Conference-only stats

[RoyalShock]

https://static.theamerican.org/custompages/Stats/mbball/2019/confonly.htm

WSU has no players among the leaders in these statistical categories (number of players included among the leaders in parenthesis):

Rebounds/gm (20)
FG% (15)
Assists (15)
Steals (15)
A/TO ratio (15)
Off Rebs (15)
Def Rebs (15)

The kicker? We have 2 players among the top 6 in minutes played (MM and SHJ, no others in the top 30). Other than JE in blocks, they are the only ones to appear among the leaders in any of the other categories.

Takeaways:

- Fouls are keeping players (namely DD, JE and ES) off the floor, and thus our best rebounders are sitting.
- We aren't getting good shots and/or not hitting them when we do.
- Poor guard play, and lack of quickness among them. (assists/steals/turnovers)

It seems Marshall has little option left but to put the ball - and the team - in the hands of MM and SHJ. As much as we cringe at times from bad shots and bad decisions, we are going to have to deal with that for the rest of the season.

[SHOXAAC]

https://static.theamerican.org/custo...9/confonly.htm

WSU has no players among the leaders in these statistical categories (number of players included among the leaders in parenthesis):

Rebounds/gm (20)
FG% (15)
Assists (15)
Steals (15)
A/TO ratio (15)
Off Rebs (15)
Def Rebs (15)

The kicker? We have 2 players among the top 6 in minutes played (MM and SHJ, no others in the top 30). Other than JE in blocks, they are the only ones to appear among the leaders in any of the other categories.

Takeaways:

- Fouls are keeping players (namely DD, JE and ES) off the floor, and thus our best rebounders are sitting.
- We aren't getting good shots and/or not hitting them when we do.
- Poor guard play, and lack of quickness among them. (assists/steals/turnovers)

It seems Marshall has little option left but to put the ball - and the team - in the hands of MM and SHJ. As much as we cringe at times from bad shots and bad decisions, we are going to have to deal with that for the rest of the season.

Very good analysis Royal.

[shockerfan]

https://static.theamerican.org/custo...9/confonly.htm

WSU has no players among the leaders in these statistical categories (number of players included among the leaders in parenthesis):

Rebounds/gm (20)
FG% (15)
Assists (15)
Steals (15)
A/TO ratio (15)
Off Rebs (15)
Def Rebs (15)

The kicker? We have 2 players among the top 6 in minutes played (MM and SHJ, no others in the top 30). Other than JE in blocks, they are the only ones to appear among the leaders in any of the other categories.

Takeaways:

- Fouls are keeping players (namely DD, JE and ES) off the floor, and thus our best rebounders are sitting.
- We aren't getting good shots and/or not hitting them when we do.
- Poor guard play, and lack of quickness among them. (assists/steals/turnovers)

It seems Marshall has little option left but to put the ball - and the team - in the hands of MM and SHJ. As much as we cringe at times from bad shots and bad decisions, we are going to have to deal with that for the rest of the season.

I agree. As goes MM and SHJ...so goes the season.

People say bench people who arent playing well. However, those on the bench dont always play well either. So who do you replace them with? Even when those on the bench play well, they foul so much that they cant play many minutes.

It's what we are stuck with. Just have to pray MM and SHJ are not as bad most nights as they were last night for long stretches.

[SHOXAAC]

I agree. As goes MM and SHJ...so goes the season.

People say bench people who arent playing well. However, those on the bench dont always play well either. So who do you replace them with? Even when those on the bench play well, they foul so much that they cant play many minutes.

It's what we are stuck with. Just have to pray MM and SHJ are not as bad most nights as they were last night for long stretches.

MM and SHJ are our barometer on the season. Oh, how sad. Neither can lead. Both are selfish. One is always off balance or on the floor after minimal contact, while the other is good at going only east-west. Both can get hot for short stretches, but can't sustain quality long enough to help this team win and make visible progress. I still root for them and want them to be better. I also still think I will get lucky one day and win the big lottery.

[1972Shocker]

I think the chances of Markis and Samajae finishing strong and improving are a lot better than you winning the lottery. So all hope is not lost.

However, it will be very tough because they are marked men, especially Markis. Every opponent remaining will do their best to take away or limit the effectiveness of Markis and Samajae and let the other guys try to beat them.

So far the other guys have not exhibited the ability to make that happen.

[WstateU]

Hold on, Megan Fox is on the line...

https://media.giphy.com/media/kMRxj4etMzf44/giphy.gif

[RoyalShock]

I decided to look at the production of MM/SHJ in wins vs. losses (entire season so far):

Combined points in wins: 34.1 (MM 20.1, SHJ 14)
Combined points in losses: 30.1 (MM 18.4, SHJ 11.7)

Combined FG% in wins: 43% (MM 47%, SHJ 38.9%)
Combined FG% in losses: 37.5% (MM 40.2%, SHJ 34.3%)

Pretty much accounts for the point difference.

Points by the rest of the team:
Wins: 43
Losses: 45.1

I'm no statistician, but I'm not sure that's a big enough difference to lay wins or losses at the feet of MM/SHJ.

So I started looking at turnovers, fouls and FTs between wins and losses, WSU and opponents.

Turnovers in wins: WSU 12.8, Opp 13.3
Turnovers in losses: WSU 15, Opp 13.4

Surprisingly, not the disparity I expected.

Fouls in wins: WSU 18.4, Opp 18
Fouls in losses: WSU 22.4, Opp 18 (Ah, now we're getting somewhere)

How do those fouls affect FTs attempted?

In wins: WSU 19.5, Opp 19.6
In losses: WSU 16.1, Opp 26.2

10 fewer FTs attempted per game in losses (overall, WSU has attempted 102 fewer FTs in 18 games than their opponents)

That brings us to made FTs.

In wins: WSU 13.4 (68.6%), Opp 12.3 (62.4%)
In losses: WSU 10.9 (67.7%), Opp 19.8 (75.6%)

Our avg margin of defeat in losses is 6.8.

Clearly, if we're treated fairly by the refs, we have a good chance of winning. :)

But seriously, it seems the most glaring difference between WSU and it's opponents between wins and losses is fouls and FT shooting.

[pinstripers]

We need to feed the post, drive and dish, and the fouls even out some.

[FadedCrown]

This further establishes what we thought after the Alabama game, we repeatedly fouled one of the worst free throw teams in the country, let alone "Power 6" or "Major 7", and they go to hit 31-33.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

This is great analysis

[MadDog]

Royal, I think your stats may be a little distorted by our “buy” games. The buy games probably makes us look a little closer to our peer opponents than we actually are.

[FadedCrown]

This is conference only stats, so no "buy games" are included. Only games against American opponents.