Season-ending facts and figures
Mar. 25, 2009 10:49 a.m.
Here's a look at some of MU's final team statistics in comparison to last season and, in some cases, seasons prior to that.
There were some surprises, in my opinion, and some numbers that wound up right around where everyone would have projected.
Anyway, here they are:
-- Finished 25-10 for the second consecutive season, and finished with 10 losses for the fourth consecutive season.
-- Averaged 78.3 points per game. That's 2.4 ppg more than last season, and the most since the Final Four team of 2002-'03 averaged 78.5
-- Shot 45.2% overall, up from 44.6% from last season.
-- Made 15 less shots overall than last season, on 59 less attempts.
-- Shot 34.7% from three-point range, down from 35.3% from last season.
-- Made three less threes than last season, on four more attempts.
-- Shot 72.8% from the free-throw line, up from 70.6% from last season (not bad for a team that didn't practice FTs).
-- Made 114 more free throws on 133 more attempts than last season.
-- Surrendered 69.5 ppg. That's 4.7 ppg more than last season, and, interestingly enough, the exact defensive average the Final Four team posted in 2002-'03.
-- Allowed opponents to shoot 44.9% overall, compared to 41.6% last season.
-- Allowed opponents to shoot 34.8% from three-point range, compared to 30.0% last season.
-- Opponents made 117 less free throws on 167 fewer attempts. Those numbers can be traced to MU committing 110 fewer fouls this season than last.
-- Averaged 1.2 fewer rebounds per game, but finished with the exact same plus-2.7 margin on the glass as last season.
-- Grabbed 49 fewer offensive boards, but also surrendered 50 fewer than last season.
-- Was out-rebounded 11 times, and won six of those games.
-- Had one fewer player foul out than last season.
-- Finished with 11 more assists than last season.
-- Committed 43 fewer turnovers, while forcing opponents into 55 fewer than last season.
-- Had 32 fewer blocked shots, and nine less shots blocked than last season.
-- Had 50 fewer steals than last season.
-- Played one OT game. That's MU's fewest since it played none in 2003-'04.
-- Was 18-1 when leading at halftime, and 5-8 when trailing.
-- Was 21-7 when scoring 70 or more points.
-- Was 4-7 when allowing 80 or more points.
-- Was 9-1 when holding opponents to 60 points or less.
-- Was 4-4 in games decided by five points or less.
-- Was 5-9 vs. ranked teams (AP or coaches' polls).
-- Individually speaking, Jerel McNeal averaged an even 35.0 minutes per game, up 4.8 from last season, and scored 19.8 ppg. The minutes were the most since Travis Diener averaged 34.2 in 2003-'04, and the scoring average the highest since Dwyane Wade scored 21.5 ppg in 2002-'03.
-- Lazar Hayward's 8.6 rpg were the most by an MU player since Amal McCaskill's 8.9 in 1995-'96. Marcus Jackson averaged 8.5 in 2004-'05.
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