2 questions:

[BioShock]

I tried doing some brief Internet research that proved to be a lot more difficult than what I expected, so figured some of you that are a lot faster at stats could answer this pretty quickly. Here's what I'm looking for:

1) How do you think this team compares to the sweet16 team of 2006? (more looking at team statistical comparisons, as opposed to Stutz vs Miller, Toure vs Cooz, etc)

2) When was the last time a Valley team won the conference with less than 4 losses?

[_kai_]

I tried doing some brief Internet research that proved to be a lot more difficult than what I expected, so figured some of you that are a lot faster at stats could answer this pretty quickly. Here's what I'm looking for:

1) How do you think this team compares to the sweet16 team of 2006? (more looking at team statistical comparisons, as opposed to Stutz vs Miller, Toure vs Cooz, etc)

2) When was the last time a Valley team won the conference with less than 4 losses?

MSU won last year with only 3 conference losses.

[shox1989]

MSU won last year with only 3 conference losses.

And still failed to get an at-large birth to the big dance. The first Valley outright regular season champ to do so since the early 90s.

[_kai_]

This year's stats.

How to read this by column: Total stat, National Rank, Conference Rank, Total conference stat, conference national ranking, conference rank

Total Games	24	66	5	24	206	1	Chart	Chart
Wins	20	12	2	4	12	1	Chart	Chart
Losses	4	320	9	20	325	9	Chart	Chart
Winning Pct	83.3	15	2	16.7	15	2	Chart	See below
Possessions	1659	77	4	1659	266	7	Chart	Chart
Possessions Per 40 minutes	69.1	92	2	69.1	249	9	Chart	Chart
Floor Pct	55.2	33	2	46.4	27	1	Chart	Chart
Efficiency	112.5	19	2	91.3	29	1	Chart	Chart
Field Goals Made	655	21	2	535	146	2	Chart	Chart
Field Goal Attempts	1374	76	3	1343	248	8	Chart	Chart
Field Goal Pct	47.7	30	2	39.8	39	1	Chart	Chart
Free Throws Made	397	41	2	321	184	6	Chart	Chart
Free Throw Attempts	539	59	3	475	201	6	Chart	Chart
Free Throw Pct	73.7	39	2	67.6	111	4	Chart	Chart
3-pt Field Goals Made	159	111	4	124	73	2	Chart	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Attempts	456	106	4	415	157	4	Chart	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Pct	34.9	144	6	29.9	28	1	Chart	Chart
Effective Field Goal Pct	53.5	35	2	44.5	32	1	Chart	Chart
True Shooting Pct	57.2	26	2	48.3	27	1	Chart	Chart
Free Throw Rate	39.2	106	4	35.4	169	6	Chart	Chart
Field Goal Point Pct	53.2	147	4	54.3	245	9	Chart	Chart
Free Throw Point Pct	21.3	119	7	21.2	211	6	Chart	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Point Pct	25.6	203	7	24.6	80	3	Chart	Chart
Points Per Possessions	1.12	19	2	0.91	24	1	Chart	Chart
Points	1866	23	2	1515	127	1	Chart	Chart
Points Per Game	77.8	24	2	63.1	77	3	Chart	Chart
Rebound Pct	53.3	45	1	46.7	45	1	Chart	Chart
Total Rebounds	914	29	2	767	116	2	Chart	Chart
Total Rebounds Per Game	38.1	41	1	32	70	2	Chart	Chart
Offensive Reb Pct	33.9	132	1	27.3	22	4	Chart	Chart
Offensive Rebounds	269	149	2	242	111	5	Chart	Chart
Offensive Rebounds Per Game	11.2	176	2	10.1	79	6	Chart	Chart
Defensive Reb Pct	72.7	22	4	66.1	132	1	Chart	Chart
Defensive Rebounds	645	11	2	525	143	2	Chart	Chart
Defensive Rebounds Per Game	26.9	13	2	21.9	98	2	Chart	Chart
Team Rebounds	67	233	6	90	300	10	Chart	Chart
Team Rebounds Per Game	2.8	245	5	3.8	292	10	Chart	Chart
Assist Pct	53.6	178	6	50.1	97	4	Chart	Chart
Assists	351	46	3	268	101	2	Chart	Chart
Assists Per Game	14.6	55	3	11.2	74	2	Chart	Chart
Assist to Turnover	1.17	44	4	0.81	94	4	Chart	Chart
Steal Pct	9.5	196	5	8.1	39	1	Chart	Chart
Steals	158	155	5	135	78	3	Chart	Chart
Steals Per Game	6.6	168	4	5.6	56	3	Chart	Chart
Turnover Pct	18.1	297	8	20	131	6	Chart	Chart
Turnovers	301	240	6	331	184	6	Chart	Chart
Turnovers Per Game	12.5	278	6	13.8	151	7	Chart	Chart
Block Pct	7	121	2	5.7	130	9	Chart	Chart
Blocks	94	94	1	78	182	9	Chart	Chart
Blocks Per Game	3.9	111	1	3.2	144	9	Chart	Chart
Fouls	425	168	7	469	282	7	Chart	Chart
Fouls Per Game	17.7	214	5	19.5	267	8	Chart	Chart
Disqualifications	5	274	9	7	91	2	Chart	Chart

2006 Stats

Total Games	35	9	1	20	37	3	Chart
Wins	26	15	1	15	26	1	Chart
Losses	9	288	9	5	271	10	Chart
Winning Pct	74.3	29	1	75	37	1	See below
Possessions	2263	38	2	1281	100	5	Chart
Possessions Per 40 minutes	64.7	286	7	64	268	6	Chart
Floor Pct	53.7	74	1	51.8	150	3	Chart
Efficiency	107	65	1	104.8	128	1	Chart
Field Goals Made	839	53	2	462	99	3	Chart
Field Goal Attempts	1903	31	2	1083	73	3	Chart
Field Goal Pct	44.1	151	3	42.7	216	5	Chart
Free Throws Made	507	35	2	277	99	3	Chart
Free Throw Attempts	700	47	1	372	130	4	Chart
Free Throw Pct	72.4	61	2	74.5	42	2	Chart
3-pt Field Goals Made	237	45	1	141	58	1	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Attempts	648	56	1	379	75	1	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Pct	36.6	81	2	37.2	87	1	Chart
Effective Field Goal Pct	50.3	132	3	49.1	180	4	Chart
True Shooting Pct	54.1	116	3	53.2	157	4	Chart
Free Throw Rate	36.7	143	5	34.3	219	6	Chart
Field Goal Point Pct	69.2	250	8	68.8	238	7	Chart
Free Throw Point Pct	20.9	120	5	20.6	156	5	Chart
3-pt Field Goal Point Pct	29.3	121	5	31.5	88	3	Chart
Points Per Possessions	1.1	1	1	1	123	1	Chart
Points	2422	33	1	1342	87	2	Chart
Points Per Game	69.2	155	3	67.1	196	3	Chart
Rebound Pct	53.4	27	2	51.7	85	2	Chart
Total Rebounds	1317	8	1	742	29	2	Chart
Total Rebounds Per Game	37.6	45	1	37.1	56	1	Chart
Offensive Reb Pct	36	94	2	34.1	146	5	Chart
Offensive Rebounds	425	40	2	231	90	4	Chart
Offensive Rebounds Per Game	12.1	139	4	11.6	156	3	Chart
Defensive Reb Pct	70.9	14	2	69.2	52	3	Chart
Defensive Rebounds	892	7	1	511	17	2	Chart
Defensive Rebounds Per Game	25.5	23	1	25.6	22	2	Chart
Team Rebounds	115	48	1	66	74	3	Chart
Team Rebounds Per Game	3.3	153	5	3.3	128	3	Chart
Assist Pct	63.1	35	1	59	97	3	Chart
Assists	530	24	2	273	72	2	Chart
Assists Per Game	15.1	79	2	13.7	131	3	Chart
Assist to Turnover	1.2	17	1	1.1	49	1	Chart
Steal Pct	8	308	9	7.9	298	9	Chart
Steals	183	246	8	102	243	9	Chart
Steals Per Game	5.2	316	9	5.1	303	9	Chart
Turnover Pct	19.8	260	9	19.8	229	9	Chart
Turnovers	449	145	6	254	146	8	Chart
Turnovers Per Game	12.8	289	9	12.7	254	9	Chart
Block Pct	3.2	318	10	3.4	307	10	Chart
Blocks	64	287	10	39	261	10	Chart
Blocks Per Game	1.8	313	10	2	296	10	Chart
Fouls	547	176	5	326	162	7	Chart
Fouls Per Game	15.6	312	9	16.3	295	9	Chart
Disqualifications	6	291	8	3	281	8	Chart

[wufan]

1) Statistically, this team is far more dominant that the team in 06. We are near the top of the NCAA in scoring efficiency and margin as well as defensive efficiency. I know you aren't looking at player comparisons, but this team has very similar personnel to that team. What this team lacks is the fiery, win at all cost attitude of Breauer and the selfless team play of PJ which results in a lack of chemistry.

2) I assume you mean less than 4 conference losses: Last year MSU was 15-3. Two years ago UNI was 15-3. Three years ago Drake was 15-3.

[NCAABound]

This years team is better offensively (not 3-point shooting though). However, that could be because 2006 was about the height of "ugly ball" across the Valley...where defense/mugging was encouraged.

Most of the other stats are a wash (rebounds, assists, free throws).

From a player standpoint, both teams are similar IMO. Big man leading in scoring, but a pretty balanced attack overall.

[Kung Wu]

What this team lacks is the fiery, win at all cost attitude of Breauer and the selfless team play of PJ which results in a lack of chemistry.

Fiery = Ragland
Selfless = Carl Hall + Ben Smith

[ABC]

UNI won the MVC in 2012 at 15-3
Drake was 15-3 in 2008
SIU was 15-3 in 2007
SIU was 15-3 in 2005
SIU was 17-1 in 2004
SIU was 16-2 in 2003

Man, SIU had a helluva run.

http://epublish.multiad.com/MVC_MB_2011/#/1/

[JohannSebastianShock]

I'm fairly inexpert at this image insertion thing, but here's KenPom's comparison:

2006v2012.JPG

[Kung Wu]

Nobody has posted the "luck" ratings. 2006 had to have had a higher luck factor than 2012 so far.

[ISASO]

A quick look revealed this for me:
The 2012 team is better offensively and defensively as guaged by FG% and an average of 77.8 points per game compared to 69.2 in 2006. The 2006 team had slightly more assists per game, very slightly more turnovers per game but 1.4 fewer steals than the 2012 team, which is a pretty large number. The '06 team was noticeably better shooting 3-balls, mostly due to Ogirri(.442) and Wilson(.429), but overall the '06 team was better by a tally of .366 to .349 in that department. The rebounding margin is wider this season, 6.6 compared to 5.6.

[Dan]

This years team is deeper with more talent sitting on the bench. This year has better leadership and is also very selfless. The '06 team had an awesome inside-outside game with our starting 5. This year is better inside, but weaker outside, which is a shame considering the potential we have with Kyles, Smith and Ragland but something is seriously wrong right now with our shooting.

In '06 we got really lucky to get that draw in the NCAA's. Getting in is the hard part, after that it's a matter of matchups.

[JohannSebastianShock]

Nobody has posted the "luck" ratings. 2006 had to have had a higher luck factor than 2012 so far.

Actualy, the team this year is "luckier"

WSU 2012: +.031 (96th in the country)
WSU 2006: +.022 (86th in the country)

So in terms of relative to everyone else, yes they were ten spots luckier in 2006, but the "over-/under-performance" that luck measures in the winning percentage vs. predicted is higher in this team, but only slightly.

[Shocktoberfest]

And last year's team was better than both by the end of the season.

[wufan]

This year has better leadership and is also very selfless.

I disagree with the above statement. Perhaps it's hind-site, but I remember LOVING the way the 06 team played as a TEAM. This year I LOVE our talent, but feel that Chemistry is lacking. This team might be riding Stutz like the horse he is, but I don't think they want to. I think Murry and Ragland are competing against Stutz to be that guy. Also, neither Ragland nor Murry know how to make an entry pass to a post that has position. They continually either don't make the pass or make a horrible pass that results in a TO. Combine the "passing" with the fact that the seven footer continually has to get up off the floor by himself and I don't see leadership or selflessness from two of our top three players.