Reviewing the Last Few Years by the Stats

[DSMok1]

This is a preview of Box Plus/Minus for the NCAA, which will be released on Basketball Reference next week.

I thought I'd take a look back over the past few seasons and see how the team has progressed.

FYI, BPM is points per 100 possessions above or below NCAA average the player is; OBPM is the offensive component, and DBPM is the defensive component.

╔══════╦═══════════════════╦═══════╦═════╦══════╦══════╦══════╦══════╦══════╗
║ Year ║      Player       ║ Class ║ Pos ║ Min% ║ MPG  ║ BPM  ║ OBPM ║ DBPM ║
╠══════╬═══════════════════╬═══════╬═════╬══════╬══════╬══════╬══════╬══════╣
║ 2015 ║ Ryan Spangler     ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 77%  ║ 30.9 ║ 8.5  ║ 4.4  ║ 4.1  ║
║ 2015 ║ Buddy Hield       ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 78%  ║ 31.5 ║ 8.0  ║ 7.6  ║ 0.3  ║
║ 2015 ║ Isaiah Cousins    ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 75%  ║ 30.3 ║ 5.1  ║ 3.2  ║ 1.9  ║
║ 2015 ║ TaShawn Thomas    ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 70%  ║ 28.1 ║ 3.8  ║ 0.5  ║ 3.4  ║
║ 2015 ║ Jordan Woodard    ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 76%  ║ 30.7 ║ 3.1  ║ 1.6  ║ 1.6  ║
║ 2015 ║ Khadeem Lattin    ║ FR    ║ F   ║ 28%  ║ 11.7 ║ 4.2  ║ -1.1 ║ 5.3  ║
║ 2015 ║ D.J. Bennett      ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 20%  ║ 9.2  ║ 1.5  ║ -2.2 ║ 3.7  ║
║ 2015 ║ Frank Booker      ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 28%  ║ 13.3 ║ 0.3  ║ 1.0  ║ -0.6 ║
║ 2015 ║ Dinjiyl Walker    ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 32%  ║ 12.9 ║ -2.4 ║ -1.9 ║ -0.5 ║
║      ║                   ║       ║     ║      ║      ║      ║      ║      ║
║ 2014 ║ Buddy Hield       ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 79%  ║ 32.1 ║ 5.0  ║ 6.4  ║ -1.4 ║
║ 2014 ║ Ryan Spangler     ║ SO    ║ F   ║ 72%  ║ 29.2 ║ 5.6  ║ 3.8  ║ 1.8  ║
║ 2014 ║ Isaiah Cousins    ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 73%  ║ 29.5 ║ 4.1  ║ 3.8  ║ 0.3  ║
║ 2014 ║ Cameron Clark     ║ SR    ║ G   ║ 69%  ║ 27.7 ║ 1.7  ║ 3.1  ║ -1.4 ║
║ 2014 ║ Jordan Woodard    ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 69%  ║ 28.0 ║ 0.4  ║ 2.3  ║ -2.0 ║
║ 2014 ║ Tyler Neal        ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 37%  ║ 15.4 ║ 1.7  ║ 3.1  ║ -1.4 ║
║ 2014 ║ Frank Booker      ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 34%  ║ 14.1 ║ 1.4  ║ 3.5  ║ -2.1 ║
║ 2014 ║ Je'lon Hornbeak   ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 40%  ║ 18.2 ║ 0.1  ║ 1.3  ║ -1.2 ║
║ 2014 ║ D.J. Bennett      ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 22%  ║ 9.1  ║ 1.0  ║ -1.2 ║ 2.3  ║
║      ║                   ║       ║     ║      ║      ║      ║      ║      ║
║ 2013 ║ Romero Osby       ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 71%  ║ 28.5 ║ 7.2  ║ 6.1  ║ 1.1  ║
║ 2013 ║ Steven Pledger    ║ SR    ║ G   ║ 70%  ║ 28.4 ║ 5.2  ║ 5.6  ║ -0.5 ║
║ 2013 ║ Buddy Hield       ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 53%  ║ 25.1 ║ 4.5  ║ 2.8  ║ 1.7  ║
║ 2013 ║ Je'lon Hornbeak   ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 56%  ║ 22.7 ║ 3.4  ║ 1.6  ║ 1.8  ║
║ 2013 ║ Amath M'Baye      ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 62%  ║ 25.0 ║ 1.7  ║ 0.8  ║ 1.0  ║
║ 2013 ║ Cameron Clark     ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 43%  ║ 17.3 ║ 1.5  ║ 1.0  ║ 0.4  ║
║ 2013 ║ Andrew Fitzgerald ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 39%  ║ 15.7 ║ 0.6  ║ 0.8  ║ -0.2 ║
║ 2013 ║ Sam Grooms        ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 50%  ║ 20.6 ║ -0.8 ║ 1.1  ║ -2.0 ║
║ 2013 ║ Isaiah Cousins    ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 39%  ║ 15.9 ║ -1.7 ║ -2.9 ║ 1.2  ║
║ 2013 ║ Tyler Neal        ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 14%  ║ 6.8  ║ -4.5 ║ -3.3 ║ -1.3 ║
║      ║                   ║       ║     ║      ║      ║      ║      ║      ║
║ 2012 ║ Steven Pledger    ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 79%  ║ 32.9 ║ 5.3  ║ 6.3  ║ -1.1 ║
║ 2012 ║ Romero Osby       ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 75%  ║ 30.2 ║ 2.2  ║ 1.5  ║ 0.7  ║
║ 2012 ║ Carl Blair        ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 38%  ║ 15.4 ║ 1.2  ║ -0.6 ║ 1.9  ║
║ 2012 ║ C.J. Washington   ║ SR    ║ F   ║ 28%  ║ 11.6 ║ 2.3  ║ 0.0  ║ 2.3  ║
║ 2012 ║ Tyler Neal        ║ SO    ║ F   ║ 33%  ║ 13.1 ║ 0.7  ║ 0.6  ║ 0.1  ║
║ 2012 ║ Andrew Fitzgerald ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 70%  ║ 28.0 ║ -0.8 ║ 0.6  ║ -1.4 ║
║ 2012 ║ Cameron Clark     ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 68%  ║ 27.2 ║ -1.3 ║ -1.8 ║ 0.5  ║
║ 2012 ║ Sam Grooms        ║ JR    ║ G   ║ 79%  ║ 31.5 ║ -1.5 ║ -0.3 ║ -1.3 ║
║      ║                   ║       ║     ║      ║      ║      ║      ║      ║
║ 2011 ║ Cade Davis        ║ SR    ║ G   ║ 84%  ║ 34.9 ║ 3.3  ║ 4.0  ║ -0.7 ║
║ 2011 ║ Cameron Clark     ║ FR    ║ G-F ║ 83%  ║ 33.6 ║ 0.8  ║ 1.3  ║ -0.5 ║
║ 2011 ║ Steven Pledger    ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 74%  ║ 30.0 ║ 0.4  ║ 2.4  ║ -2.0 ║
║ 2011 ║ C.J. Washington   ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 28%  ║ 11.8 ║ -1.0 ║ -1.9 ║ 0.9  ║
║ 2011 ║ Tyler Neal        ║ FR    ║ F   ║ 25%  ║ 12.5 ║ -1.2 ║ 1.1  ║ -2.3 ║
║ 2011 ║ Andrew Fitzgerald ║ SO    ║ F   ║ 76%  ║ 30.8 ║ -1.8 ║ -0.9 ║ -0.9 ║
║ 2011 ║ Nick Thompson     ║ JR    ║ F   ║ 23%  ║ 17.1 ║ -1.7 ║ -1.1 ║ -0.7 ║
║ 2011 ║ Carl Blair        ║ SO    ║ G   ║ 64%  ║ 27.6 ║ -1.9 ║ -0.5 ║ -1.4 ║
║ 2011 ║ Calvin Newell     ║ FR    ║ G   ║ 30%  ║ 12.5 ║ -4.7 ║ -2.0 ║ -2.6 ║
╚══════╩═══════════════════╩═══════╩═════╩══════╩══════╩══════╩══════╩══════╝

Looking back: wow, OU only had 3 players above average in 2011, and 2 could barely even claim that. Only Cade Davis was an above average player. Compare with this season: OU has 6 players at or above Cade's level this season.

A few careers: BPM was never sold on Cameron Clark's overall impact. Why? Poor shooting percentages overall, and poor passing.

Ro, on the other hand, was quite the player by these numbers. He was such a versatile player, and made few mistakes. Efficient, good passer (more assists than Cam!), and never turned the ball over.

BPM really loves Buddy and Spangler. Spangler doesn't score a ton, but he's efficient, passes well, and gets a nice combo of steals and blocks. Buddy obviously can score, and he's got good shooting percentages for a high usage player.

What really stands out this season is the defense--pretty much improvement across the board. Offensively the team has more weak points but the D doesn't have many. Last year only Spangler and Bennett rated as positives on D, this season only Booker and WAlker are negatives. Even Buddy is at least average on D...

Another nice thing is the balance of the team. In 2011 and 2012, the team was pretty top-heavy, with 1 star and a a bunch of weak points. This season there are 6 legitimate pieces.

Now, elite teams usually have at least 6, and usually more, legit pieces at +4 or better. They also usually have at least 4 above +7. And usually at least 1 +10 or better star.

OU is getting there. Not quite that deep and talented yet, but they're getting there.

 

[DenverSooner]

Looking back: wow, OU only had 3 players above average in 2011, and 2 could barely even claim that. Only Cade Davis was an above average player. Compare with this season: OU has 6 players at or above Cade's level this season.

How can that be? Boca has told us over and over again how much talent Capel left. Apparently that talent wasn't all that impressive before Kruger had some time to teach them how to play college basketball.