Northern Star
EOG Enthusiast
Here is my NCAA Tournament Game of the Year. I think in all sports quality teams start with defense. So it is not surprising that I use a good defensive team for my game of the year. Almost every major stat that I look at favors this team. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Texas</st1lace></st1:State> A&M Aggies.
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Start out on the defensive side of the ball. They rank #2 in field goal percentage holding their opponents to just 37.1% on the other side of the ball Louisville isn?t shabby ranking #24 and allowing the opponents to shoot 40.1%. Texas A&M gives up 59.2 points a game versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City>? 62.7 points a game. I feel shooting percentage is a better indication than points per game to access the defense because the amount of points per game can be skewed by the tempo you play.
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Rebounds per game are Texas A&M at 38.7 versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> 39.7. Once again this has a bit to do with style of play. <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Texas</st1lace></st1:State> A&M out rebounds their opponent by 4.9 rebounds and ranks 36 in the country. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> is not in the top 50 in rankings.
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Steals is an advantage to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> at 7.4 to 6.8 a game.
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Going to offense. Texas A&M is number 6 in the country shooting 50.1 % versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> shooting 43.2% and ranking 212. A&M score 76.3 a game and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> scores 71.4 a game. Free throws if it is a tight game Advantage Texas A&M 72.4% as a team versus 67.1%. Three point shooting is a clear advantage to A&M they are number 3 in the country making 42.2% versus <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City></st1lace> at only 33.2%. Assist are a good indicator of a team style of play versus a one on one style which once again goes TA&M way 18.0 assists per game versus Louisville 14.5. Turnovers per game almost dead even with A&M having a slight advantage 12.5 to 12.7. Scoring margin per game Texas A&M ranks 5 in the country outscoring their opponents by 17.1 versus <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City></st1lace> ranking #36 at 8.7 per game. Texas A&M has balanced scoring with four players scoring in double figures. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> also has balanced scoring with two players scoring in double figures.
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About their seasons. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> is 23-8 but how did they do against top opponents with some commentary on my opinions on these teams, just 3-7. Loses to Arizona (average NCAA Team), Kentucky (Average NCAA Team), UMASS (NIT team close to making NCAA), Georgetown (possible final 4), split with Pitt (Decent team), Notre Dame (one and done NCAA), Marquette (one and done), Beat Syracuse (just missed NCAA). Nothing too impressive their. Also lost to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Dayton</st1lace></st1:City> and Villanova.
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<st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1lace> A&M... Lost at LSU (average team), At UCLA (my board pick to win it all), Twice to Texas Tech (one and done NCAA team and surprising loses for A&M), at <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1lace> (very talented team great game if you watched it), at Ok state in tournament (average team. One the win side won at <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Kansas</st1:State></st1lace> (top four team in country), Beat Texas, and Beat scrappy Winthrop (who beat Notre Dame). I feel they have done better against their top competition.
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One advantage <st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City> has is that the game is being played in <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lexington</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">Kentucky</st1:State></st1lace>. I will take my chances with a veteran team with good guards even on a non neutral court.
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MY 10* NCAA Tournament Game of the Year <o></o>
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<st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State> A&M 72 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> 60 <o></o>
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As Always Good Luck
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Northern Star
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Start out on the defensive side of the ball. They rank #2 in field goal percentage holding their opponents to just 37.1% on the other side of the ball Louisville isn?t shabby ranking #24 and allowing the opponents to shoot 40.1%. Texas A&M gives up 59.2 points a game versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City>? 62.7 points a game. I feel shooting percentage is a better indication than points per game to access the defense because the amount of points per game can be skewed by the tempo you play.
<o> </o>
Rebounds per game are Texas A&M at 38.7 versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> 39.7. Once again this has a bit to do with style of play. <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Texas</st1lace></st1:State> A&M out rebounds their opponent by 4.9 rebounds and ranks 36 in the country. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> is not in the top 50 in rankings.
<o> </o>
Steals is an advantage to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> at 7.4 to 6.8 a game.
<o> </o>
Going to offense. Texas A&M is number 6 in the country shooting 50.1 % versus <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> shooting 43.2% and ranking 212. A&M score 76.3 a game and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> scores 71.4 a game. Free throws if it is a tight game Advantage Texas A&M 72.4% as a team versus 67.1%. Three point shooting is a clear advantage to A&M they are number 3 in the country making 42.2% versus <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City></st1lace> at only 33.2%. Assist are a good indicator of a team style of play versus a one on one style which once again goes TA&M way 18.0 assists per game versus Louisville 14.5. Turnovers per game almost dead even with A&M having a slight advantage 12.5 to 12.7. Scoring margin per game Texas A&M ranks 5 in the country outscoring their opponents by 17.1 versus <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City></st1lace> ranking #36 at 8.7 per game. Texas A&M has balanced scoring with four players scoring in double figures. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> also has balanced scoring with two players scoring in double figures.
<o> </o>
About their seasons. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> is 23-8 but how did they do against top opponents with some commentary on my opinions on these teams, just 3-7. Loses to Arizona (average NCAA Team), Kentucky (Average NCAA Team), UMASS (NIT team close to making NCAA), Georgetown (possible final 4), split with Pitt (Decent team), Notre Dame (one and done NCAA), Marquette (one and done), Beat Syracuse (just missed NCAA). Nothing too impressive their. Also lost to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Dayton</st1lace></st1:City> and Villanova.
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<st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1lace> A&M... Lost at LSU (average team), At UCLA (my board pick to win it all), Twice to Texas Tech (one and done NCAA team and surprising loses for A&M), at <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1lace> (very talented team great game if you watched it), at Ok state in tournament (average team. One the win side won at <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Kansas</st1:State></st1lace> (top four team in country), Beat Texas, and Beat scrappy Winthrop (who beat Notre Dame). I feel they have done better against their top competition.
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One advantage <st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City> has is that the game is being played in <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lexington</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">Kentucky</st1:State></st1lace>. I will take my chances with a veteran team with good guards even on a non neutral court.
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MY 10* NCAA Tournament Game of the Year <o></o>
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<st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State> A&M 72 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Louisville</st1lace></st1:City> 60 <o></o>
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As Always Good Luck
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Northern Star