Block Percentage
02.24.05
I'll admit it. I am in love with blocked shots. Dominating shot blockers are rare, and teams that have one seem to be very good defensively as a team. But this was just my subjective opinion until today, when we can look at (on the stats page) how often each of the 330 D1 teams rejects the opposition.
block percentage = (blocked shots) / (opponents' field goal attempts)
Block percentage is the percentage of an opponent's shots a team blocks. Sure enough, this stat correlates well to a good defense - better than turnover percentage, anyway. Among the top 30 in block percentage are seven of the top 15 defenses in the nation. None of the top 15 defenses can be found in the bottom 129 of this stat. Not surprisingly, UConn dominates this metric, sending back one shot for every seven the opposition attempts.
As usual, there are some anomalies:
Adj Def Block %
Team Eff Rk Rank
UNC 1 117
Washington St. 2 169
Oklahoma St. 9 201
Colorado 183 17
Iona 177 13
Fairfield 119 2
As a team in a power conference, you can have a great defense without blocking a lot of shots, but it's almost impossible to block a lot of shots and not have a great defense. Colorado is the only power (top six) conference member in the top 90 in block percentage but in the bottom half of the adjusted defensive ratings.
Wacked Out Wednesday
I've had a love-hate relationship with West Virginia all season. More like a love-ignore relationship. I forecasted good things for them before the season. I founded the D'Or Fischer fan club after the 10-0 start. Then I sheepishly had to abandon the Mountaineers (and the game diary concept) after it became apparent they were a team that relied on the jump shot, but didn't have enough guys who could make one.
The Mountaineers came back from the dead on Wednesday - both in the game they played and for the season. They overcame a 14-point deficit with ten minutes left to win at #18 Pittsburgh. Simultaneously, nearly every other bubble team in action lost - and a few of them suffered crippling defeats that should forever take them out of the at-large discussion.
Miami of Ohio, Georgia Tech, Old Dominion, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, George Washington, Memphis, and Iowa - all teams with at-large aspirations Wednesday morning - were losers. Only the first two on that list have serious thoughts of an at-large bid now.
And now so does West Virginia, even with a loss to 5-19 Marshall blighting the tournament application. WVU, winners of five of their last six, finishes at home against Rutgers (a nine point winner over Arkansas Monticello last night) and at Seton Hall. They should be favored in both. If they win those two, a 9-7 Big East record with non-conference road wins over LSU and NC State should be enough.
With 6'11" marksman Kevin Pittsnogle on fire (interesting coincidence: Pittsnogle is Latin for "one who leads his team to victories over Pitt." He scored 49 points in the season sweep of the Panthers), maybe WVU can salvage a bid.
Coach of the Year…Again?
02.23.05
What do you do when the national coach of the year does a better coaching job the next season? Well, you don't make him coach of the year, that we know. It's just not possible. But there are certain honors one can receive that exceed what any group of sportswriters can bestow. One of those is being the recipient of a John Chaney temper tantrum.
After cruising to a 63-56 win at Temple's Liacouras Center, Saint Joseph's sports a lofty 12-1 record in conference play. The Hawks are in position to make a run at a dance bid by winning what could be a winner-take-all A-10 Tournament. Not bad for a team that started 3-6. (Memo to coaches who avoid scheduling challenging games in November and December to "build confidence": Apparently it is possible to suffer non-conference losses without killing one's confidence.)
So how has Martelli done it this season? Ask Temple coach John Chaney, and it's the mastery of illegal screens. Chaney lost his composure last night (story) over what he viewed as shady play by the Hawks. It wasn't quite to the level of threatening to kill his coaching counterpart as he did to John Calipari 11 years ago, but it was close.
The Temple coach inserted benchwarmer Nehemiah Ingram into the game in the second half to rough up some of the Hawks for their dirty tactics - Ingram fouled out in four minutes and nearly incited a riot. Later, Chaney berated the conference commissioner and requested to never see Final Four official Jim Burr again.
It's probably the best honor Martelli will get this season.
[Update...Chaney has suspended himself for the Owls next game against UMass]
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