Using defensive efficiency to identify contenders and pretenders
January 7, 2009 9:31 PM
The first chart hammers home the central point: No Final Four team in the past five years has been ranked outside the top 25 in adjusted defensive efficiency (a competition-adjusted figure). And only two Elite Eight teams in the past five years have ranked outside the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency. It's unlikely that a team will make a deep NCAA tournament run with just a good offense, and only a mediocre D.
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The Sleepers
Illinois might be the team to watch here. It already has a top-20 defense and has only recently begun to work prolific scorer Alex Legion into the offensive mix. Legion became eligible in December after transferring from Kentucky midway through last season, and if he develops into a real outside threat, the Illini's offense could be efficient enough to make them a truly dangerous team.
sportsillustrated.com
...
The Sleepers
Illinois might be the team to watch here. It already has a top-20 defense and has only recently begun to work prolific scorer Alex Legion into the offensive mix. Legion became eligible in December after transferring from Kentucky midway through last season, and if he develops into a real outside threat, the Illini's offense could be efficient enough to make them a truly dangerous team.
sportsillustrated.com
Filed under: Illini Basketball
