In Reply to: Average number of possessions posted by Dr.Bruin on November 08, 2026 at 12:22:45
84 points divided by 74 possessions.
Still not as good as the 122.8 adjusted offensive efficiency for last season (per kenpom.com) but better than the 97 in last year's Arizona loss, or the 89 from the year before that (a win), or the 107 at McKale in the 2024 P12 season, or the 94 at Pauley the same season (both losses).
I wasn't arguing tempo is more important than efficiency but good teams that play fast can often get easier shots, which equates with higher effiency.
Last season's champion, Michigan averaged 71 possessions per game, #22 in D1. The year before, Florida averaged 70.1 possessions (#57).
Of course, UConn was among the slowest teams in the country in in 2024 (64.6 #330) but was half a possession faster than UCLA in 2023 (66.6 #204).
Overall, there's no clear statisical advantage to playing faster or slower for really good teams. Among championship teams the split is about 50/50.
But I think most fans prefer their team to play faster.