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WVU-Kansas: The Numbers Don't Lie
January 24, 2017 01:43 PM | Men's Basketball
“Statistics are for losers to measure how they lost …” I forget who said this - it may have been former Georgetown coach John Thompson No. 1, or Ron Burgundy - but at the risk of becoming one great, big loser, I’m going to tap into my inner KenPom and drop some serious numbers on you before tonight’s game against Kansas.
I have spent all morning compiling the statistical data from West Virginia’s eight regular season games against Kansas dating back to 2013 - four in Morgantown and four in Lawrence - plugged all of the numbers into the bad boy pictured below, took some Advil and here is what I came up with:
The Kansas Jayhawks play far better in Allen Fieldhouse than they do in the WVU Coliseum against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
So, you are a little skeptical?
You need me to drop some quick math on you to back it up, huh?
Well let’s just go to my trusty Little Professor calculator I once used back in the day when chalk boards were still popular and it was inappropriate for students to write left-handed.
What Little Professor tells me is that against West Virginia, Kansas has made nine fewer field goals, tried 28 fewer shots, scored 65 fewer points, handed out 24 fewer assists, made 15 fewer blocks, produced nine fewer steals and committed 13 more turnovers at the Coliseum than it has in Allen Fieldhouse.
On the other hand, when the Jayhawks play the Mountaineers in Allen Fieldhouse, they have shot nearly 50 percent, limited West Virginia to just 35.9 field goal shooting, blocked seven more shots, attempted six more free throws and made five more from the line than in Morgantown.
The three biggest home/away statistical discrepancies for Kansas are blocked shots (32 at home to 17 in Morgantown), assists (64 at home to 40 in Morgantown) and free throws attempted (127 at home to 98 in Morgantown).
West Virginia’s home/away numbers reveal more 3-point field goal attempts, more fouls and more turnovers, while it has missed more field goals, more 3-point field goals and more free throws in Lawrence.
The old dot matrix printer doesn’t work anymore, so bear with this cumbersome transfer of essential data from the personal notepad to the word processor.
Old-school computing power reveals that Kansas plays far better against West Virginia in Allen Fieldhouse than it does in the WVU Coliseum.
Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse-WVU Coliseum total statistical differential:
FG-A
(-9) - (-28)
3FG-A
(+4) - (-7)
FT-A
(-31) - (-29)
Offensive-Defensive-Total Rebounds
(+2) - (-2) - (0)
PF
(-1)
Points
(-65)
Assists
(-24)
Turnovers
(+13)
Blocks
(-15)
Steals
(-9)
And, here is West Virginia’s WVU Coliseum-Allen Fieldhouse total statistical differential (you will notice from these numbers that West Virginia plays far better at the Coliseum against Kansas than it does against the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse, by the way):
FG-A
(-5) - (-9)
3FG-A
(-3) - (-25)
FT-A
(+9) - (+12)
Offensive-Defensive-Total Rebounds
(-1) - (0) - (-1)
PF
(-19)
Points
(+16)
Assists
(-3)
Turnovers
(-18)
Blocks
(-1)
Steals
(+7)
So, there you have it!
Kansas plays far better at home against West Virginia than it does on the road, or, perhaps it is vice-versa - West Virginia plays far better at home than it does on the road against Kansas.
The math doesn’t lie.
Isn’t it amazing what statistical research can reveal these days?
Or, you can go the old John Thompson route and simply trust your eyes!
We’ll see you at the Coliseum later tonight.
Otherwise, tune in to ESPN at 7 p.m., turn down the volume and put on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG radio broadcast to check out what could add up to be another very interesting West Virginia-Kansas basketball game.
College Basketball Crown Recap
Thursday, April 16
Ross Hodge, Honor Huff & Brenen Lorient | Oklahoma Postgame
Sunday, April 05
Ross Hodge, Treysen Eaglestaff & Brenen Lorient | Creighton Postgame
Saturday, April 04
Ross Hodge & Honor Huff | Stanford Postgame
Thursday, April 02
