Several weeks into conference play, the story continues to be that the increase in the number of possessions per game is having a large effect on the 5.29 points per game scoring increase (5.26 PPG in conference games). The number of possessions per game has increased while it also more difficult to defend.
CONFERENCE GAMES ONLY
- Scoring is up 5.26 points per team, per game over 2014-15 (from 67.1 to 72.3 PPG), yet up only 1.4% points per possession through conference games on the third Sunday in January.
- Possessions are up 4.15 per team, per game (up 5.7%) over the same period from 2014-15 to 2015-16.
- 81% of the scoring increase can be attributed to the increased pace of play (number of possessions). 19% is attributable to increased offensive efficiency (points per possession).
- Field goal attempts (up 6.5%), 3-pt attempts (up 8.8%), and free throw attempts (up 4.7%) are all up. FGAs are up only slightly on a per possession basis (up 0.2%) while 3-ptA per possession are up 2.3% per possession. Free throw attempts are down 1.5% per possession.
- Slightly more 3’s are being attempted. 35.0% of all shots are 3’s this year, up from 34.2% of shots in 2014-15 and 32.9% of shots in 2013-14.
- Steals and blocks are down slightly. Turnovers per game are up 2.4% overall, but down 3.7% per possession.
- Fouls are up 1.12 per team, per game (up 6.1%), but are actually down 0.2% per possession (virtually even).
Data includes all conference games. All data is per team, per game. The period measured in each season is from the start of conference games through the third Sunday after New Year’s Day.
ALL GAMES (NON-CONFERENCE AND CONFERENCE)
- Scoring is up 5.29 points per team, per game over 2014-15 (up 7.8%), yet up only 1.9% points per possession. Scoring is also higher than the 71.6 points per game teams averaged through the third Sunday after New Year’s Day in 2013-14.
- Possessions are up 3.88 per team, per game (up 5.8%) from 2014-15 to 2015-16.
- 74% of the scoring increase can be attributed to the increased pace of play (number of possessions). 26% is attributable to increased offensive efficiency (points per possession).
- Field goal attempts (up 6.7%), 3-pt attempts (up 10.0%), and free throw attempts (up 4.2%) are all up. FGAs are up slightly on a per possession basis (up 0.9%) while 3-ptA per possession are up 4.0% per possession. Free throw attempts are down 1.5% per possession.
- Slightly more 3’s are being attempted. 35.3% of all shots are 3’s this year, up from 34.2% of shots in 2014-15 and 33.0% of shots in 2013-14.
- Steals, blocked shots, and turnovers are all down slightly per game despite possessions trending up.
- Fouls are up 1.00 per team, per game (up 5.4%), but are down 0.4% per possession (virtually even). 1.08 free throws are attempted for each foul, down from 1.09 in 2014-15 and 1.16 in 2013-14 (which means a very slight increase in non-shooting fouls).
- 86.7% of the scoring increase is from made FG’s (46.4% from made 2’s, 40.5% from made 3’s) while 13.1% of the increase is from additional made free throws. The 5.29 PPG increase includes 2.45 PPG from made 2’s (1.23 more made 2’s), 2.14 PPG from made 3’s (0.71 more made 3’s per game), and 0.69 more made free throws.
- In 2015-16, 50.7% of points come from made 2’s, 29.2% from made 3’s, and 20.1% from made free throws. In 2014-15, 51.0% of points came from made 2’s, 28.3% of points from made 3’s, and 20.6% from made free throws over the same period of time.
Data includes all games involving a Division I team. All data is per team, per game. The period measured in each season is from the start of the season through the third Sunday after New Year’s Day (note that the 2013-14 season was one week longer as a result).
