Tournament’s best and worst
A by-the-numbers comparison of offences, defences, shooting, rebounding and more at March Madness
Every team, from the favourite to a No. 16 seed, has its strengths and weaknesses. But a few NCAA tournament teams really stand out from the crowd this year.
Best offence
Villanova is a favourite to win it all, thanks to its fearsome offence, which averages 122.7 points per 100 possessions, the best figure in Division I. That is also the highest offensive rating since 2009-10, when College-Basketball-Reference began keeping the stat. Six Villanova players average at least 10 points a game, led by the third-year guard Jalen Brunson and the swingman Mikal Bridges, and forward Eric Paschall is shooting 64 per cent from the floor. Villanova has scored 100 points four times this season, and at least 90 in 10 other games.
Worst: Wright State, the No. 14 seed in the South Region, is averaging 102.3 points per
100 possessions, better than more than 100 Division I schools but worst among those that made the tournament.
Best defence
Cincinnati gave up a mere 86 points per 100 possessions this season while racing to a 30-4 record.
“Up until now, it’s probably the best defensive team that’s probably played at Cincinnati, ever,” coach Mick Cronin told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We’re not relying on playing one defence. Contrary to popular belief, we play more than one defence. We just don’t talk about it.”
College-Basketball-Reference rates Bearcats forward Gary Clark as the best defensive player in the country and has three other Cincinnati players in the top 20.
Worst: Texas Southern, the only team in the tournament with a losing record (15-19), allows 109.1 points per 100 possessions.
Best 3-point shooters
Purdue shot 42 per cent from the 3-point line, although Villanova made the most total 3s. Guard Dakota Mathias made 46 per cent of his attempts, the best figure of any player in the tournament, with three other starters hitting at 39 per cent or more.
Worst: Texas is not filled with sharpshooters this year, hitting only 32 per cent of its 3-point attempts.
Best at defending the 3
Penn’s opponents shot only 29 per cent from outside the 3-point line. Top-seeded Kansas (40 per cent on the season) will test that in the first round.
Worst: Surprisingly, North Carolina struggled to defend the 3, allowing 38 per cent shooting to opponents. Virginia shot 53 per cent (9 for 17) against the Tar Heels in the ACC title game.
Fastest
Bring your oxygen tanks when playing Lipscomb, a No. 15 seed that likes to run. The team averaged 77 possessions per game this season. Oklahoma and Marshall are close behind.
Slowest: For the third year in a row, Virginia was the most methodical team in the nation, averaging 60.5 possessions. It worked, as the Cavaliers’ 31-2 record attests. The team never gave up more than 68 points in a game. If it meets the defensive wizards from Cincinnati in the regionals, bet the under.
Passing, rebounding, shot blocking
Michigan State, a No. 3 seed, looks good from a lot of analytic angles. The Spartans lead the nation in assist percentage (Cassius Winston averages 7 per game), rebound percentage (Nick Ward and Miles Bridges, 7 per game), and shot-blocking percentage (Jaren Jackson Jr., 3 per game). Those numbers have prompted a lot of prognosticators to see the third-seeded Spartans as a top contender to win the tough Midwest bracket.
Worst: Passing, College of Charleston; rebounding, Marshall; shot-blocking, South Dakota State.
Best from the line
Davidson makes 80 per cent of its free throws. But its most famous graduate is unimpressed. Stephen Curry made 88 per cent in college and is at 90 per cent for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Worst: Trailing New Mexico State late? Consider fouling. The Aggies shoot only 64 per cent from the line as a team.
Best at getting to the line
Drawing fouls is a skill, and often an underrated one. Cal State Fullerton managed 0.44 free throw attempts for every field goal attempt, with guard Kyle Allman getting to the line an average of eight times a game.
Worst: Although Davidson usually makes its free throws, it does not draw that many, just 0.25 for every field goal attempt.
Best at protecting the ball
Of all the teams in the NCAA field, it was 12th-seeded South Dakota State that took care of the ball better than any other, surrendering it just 12.2 times per 100 possessions.
Worst: Missouri, by contrast, was a little sloppy, averaging 18.2. Seven of its players had 1.5 turnovers per game or more.