It’s still way too early for this but here is a look at some tempo free stats from conference games only.
First, team efficiency margins:
Pace PPP Opp. PPP EM 1. Michigan St. 64 1.09 0.88 +0.21 2. Wisconsin 59 1.05 0.88 +0.17 3. Illinois 66 1.02 0.90 +0.12 4. Michigan 63 1.06 0.96 +0.10 5. Purdue 66 1.05 0.98 +0.07 6. Minnesota 69 1.01 1.01 +0.00 7. Ohio St. 66 0.97 1.01 -0.04 8. Penn St. 60 0.93 1.07 -0.14 9. Northwestern 65 1.04 1.16 -0.12 10. Indiana 68 0.85 1.03 -0.18 11. Iowa 66 0.86 1.08 -0.22
Michigan has the second best per-possession offense and the fourth best defense (mostly thanks to the Indiana game) This leaves them with the fourth best efficiency margin as well. Michigan is certainly playing a bit better recently but it is also worth noting that all 5 of Michigan’s conference games thus far came against teams in the bottom half of the conference. Looking at these numbers, it’s tough to ignore the fact that Michigan should be at least 4-1 right now.
Even more shocking is that Michigan’s 53.3% eFG% in conference play is the best in the Big Ten. Michigan is shooting 54.9% on two point field goals and only 30.3% from behind the line. Who says Michigan can’t shoot?
Another surprising stat, Michigan is the third best offensive rebounding team, rebounding 33.3% of their own misses. Michigan’s defensive rebounding leaves something to be desired, they are rebounding only 66.7% of their opponents misses. Shockingly enough Michigan State is the worst defensive rebounding team in the conference right now.
Now here are a couple quick hitters from a glance over individual statistics through the first 4 or 5 games of conference play:
- Robbie Hummel, John Shurna, E’Twaun Moore, and DeShawn Sims are tied for the scoring lead in conference play, all averaging a nudge over 20 points per game. Manny Harris isn’t far behind, averaging 19 points per game
- DeShawn Sims is shooting a ridiculous 64.7% on two point field goals. Michigan State’s Draymond Green is shooting 78% on 2 point field goals but he’s only attempted 26 compared to Sims’ 72.
- Darius Morris has a turnover percentage of 32.1%, 9th worst in the conference, a number that he certainly has to improve.
- Michigan doesn’t have a player in the Big Ten top 10 in three point field goal percentage yet they have two players in the top 10 in attempts (Novak and Douglass), four in the top 20 (add Harris and Lucas-Perry).
- Minnesota’s Damian Johnson is a freak on the defensive side of the ball. He leads the conference in blocks and steals.
