As we approach the crucial time of the college basketball
season, let’s take a closer look at how games are won and
lost. If we look at each game through a microscope, we
will notice that there are several interesting areas that
can play a big role in determining the victor.
· Inbounds plays, especially baseline out of bounds
How many baseline inbounds situations are there in a game?
Enough to make a difference, I would suggest. If a team
can score on 3 or 4 inbounds situations, and conversely,
defend those situations well, this can make a tremendous
difference. Winning this “game within the game” can
certainly play a significant role in the outcome. A recent
example of a game-deciding inbounds situation was Wake
Forest’s 70-68 victory over Duke on James Johnson’s score
off a baseline inbounds play with 0.8 seconds remaining.
Though that was a high profile, game-deciding play, many
of these situations take place in every basketball game.
· Possessions following timeouts
With so many timeouts in the college game today, this is a
very interesting “game within the game.” Many coaches will
utilize timeouts to draw up or call special plays, or
change defensive looks. During the next game you watch,
see what teams do coming out of timeouts.
· Free throws
What is interesting here is not only the percentage a team
shoots, but how many times they get to the free throw
line. A high number of free throw attempts can suggest
that a team is aggressive and attacks the basket. It can
also, however, be simply a byproduct of a team’s style of
play, i.e. power vs. finesse. A quick look at the top and
bottom of the ACC: Through 21 games, Duke was 370/509
(72.7%) which breaks down to 17.6/24.2 per game. Georgia
Tech, on the other hand, through 20 games had shot 286/470
(60.9%) for an average of 14.3/23.5. Certainly, winning
teams will shoot more just by virtue of being ahead at the
end of games, but nonetheless this can be a telling
statistic.
· Crunch time
Obviously, execution in the last 4 minutes of games is
paramount. This is where the great teams and players
separate from the good. Great players and great teams make
plays with the game on the line. Good players and good
teams can make plays during the first 36 minutes. When the
crowd is in a frenzy, and the pressure is on in a tight
game with two minutes to go, greatness is measured.
Possibly overlooked, however, is the end of the first
half. How many times do you see a team end the half on a
run, make the big shot, or get the big stop going into
halftime? Though it is hard to measure, there is certainly
an emotional boost and momentum change when a team
finishes strong heading into the locker room at halftime.
Am I overanalyzing? Maybe I am in some cases, but there
are clearly statistical areas and game situations in which
winning teams excel. Then again, some teams just try to
outscore their opponents, like VMI in the Big South. At
17-4, the Keydets average 96 points per game, giving up
86. I am sure, however, that VMI has several “games within
the game” that they try to win, most likely including the
pace of the game, and the number of three pointers they
can launch.
These “games within the game” do not all show up in box
scores. A closer look at a game can yield some interesting
information.
Brian Doyle is an Assistant Principal and Associate Head
Coach at Centreville High School in Clifton, Virginia. Prior to
becoming Assistant Principal, Doyle was a high school head coach
for thirteen years. Brian also serves as member of the voting
panel for the prestigious Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year
Award.
