(01-16-2017 12:24 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(01-16-2017 11:43 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(01-16-2017 10:43 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  On the surface, UC just keeps clicking along and currently winning 8 in a row and 9 out of their last 10. The conference appears to be theirs for the taking but keep an eye on SMU obviously. Any road conference win is a good win IMO and you could argue that UC has the depth and defensive prowess to pull out these types of wins this year when the offense isn't clicking on all cylinders. That said, I'm going to use a Bearcat Mark stat (not a bad thing I might add) and mention that UC has dropped a bit in kenpom to #20 overall. Their adjusted defensive efficiency ranking has risen to #3 but the adjusted offensive efficiency ranking has gradually fallen to #62. Ideally, you want to see more of a balance between these two stats as most of the teams in the top 20 kenpom exhibit. FWIW, through the games played yesterday #12 UCLA has the biggest disparity at #1 on offense and #96 on defense. What does it all mean? Who knows but the bottom line is that winning counts most in March during the conference tournament and NCAA tournament. All this other stuff gets flushed down the toilet with poor tournament showings. The exception is winning now certainly helps to establish your NCAA seed.

Great analysis. Seeding (bolded) is important for escaping the first weekend of the NCAA unscathed. Then I think the offensive efficiency takes center stage. I think Evans is too good a player to have anything more than an offensive slump here or there. If fatigue has become a factor it may be why we're seeing more of Cumberland. Seems to me the more Mick can use the bench down the stretch, the better his starters legs will be come March. It's a long grind.

SK's senior year the team peaked in the middle of conference play and then came back down to earth during the last couple of weeks. I hope this team peaks in March and rides that to a deep tournament run. What I see is a team that can win a bunch of different ways if needed.

Hope you're right. UCONN had a knack for always peaking at exactly the right time.