Basketball season is hitting its stride…and once exams are over then the season will be moving ahead at full steam. If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch a lot of games to this point in the season then Dave Sez can help catch you up on some observations.
NC State is currently 6-2 with a (hopeful) win this weekend that could push the Pack’s record to 7-2 as the season approaches 1/3rd completion. Before the season began, most Wolfpackers would have GLADLY taken a 7-2 to start the season WITH Engin Atsur’s presence. Can anyone really ask more than a 7-2 start considering that Atsur has missed two and half weeks of play?
As you know, we are a big fan of numbers and statistics and Section Six always delivers some nice items for us to ponder. Also, we missed some bball coverage over last few days and S6 shared the following after the Savannah State win:
McCauley needs to be taking more of Grant’s possessions on a regular basis. Up to this point in the season, Ben has only used an average (~20%) proportion of possessions, but I think it’s becoming evident that he can handle more. He shoots the ball well, he doesn’t turn it over, and he has a decent assist rate, which means he isn’t a black hole in the post from which the ball never returns. That’s a guy who needs to have his hands on it more often.
Related Ben McCauley link
Related Gavin Grant link
ACCNow has also been focusing a little more on statistics and numbers recently. They also highlight that:
The Pack is the nation’s fifth-best shooting team on 2-point shots (59.1 percent) but alas is stumbling along at 244th on 3s (31.7 percent).
Obviously, Atsur’s absence has played a big role in the Wolfpack’s struggles behind the arc. Additionally, we expect Courtney Fells to gradually improve his shooting and overall play with much needed experience. (Of course, it would have been nice if Fells could have seen a little more playing time last year, but we will save that for another day.)
