Excerpts
#3: Control the Glass
Along with valuing possessions, there is another way to maximize scoring chances, especially important in a pressure-packed, one-and-done environment.
Dominate the backboards.
Players come out tight in games with no certain future, which is a natural by-product of the human condition. Shooting percentages are generally down due to nerves, better opposition defense (and better opponents in general) during the NCAA Tournament, and many games played in massive dome arenas, which can throw off a shooter’s depth perception from certain areas of the floor.
One way to offset poor shooting is to create more opportunities to score. If at first you don’t score, shoot and shoot again.
Teams with better rebounding margins than their opponents went 33-15 over the first two rounds of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including a 12-4 mark in the second round.
The 2009 statistics throughout the early pages of this guide are instruments used to convey over-arching trends and also signs of an ever-changing game.
When it comes to statistics, the most current numbers are the best to use when evaluating trends—the actual 2010 numbers weren’t available as of this publication, but their general results supported current trends.
Always use the most current statistical trends when evaluating basketball fundamentals (offense, defense, turnovers, and rebounding).
#27: A Selection Committee’s Path to the Sweet 16
It is important to note the new pod system rewards better seeds with first- and second-round games closer to home. This is especially true for the top seeds, which are already more talented and polished, but now also get to play two games in a nearby city.
For example, Villanova has played games at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, while UCLA has hosted games in Anaheim. It creates an added advantage and is a reward from the selection committee for an excellent season. This isn’t a computer ranking or percentage, but it is a benefit factored in by the selection committee when putting together the bracket. You should use this tool when thinking about second-round upsets involving the top seeds.
Want more?...Get your copy today.
