Final 2018 KPom Ratings

[Dr. Blackheart]

Moved up to 53rd overall, edging out Mississippi State.

Offense finished 12th.  Wojo has 2 out of the 3 highest efficiency offenses in modern times and likely Top 5 in 101 seasons. Only the 54-55 team scored more PPG (84.5) than the last two Wojo teams.

The defense finished #182 allowing 78.5 PPG. Relatively, this was the worst efficient defense in Modern Times. Beyond KPom times, only the 1963-64 team that finished 5-21 gave up more PPG (83.1...that's a whole lot of crap pre shot clock and three ball).

Not to dwell, but the great offense will continue, but the Top 3 BE PPT test will be dependent on defensive improvement.  I am encouraged as our frosh may have been (or some of) our top defenders this past season. We are all aware that
Wojo knows changes need to be made too on this side of the ball.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Made it through lent eh Dr B? 

[Dr. Blackheart]

Made it through lent eh Dr B? 

Yep.  Soul is free to sin again!

[Nukem2]

As Ben Steele tweeted, after 2/10, the only teams MU lost to were the NCAA champ, the NIT champ and (gulp) DePaul.

[MU82]

As Ben Steele tweeted, after 2/10, the only teams MU lost to were the NCAA champ, the NIT champ and (gulp) DePaul.

Yeah, but Wisconsin didn't lose bad to Michigan State so they ended this year on a roll. And they have Larry Bird Davison and Michael Jordan Trice coming back. So we're doomed next December!

Back to the OP ...

It's reasonable to think our offense will still be good, albeit not as good (that would be difficult), and it is also reasonable to think our defense will be better, perhaps much, much better (it would be difficult to be worse).

I like how we look right this second, and I'll like it more if we land a grad transfer PG.

[1SE]

182nd is truly atrocious. Teams who finished higher than us:

Lamar (billboard U)
North Dakota State (who knew they were even D1)
Liberty (no doubt the "Dawson Effect")
Utah Valley (A SLC commuter school)
And a good handful of bi-directional state schools.

(it would be difficult to be worse).

Yeah, you could have said that any year from 2015, and you would have been wrong each time.

2018 - 182
2017 - 165
2016 - 88
2015 - 69

What's so frustrating is we KNEW D had to be a focus last offseason. Painful.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

182nd is truly atrocious. Teams who finished higher than us:

Lamar (billboard U)
North Dakota State (who knew they were even D1)
Liberty (no doubt the "Dawson Effect")
Utah Valley (A SLC commuter school)
And a good handful of bi-directional state schools.


Yeah, you could have said that any year from 2015, and you would have been wrong each time.

2018 - 182
2017 - 165
2016 - 88
2015 - 69

What's so frustrating is we KNEW D had to be a focus last offseason. Painful.

Knowing D is a focus does nothing to change the fact that 2/3 of the best players on the team are 5'10 turnstiles.Wojo probably could have had a top 50 defense this season... All he needed to do was bench Howard and Rowdy all season. We would have sucked but our defense would have been great.

No Rowdy should do wonders for our defense. Still won't be elite but I think it can be top 75 while maintaining an elite offense.

[MU82]

Knowing D is a focus does nothing to change the fact that 2/3 of the best players on the team are 5'10 turnstiles.Wojo probably could have had a top 50 defense this season... All he needed to do was bench Howard and Rowdy all season. We would have sucked but our defense would have been great.

No Rowdy should do wonders for our defense. Still won't be elite but I think it can be top 75 while maintaining an elite offense.

This, of course.

Now, Wojo was the CEO of this franchise. He brought in the 2 midgets. But once he had them, he had to play them. So it's on Wojo the recruiter more than Wojo the coach.

Let's see how the D progresses next season. I'd be surprised if we don't take a 100-place leap at least.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Let's see how the D progresses next season. I'd be surprised if we don't take a 100-place leap at least.

With the athletes coming in, I too expect a vast improvement. However, a 100 place improvement moves MU from the worst BE defense to the 9th worst.  We'll need a lot more to be Top 25 from Wojo on scheme as personnel won't get us all the way there.

[MU82]

With the athletes coming in, I too expect a vast improvement. However, a 100 place improvement moves MU from the worst BE defense to the 9th worst.  We'll need a lot more to be Top 25 from Wojo on scheme as personnel won't get us all the way there.

OK ... 150-place improvement.

Deal?

[mug644]

182nd is truly atrocious. Teams who finished higher than us:

Lamar (billboard U)
North Dakota State (who knew they were even D1)
Liberty (no doubt the "Dawson Effect")
Utah Valley (A SLC commuter school)
And a good handful of bi-directional state schools.

I can think of two teams that found out that ND State was D1 quality. One was Oklahoma and the other is our rival.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=260210275

[willie warrior]

182nd is truly atrocious. Teams who finished higher than us:

Lamar (billboard U)
North Dakota State (who knew they were even D1)
Liberty (no doubt the "Dawson Effect")
Utah Valley (A SLC commuter school)
And a good handful of bi-directional state schools.


Yeah, you could have said that any year from 2015, and you would have been wrong each time.

2018 - 182
2017 - 165
2016 - 88
2015 - 69

What's so frustrating is we KNEW D had to be a focus last offseason. Painful.

Never mind. Wojo is an offensive genius.

[Jay Bee]

MU's defensive ppp allowed this year ranked #303 in the nation. Not a lot of room to go backward!

[NorthernDancerColt]

Knowing D is a focus does nothing to change the fact that 2/3 of the best players on the team are 5'10 turnstiles.Wojo probably could have had a top 50 defense this season... All he needed to do was bench Howard and Rowdy all season. We would have sucked but our defense would have been great.

No Rowdy should do wonders for our defense. Still won't be elite but I think it can be top 75 while maintaining an elite offense.

Yep. Excellent post. I'm an old guy, so many of you who play golf may not know the name Corey Pavin. Well, he was a little grinder of a player who couldn't drive the ball much farther than 25o yards. Yet he won a US Open at a very difficult venue. He KNEW he had to drive the ball farther to compete with the best in the world. Doing it, however, was next to impossible given his tiny physical stature. So he worked on his strengths of an already incredible short game and superb course management and maximized his available talent.

I think at some point in the season, Wojo and staff just decided to work on their strengths and continually hone the BigEast's 2nd best offense. The effort on D by Rowsey and Howard was certainly there, the length and size not so much. I'm excited about Jamal, Greg, and Theo getting more time and watching our D catch up to our Offense.

[1SE]

This, of course.

Now, Wojo was the CEO of this franchise. He brought in the 2 midgets. But once he had them, he had to play them. So it's on Wojo the recruiter more than Wojo the coach.

Let's see how the D progresses next season. I'd be surprised if we don't take a 100-place leap at least.

Sure, we weren't going to be a top-10 D with the midgets. But I'd have to imagine that some of the 181 teams above us had rosters just as lacking in size/athleticism. It's not like Sacar, Theo, Cain, Elliot or even Heldt and Hauser have no D potential. And it's not like Howard isn't an athlete who couldn't be JJJ or McSteal like with the steals. 

Especially since our O wasn't transition-based, I think there are a number of things (most of which have been hashed over here many times) that we could have done to improve our D without our O suffering too much. Not a ton, but marginally, enough to win that 1 or 2 more games.

It wasn't a dumpster fire given the circumstances, but more could have been done with what we had. The refrain of the Wojo era.

[Benny B]

As Ben Steele tweeted, after 2/10, the only teams MU lost to were the NCAA champ, the NIT champ and (gulp) DePaul.

Fixed to reflect impending vacation.

[MarquetteDano]

Sure, we weren't going to be a top-10 D with the midgets. But I'd have to imagine that some of the 181 teams above us had rosters just as lacking in size/athleticism. It's not like Sacar, Theo, Cain, Elliot or even Heldt and Hauser have no D potential. And it's not like Howard isn't an athlete who couldn't be JJJ or McSteal like with the steals. 

Especially since our O wasn't transition-based, I think there are a number of things (most of which have been hashed over here many times) that we could have done to improve our D without our O suffering too much. Not a ton, but marginally, enough to win that 1 or 2 more games.

It wasn't a dumpster fire given the circumstances, but more could have been done with what we had. The refrain of the Wojo era.

Agreed.  A better defensive scheme with the exactly the same playing time would have resulted in something better than 182nd in the country.  Probably not Top 75 but much better than 182nd.

[Lennys Tap]

Xavier at #15. Same spot they occupied before their early exits in in the Big East and NCAA tournaments. Lowest rated #1 seed ever. #Overrated.