Last Year Vs. This Year

BryceC

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
25,554
18,164
113
For all the talk about how much better or worse this team is than last year, the offense is almost exactly the same from Kenpom.

(All numbers points per 100 possessions)

Adjusted Offense
118.0, 6th in the country. Last year was 118.4, 6th in the country.

Adjusted Defense
99.2 PP last year, 119th. This year 99.9, 72nd.

Defense is better. But how much? Essentially if the teams played a 70 possession game (about the average both years) the expected score in 2014 would be 82.88 points scored and 69.44 points allowed.

This year it would be 82.6 points scored and 69.93 points allowed.

Essentially the difference in a random game both seasons would be less than 1 point. There are problems with this team, but it’s basically a statistical dead heat between the two and if we could match them up in an “on paper†sense it would probably be a pick ‘em.

My point isn’t that you shouldn’t be frustrated by losses. It’s just that comparison is the thief of joy. Last year’s team was one of the best in the history of the program, and it included some VERY unlikely wins and a lot of luck. There isn't a formula for replicating the things we saw last season.
 
Last year was a tough team that couldn't win on the road. This year is a soft team that can't win on the road. That's the main difference
 
Leadership counts. Not sure how many points its worth, convinced it won't make anyone unbeaten but it helps when things start going tough.

Last year's team was an elite team at the end. Everything and everyone clicking at the same time. This team will end up the conference in much the same place and see if they can catch fire again.
 
My point isn’t that you shouldn’t be frustrated by losses. It’s just that comparison is the thief of joy. Last year’s team was one of the best in the history of the program, and it included some VERY unlikely wins and a lot of luck. There isn't a formula for replicating the things we saw last season.

To add to this...I'm quite content as a Cyclones fan. We're nearly impossible to beat at home, we're selling out, travelling great to KC and going to the NCAA every year. We have the best coach we could hope for and lots of national pub. They sky is the limit for this program so if this team doesn't achieve what last years team achieved, I'm fine with it. Especially when you look at the trajectory we're on. This is the best time to be a Cyclones MBB fan in my lifetime.
 
I think last years team got more out of their talent, and I think this years team is getting less out of their talent than they could. Hence the reason most would agree last year's team was more fun to watch.
 
Last year was a tough team that couldn't win on the road. This year is a soft team that can't win on the road. That's the main difference

Please. Last year everyone was saying the team was a soft team that couldn't win on the road. Last year everyone accused Kane of playing "heroball" (although the term hadn't been coined yet). Everything that has been said about this year's team was said about last year's team this time last year. Holy selective memory, batman.
 
I think last years team got more out of their talent, and I think this years team is getting less out of their talent than they could. Hence the reason most would agree last year's team was more fun to watch.

This, and expectations are higher this year which makes losses more frustrating. People talk about how "tough" we were last year with Ejim and Kane were but forgot it took a missed Phil Forte free throw and a miracle 3 by Naz for them to not lose at home on senior day.
 
Please. Last year everyone was saying the team was a soft team that couldn't win on the road. Last year everyone accused Kane of playing "heroball" (although the term hadn't been coined yet). Everything that has been said about this year's team was said about last year's team this time last year. Holy selective memory, batman.

Really should have added the jimlad, I was being sarcastic. People are overacting on here today and talking about how tough we were last year even though the same stuff happened last year. We're on the same page
 
I still think last year's team underachieved during conference play. We had TWO 1st Team All-Big 12 players including the conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. We had Niang (3rd team) and Morris, a freshman who had just broken the NCAA assist to turnover ratio. And we finished 4th in the league.

But they made up for it by getting hot in March.

I guess my point is that until we put more emphasis on defense and we are able to win on the road, we aren't going to make that leap to competing for a conference title.
 
This, and expectations are higher this year which makes losses more frustrating. People talk about how "tough" we were last year with Ejim and Kane were but forgot it took a missed Phil Forte free throw and a miracle 3 by Naz for them to not lose at home on senior day.

Exactly, and I don't think anybody ever thought last year's team lacked effort. This year I'm not always sure if it's all there. Don't get me wrong, this is a good team and a legitimate Sweet 16 team, but with more talent, a deeper lineup, and comments Fred made I think a lot of us expected more by this point in the year. Nobody in their right mind thinks last year's team was significantly better, but is frustrated with this year's team not meeting high expectations.
 
Last year's team had several crazy last second shots that dropped for ISU that make people feel like the season was magical and "meant to be." This year's team has simply won their games they've won by a comfortable margin, minus the "magic" so people don't have that underlying "what an awesome year" aura around this season even though it has actually been comparable from an overall performance and record level. Plus people didn't expect last year to go that well versus expecting this year to go better, whether that expectation was realistic or not.
 
Since I'm lazy and I know someone else can find it faster, I'd be interested in seeing the strength of schedule comparison to this point of the year. The Big 12 is undoubtedly up.

Okay, according to ESPN http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/sort/sos

Last year (full year):

Non-conference RPI: 1
Non-conference strength of schedule: 102
Conference RPI: 24
Conference strength of schedule: 30

This year:

Non-conference RPI: 12
Non-conference strength of schedule: 170
Conference RPI: 12
Conference strength of schedule: 12

Also, it lists our RPI as 34 now. Not sure how it dropped so far so fast?
 
It's all about peaking at the right time. CFH has had a very good track record of peaking late into the season which then flows over to the post season. This team has shown moments of greatness, but has struggled to put it all together for 40 minutes. There is still a lot of season to play, I just hope this adversity will bring them all together and not tear them apart. If Fred can't do it, no one could IMO.
 

Help Support Us

Become a patron