In Reply to: Re: Responses to Comments posted by barrya on December 24, 2025 at 08:32:56
That may not be elite but it's certainly way above average.
Arizona (#2 in KenPom) is also at 58%. Iowa State (#3) is 56%. Gonzaga (#4) is 57%.
The Bruins' assist rate could be better (Michigan is 63% and Purdue is 65%) but that's not their biggest problem on offense. Rebounding and getting to the free throw line are much bigger issues.
And offense, as I've noted before, isn't what's keeping them from being elite right now; defense is (again, primarily due to rebounding and sending opponents to the foul line too frequently).
Only two UCLA teams in the last 10 years have done better; Lonzo's team and (surprisingly) last year's team. Even Howland's Final Four teams had lower assist rates, so the idea that this team is too selfish on offense doesn't pass the sniff test.