The Defense Rests

(St. Louis, MO) – What would college basketball’s new officiating do to the game? We asked that question of the Missouri Valley and Big Ten coaches back in the October and wrote a story that can be found here on ValleyHoopsInsider.com. Now we have some preliminary findings.

We ran the numbers on our three “Valley” conferences and the early numbers indicate that the new rules are making a huge difference in the college game. I emphasize these are incomplete numbers since the season has just begun. However, if these trends continue, our game is drastically changed.  Is it better?  You be the judge.

SCORING IS UP in all three leagues. The Great Lakes Valley Conference finished 2012-13 with one team averaging 80 or more points per game and one allowing that many points.  As of this writing there  NINE teams scoring 80+, with three averaging 90 or more and three clubs allowing at least 80.

Missouri Valley Conference teams finished last year with three teams averaging over 70 points per game and none over 80.  At this juncture, eight of the ten teams are scoring more than 70 points and three are scoring more than 80!

How about the Ohio Valley Conference? The same number of teams from last year to this season are scoring 70 or more points, but last year none averaged 80 or more and right now five OVC schools are reaching that number on a nightly basis.

Today’s MVC press release says conference teams are shooting more free throws than ever before. If the trend continues the league will blow away the all-time charity stripe completions in the 100+ years of the conference.

When I watch games, it seems like there are a lot more lay ups.  With the emphasis to curb hand checking, players are more free to drive the lane. If I’m correct, shooting percentages should be improved too, not just the scoring averages.

Seven of ten MVC schools are shooting better than .475 from the field compared to one team doing that last year. In the GLVC, EIGHT teams are making at least half their shots! EIGHT at 50% or better! That’s compared to two achieving those heights last season. The OVC numbers are not noticeably  different from last year to this.

Teams from all three leagues are allowing significantly more points this year compared to 2012-13.

It’s early, but the numbers don’t lie.  The new rules mean more points and more free throws.  Is that better?  You decide?

Free Flowing or Free Throwing?

Do Good