I don’t know that there are stats out there for the winning percentage of teams that score 12 (!) points in the paint in a game, but it can’t be good.
I’m not seeing anybody from among the analytics websites that I subscribe to that gives a hard and fast rendering of how D1 teams rank, 1-365, in points in the paint.
CBB Analytics tells me that Virginia averages 34.7 points in the paint per game, which ranks 104th nationally – upper third, not bad.
ICYMI
- UVA Basketball: McKneely goes for 23, but ‘Hoos get the Top 25 road win
- UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos get Top 25 road win, defeating #19 Louisville, 79-70
The limitation to that otherwise wonderful site: the team stat leaderboards are sorted by conference.
Focusing on the ACC, the team that scores the least in the paint this season: Boston College, at 26.6 points per game, which ranks 324th nationally.
Boston College’s record right now: 7-10, 0-4 ACC, NET ranking: 184.
Given its problems scoring in the paint, the record and NET ranking seem to figure.
BC’s worst loss: Central Connecticut State (NET ranking: 230).
The Eagles still had 30 points in the paint in that one.
For the record, Louisville (12-5, 2-3 ACC, NET ranking: 20) ain’t Central Connecticut State or BC.
The Cardinals allow 27.3 points in the paint per game, ranking 48th nationally, per CBB Analytics.
Which, that’s good.
And in their four ACC games going into last night, they were giving up 25.5 points in the paint per game, so, slightly better.
Still.
Virginia, in the 79-70 win last night in the KFC Yum! Center, was 3-of-6 on shots at the rim, and 6-of-15 on shots in the paint, including the shots at the rim.
Of the 79 points scored, 42 came on the 14 made threes, and 23 came at the line.
Then, the 12 in the paint, and the other bucket was the single make among the four midrange jumpers hoisted last night.
“They were doing a good job in the first half, certainly once things settled, of keeping us out of the paint, and so, we had to design and figure out ways that we could get in there. Louisville does a great job of protecting the paint,” ‘Hoos coach Ryan Odom said.
Alrighty, then.
I don’t bring this up so much as reason for concern as … somehow, Virginia got nothing easy, and still figured out how to score 79 points, and beat a Top 25 team on the road.
I’m not acting like I’m not impressed.