UNC's ranking nationally, statistically speaking

[Archer2]

I always like to look at the national stats about halfway through the season just to see how we match up. There is generally a direct correlation between these key stats and the success a team is having in any given year. We all know UNC has a pretty good club this year and the stats bear that out. This is one of my favorite sites for stats and below the link are our current national rankings in some key categories.

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/602

Points per game: 4th
Scoring offense: 4th
Scoring margin: 4th
Total assists: 2nd
Assists per game: 4th
Assist to TO ratio: 24th
Defensive rebounds per game: 8th
Offensive rebounds per game: 2nd
Rebound margin: 1st
Total rebounds: 1st
FT's attempted: 5th
FG% defense: 52nd(40.4%)
FG%: 49th(47.6%)

Those are some pretty impressive stats, especially with regards to rebounding and assists. Rebounds and assists lead directly to our impressive scoring stats.

 

[Steat]

NCAA title stats there.

It really makes a difference when you have some shooters on the team. Also, with good free throw shooters. It was real ugly a few years a go when this chat board was flooded with comments about poor shooting.

 

[Tom79]

Nice Arch, I would expect those numbers, like the Assist to TO ratio to improve.
I noticed our TO's last game were 9 for the team. The '05 and '0-9 teams average 10 or less...those are NCAA Championship numbers!

 

[Raising Heel]

Good stuff, Archer. You might like this link: http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary?sportCode=MBB

You'll have to click through the options: Division I --> 2016-17 --> Thru Games [most recent date] --> North Carolina. Once you do that, it'll give you all the rankings/stats for UNC on a single page, plus our team leaders in each major statistical category.

It's oversimplifying to say national champions are defined by one stat, but I've always liked looking at defensive field goal percentage. With few exceptions, national championship teams generally have held their opponents to around 40% shooting or less.

2016 Villanova - 40.3%
2015 dook - 42.2%
2014 Connecticut - 39.2%
2013 Louisville - 39.5%
2012 Kentucky - 37.4%
2011 Connecticut - 39.8%
2010 dook - 40.1%
2009 North Carolina - 41.0%
2008 Kansas - 38.3%
2007 Florida - 40.7%
2006 Florida - 39.9%
2005 North Carolina - 40.1%

 

[Raising Heel]

The '05 and '0-9 teams average 10 or less...those are NCAA Championship numbers!

The 2005 team averaged 16.1 turnovers per game. The 2009 team averaged 12.4 turnovers per game. We're currently at 13.2 which isn't great but isn't awful either based on our pace.

 

[UNC '92]

The 2005 team averaged 16.1 turnovers per game. The 2009 team averaged 12.4 turnovers per game. We're currently at 13.2 which isn't great but isn't awful either based on our pace.

Some of which is likely relative to the high number of possessions we get.

 

[Raising Heel]

Some of which is likely relative to the high number of possessions we get.

Yeah, turnovers per possession would be a more apples-to-apples stat. Not sure if anyone tracks that particular metric.

 

[Tom79]

The 2005 team averaged 16.1 turnovers per game. The 2009 team averaged 12.4 turnovers per game. We're currently at 13.2 which isn't great but isn't awful either based on our pace.

Thanks for the truer numbers, I was going on memory...or that's my story!
If we can get that number close to 10 and keep it there...it will be a special finish to the season.

 

[Archer2]

Some of which is likely relative to the high number of possessions we get.

I can live with 13.2 TO's per game at our scoring pace.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

Yeah, turnovers per possession would be a more apples-to-apples stat. Not sure if anyone tracks that particular metric.

If only we had someone who could track obscure metrics that aren't usually listed in the box score...

 

[Archer2]

Good stuff, Archer. You might like this link: http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary?sportCode=MBB

You'll have to click through the options: Division I --> 2016-17 --> Thru Games [most recent date] --> North Carolina. Once you do that, it'll give you all the rankings/stats for UNC on a single page, plus our team leaders in each major statistical category.

It's oversimplifying to say national champions are defined by one stat, but I've always liked looking at defensive field goal percentage. With few exceptions, national championship teams generally have held their opponents to around 40% shooting or less.

2016 Villanova - 40.3%
2015 dook - 42.2%
2014 Connecticut - 39.2%
2013 Louisville - 39.5%
2012 Kentucky - 37.4%
2011 Connecticut - 39.8%
2010 dook - 40.1%
2009 North Carolina - 41.0%
2008 Kansas - 38.3%
2007 Florida - 40.7%
2006 Florida - 39.9%
2005 North Carolina - 40.1%

Outstanding RH. That's much easier than cycling through them one at a time. Thanks, buddy.

 

[tarheel0910]

If only we had someone who could track obscure metrics that aren't usually listed in the box score...

 

[Prof C]

Great finds Archer and Raising Heel! I played around with those sites to look at last year's UNC stats to get a sense of how this year's team matches up.

First ranking is 16-17 from Archer; in parentheses is ranking for 15-16

Points per game: 4th (10th)
Scoring offense: 4th (10th)
Scoring margin: 4th (9th)
Total assists: 2nd (2nd)
Assists per game: 4th (4th)
Assist to TO ratio: 24th (3rd)
Def RBs per game: 8th (91st)
Off RBs per game: 2nd (7th)
Rebound margin: 1st (9th)
Total rebounds: 1st (1st)
FT's attempted: 5th (34th)
FG% defense: 52nd; 40.4% (78th; 41.6%)
FG%: 49th;47.6% (17th; 48.2%)

This year's team is ranked the same or better in every category except Assist to TO and FG%. Dayum dem look like title numbers alright!

 

[Archer2]

I've been off this week so I've had some extra time. Thought I'd take this a step further and compare our national rankings to those of the Devils and the Wildcats.

Scoring offense: 4th(21st)(2nd)
Scoring margin: 4th(7th)(3rd)
Total assists: 2nd(172nd)(18th)
Assists per game: 4th(168th)(8th)
Assist to TO ratio: 24th(97th)(5th)
Def RBs per game: 8th(67th)(77th)
Off RBs per game: 2nd(132nd)(11th)
Rebound margin: 1st(45th)(44th)
Total rebounds: 1st(96th)(25th)
FT's attempted: 5th(50th)(14th)
FG% defense: 52nd(115th)(92nd)
FG%: 49th(33rd)(15th)

As you would expect, UNC and Kentucky's numbers are better than those of d00k. A couple of things stand out to me. First, d00k's lack of a true PG is reflected in their assist numbers, which are subpar for them. They also struggle on the offensive glass. And who would believe that we'd rank 52nd in FG% defense and they'd rank 115th?

The numbers reflect that we are serious title contenders, barring any serious injuries.