgersDom]

That’s not statistical proof as much as bad data analysis.

I’m not saying your hypothesis is invalid, but at minimum you should compare a similar sample. For example, pull the stats for the first six games of those years and see what it looks like. My guess is the field narrows quite a bit, since we always have a weak out of conference schedule.

agreed

 

[vascosg]

Besides individual improvement of the players (old and new), what has jumped out to me so far is the reduction in the number of fouls being committed per game by Rutgers and the reduction of turnovers per game. This is harder to achieve than you might think. If you can play defense without fouling + take more shots at the basket by reducing turnovers (not to mention limiting easy buckets for the opposition) + sprinkle in a relentless pursuit of rebounds, you will win more games than you think even if you cannot hit the broad side of a barn!

Further, if you acknowledge the fact that most of the current roster are comprised of Jordan holdovers or players Jordan recruited (e.g., Thiam), it serves only to highlight how effective this coaching staff has been + the upgrade that is occurring re: talent level (Baker, Duke, Omuruyi).

If our shooting % picks up (from the field and foul line), we will have a very good year. Otherwise, we will have to grind out victories.

Here's the statistical proof re: fouls and turnovers. The improvement is dramatic. (This review also highlights how well Michigan and Wisconsin are coached -- both teams are always in the top 10 in these important statistical categories.

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/stat/turnovers-per-game?date=2017-11-27
1. Fouls Per Game:

2010-2011- Mike Rice (first Year) 19.7 per game -- Ranked 241/345. Ohio St was ranked 1 w/14 fouls per game.

2011-2012 -- Mike Rice (second year) 20.8 per game -- ranked 326/345. Miss St ranked 1 w/13.8 per game.

2012-2013 -- Mike Rice (third year) 19.5 per game - ranked 289/347. Michigan ranked 1 w/12.7 per game.

2013-2014 -- Eddie Jordan (first year) 20.5 per game -- ranked 272/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/14.2 per game.

2014-2015 -- Eddie Jordan (second year) 16.6 per game - ranked 54/351. Wisconsin ranked 1 w/12.5 per game.

2015-2016 -- Eddie Jordan (third year) 17.3 per game - ranked 40/351. Notre Dame ranked 1 w/15.1 per game.

2016-2017 -- Steve Pikiell (first year) 17.6 per game -- ranked 78/351. Villanova ranked 1 w/14.3 per game.

2017-2018 -- Steve Pikiell (second year through 6 games) --13 per game - ranked 2/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/12.2 per game.

2. Turnovers Per Game.

2010-2011- Mike Rice (first Year) 12.1 per game -- Ranked 70/345. Wisconsin was ranked 1 w/7.4 per game.

2011-2012 -- Mike Rice (second year) 14.6 per game -- ranked 277/345. Purdue ranked 1 w/8.6 per game.

2012-2013 -- Mike Rice (third year) 13.8 per game - ranked 218/347. Michigan ranked 1 w/9.4 per game.

2013-2014 -- Eddie Jordan (first year) 12.6 per game -- ranked 199/351. Georgia St ranked 1 w/7.9 per game.

2014-2015 -- Eddie Jordan (second year) 13 per game - ranked 234/351. Wisconsin ranked 1 w/7.5 per game.

2015-2016 -- Eddie Jordan (third year) 13.6 per game - ranked 267/351. Old Dominion ranked 1 w/9.1 per game.

2016-2017 -- Steve Pikiell (first year) 13.3 per game -- ranked 208/351. Michigan ranked 1 w/9.2 per game.

2017-2018 -- Steve Pikiell (second year through 6 games) --9 per game - ranked 5/351. St. Mary's ranked 1 w/7.9 per game.

It will be interesting to see if we can maintain these numbers when we start to play the big boys. We shall see....

Good insight, appreciate the contribution.

 

[dpwhite]

What’s most interesting to me after reading and thinking about this post is how quickly Pikiell has flipped the roster. There are only 4 players who played for Eddie still on the roster in Corey, Deshawn, Mike and Shaq. But they are key players who have upped their game under Pike.

 

[BillyC80]

The minute I saw CJ put his hands straight up, while defending the low post area, I knew Pike had instilled a new mantra for our defense. Now it's possible, even likely, that CJ learned that before he got to RU, but I noticed our other bigs taking the same approach -- hands straight up, no reaching, no fouling. Good stuff.

 

[rubaseball78]

That’s not statistical proof as much as bad data analysis.

I’m not saying your hypothesis is invalid, but at minimum you should compare a similar sample. For example, pull the stats for the first six games of those years and see what it looks like. My guess is the field narrows quite a bit, since we always have a weak out of conference schedule.

Agree it is not statistical proof but a valid, interesting observation. He also did say "It will be interesting to see if we can maintain these numbers".

 

[rudad02]

Excellent observations.