He had a very similar overall efficiency rating to Boswell, on both sides of the floor.
MSU will be what they are every year, very good, but not great. If ever the year for MSU to open up the wallet and bring in a top center.
A little more thought on this Kenpom article:
View attachment 51408
It sounds like he’s subtracting the D1 points per possession from the team adjusted rating. Not dividing it like I originally thought.
So that +21.7 on Illinois, or +22.3 on Purdue — it isn’t the ratio better than the national average. It’s the difference from the national average.
To show the work:
Torvik has the D1 average for points per possession listed at 109.3 (which should be the same for Kenpom).
1. Purdue: 131.6 - 109.3 = +22.3
2. Illinois: 131.1 - 109.3 = +21.8 (0.1 difference, most certainly due to rounding)
3. Alabama: 129.7 - 109.3 = +20.4
4. Michigan: 128.2 - 109.3= +18.9
5. Arizona: 128.1 - 109.3 = +18.8
6. Duke: 128.1 - 109.3 = +18.8
7. Arkansas: 127.9 - 109.3 = +18.6
8. Vanderbilt: 127.1 - 109.3 = +17.8
9. Florida: 126.0 - 109.3 = +16.7
10. Wisconsin: 125.2 - 109.3 = +15.9
.....
If we were to use % better than the national average (ratio method), I don't think Michigan would be #1 here.
View attachment 51410
2026 Michigan adj. defense was 88.5. D1 average was 109.3.
Difference: -20.8
% better than average: -19.0%
2019 Texas Tech adj. defense was 84.1. D1 average was 104.4.
Difference: -20.3
% better than average: -19.4%
.....
Whatever method you use, I think Duke is going to be #1 with the offense:
View attachment 51411
Kenpom states, "But sure, you could measure the best teams against the 100th best team or the 50th best team, or something else, and get different answers. (Well, not for the best offense. It will always be ‘99 Duke unless you are doing something weird.)"
......
IMO, the most interesting stat: there's only been 3 defenses that were 20pts or better than the national average. Yet, Kenpom says there's been 25 offenses that were 20pts or better.
And based on my calculations, there's been ZERO defenses that were 20% better than the national average. But there's been several offenses that were (i.e. Purdue last year was 131.6 / 109.3 = 20.4%).
"Offense has more control of the game than the defense."
I don’t think Fears is the consensus preseason NPOY.
Which backcourt do you think is better? (Big Ten; last 10 years)
Oh stop that
For me it's Fears and it's not close.
I would highly suggest paying for KenPom if you don't already... It seems like every year it's worth my $20 or whatever it is per year; there are so many interesting things to dig into, and the way the stats are presented feels more tangible and approachable than Torvik (with that said, Torvik is a super good preseason reference).A little more thought on this Kenpom article:
View attachment 51408
It sounds like he’s subtracting the D1 points per possession from the team adjusted rating. Not dividing it like I originally thought.
So that +21.7 on Illinois, or +22.3 on Purdue — it isn’t the ratio better than the national average. It’s the difference from the national average.
To show the work:
Torvik has the D1 average for points per possession listed at 109.3 (which should be the same for Kenpom).
1. Purdue: 131.6 - 109.3 = +22.3
2. Illinois: 131.1 - 109.3 = +21.8 (0.1 difference, most certainly due to rounding)
3. Alabama: 129.7 - 109.3 = +20.4
4. Michigan: 128.2 - 109.3= +18.9
5. Arizona: 128.1 - 109.3 = +18.8
6. Duke: 128.1 - 109.3 = +18.8
7. Arkansas: 127.9 - 109.3 = +18.6
8. Vanderbilt: 127.1 - 109.3 = +17.8
9. Florida: 126.0 - 109.3 = +16.7
10. Wisconsin: 125.2 - 109.3 = +15.9
.....
If we were to use % better than the national average (ratio method), I don't think Michigan would be #1 here.
View attachment 51410
2026 Michigan adj. defense was 88.5. D1 average was 109.3.
Difference: -20.8
% better than average: -19.0%
2019 Texas Tech adj. defense was 84.1. D1 average was 104.4.
Difference: -20.3
% better than average: -19.4%
.....
Whatever method you use, I think Duke is going to be #1 with the offense:
View attachment 51411
Kenpom states, "But sure, you could measure the best teams against the 100th best team or the 50th best team, or something else, and get different answers. (Well, not for the best offense. It will always be ‘99 Duke unless you are doing something weird.)"
......
IMO, the most interesting stat: there's only been 3 defenses that were 20pts or better than the national average. Yet, Kenpom says there's been 25 offenses that were 20pts or better.
And based on my calculations, there's been ZERO defenses that were 20% better than the national average. But there's been several offenses that were (i.e. Purdue last year was 131.6 / 109.3 = 20.4%).
"Offense has more control of the game than the defense."
It'd be great if this were true, though it isn't.
I am dirt poor, and barely get by on rent lol.
Thought he was talking about Xaivian Lee (Florida)
Again with the PPG being the holy metric. I'll keep this strictly to Illinois - How about Terrence Shannon & Domask being two first-team All big ten guys? Would you really take Boyd & Blackwell over Ayo & Frazier? If so, that's crackers
Xavian Lee pissed a ton of FLA fans off.
I'll take Fears as well. It's a guards sport. Unless they were using Haugh in a Flagg type of role, point forward do it all, I don't think he impacts the game nearly as much.
www.cbssports.com
I'll take Fears as well. It's a guards sport. Unless they were using Haugh in a Flagg type of role, point forward do it all, I don't think he impacts the game nearly as much.
These are cool polls. Here is the latest, confirms some of the more recent discussion.
Candid Coaches: Who is the best college basketball team of the 21st century?
So many great teams, but coaches could only vote for one. A very close race brought about five who stood above the rest
What!? They weren’t even the best backcourt in the B1G last year.
I see it a bit differently, both on recent and historical data, when it counts.
Mirks injury won’t be a factor by then.
