BabHorn
10,000+ Posts
There was a quite a leap between the first season and the second season in some stats. A better understanding of the schemes, more buy-in into the new system, any number of factors can be looked at as making the difference in the outcomes. This third season should continue that trend as the veteran players can now serve as mentors to the incoming freshmen. Continued understanding/experience of the schemes will allow the players to play instinctively rather than think about how to react to a situation, even one that has not been covered in practice.
Some of the changes were slight but significant: Assisted FGs went from 54 % in 2012-13 to 58.1% in 2013-14. Horns went from sixth in the league to third in FG%. Scoring increased from 61.6 (8th) to 69.7 (6th). Scoring defense improved, going from 62.2 (6th) to 60.0 (3rd). In FT %, the Horns only moved from 9th to 8th. But they made 96 more on 110 more attempts in just 4 more games. That was an average increase of just under 2 more FTs per game. Rebounding margin was a strong 2nd in 2012-13 and improved to 1st in 2013-14.
Areas in which huge leaps were made include 3pt %. In 2012-13, they shot a dismal 27.8% which was last in the league. This past season, they hit 36.5%, first in the league. They took 145 more 3s and hit 85 more. Assists jumped from 6th in the first season to 3rd in the second.
One area that the Horns failed to improve in was TOs. While they committed less TOs per game (20.3 vs 18.2), that still left them in 10th place in the league both years.
Of course, the biggest improvement was the record: 12-18 & 5-13 (9th) to 22-12 & 11-7 (3rd) and the first win in the NCAAs since 2007-08.
UT’s 10 returning players scored 82 percent of the team’s points this season, grabbed 86.5 percent of the rebounds, dished out 86.2 percent of the assists and had 138 of 139 blocks (99.3%). With the top four rebounders returning in Nneka (8.6 rpg), Imani (7.3 rpg), Empress (3.9 rpg) and Kelsey (3.6 rpg), that should continue to be a strong point. They will be looking to go further for the first time since the 2003-04 season when they reached the Sweet Sixteen. “Having some success in this year’s tournament should fuel them to want it even more next year,” Aston said.
My guess at the starting five: PG: Celina; SG: Empress; SF: Brady; PF:Nneka, C: Imani. I look for Ariel to push Empress and Brady for a spot on the starting five. Celina and Krystle will be pushed by the frosh, especially Brooke, who supplies a scoring punch neither Celina nor Krystle showed consistently. It’s a good bet that the starting five we will see in November’s season opener will not be the one that takes the floor for the first conference game.
Some of the changes were slight but significant: Assisted FGs went from 54 % in 2012-13 to 58.1% in 2013-14. Horns went from sixth in the league to third in FG%. Scoring increased from 61.6 (8th) to 69.7 (6th). Scoring defense improved, going from 62.2 (6th) to 60.0 (3rd). In FT %, the Horns only moved from 9th to 8th. But they made 96 more on 110 more attempts in just 4 more games. That was an average increase of just under 2 more FTs per game. Rebounding margin was a strong 2nd in 2012-13 and improved to 1st in 2013-14.
Areas in which huge leaps were made include 3pt %. In 2012-13, they shot a dismal 27.8% which was last in the league. This past season, they hit 36.5%, first in the league. They took 145 more 3s and hit 85 more. Assists jumped from 6th in the first season to 3rd in the second.
One area that the Horns failed to improve in was TOs. While they committed less TOs per game (20.3 vs 18.2), that still left them in 10th place in the league both years.
Of course, the biggest improvement was the record: 12-18 & 5-13 (9th) to 22-12 & 11-7 (3rd) and the first win in the NCAAs since 2007-08.
UT’s 10 returning players scored 82 percent of the team’s points this season, grabbed 86.5 percent of the rebounds, dished out 86.2 percent of the assists and had 138 of 139 blocks (99.3%). With the top four rebounders returning in Nneka (8.6 rpg), Imani (7.3 rpg), Empress (3.9 rpg) and Kelsey (3.6 rpg), that should continue to be a strong point. They will be looking to go further for the first time since the 2003-04 season when they reached the Sweet Sixteen. “Having some success in this year’s tournament should fuel them to want it even more next year,” Aston said.
My guess at the starting five: PG: Celina; SG: Empress; SF: Brady; PF:Nneka, C: Imani. I look for Ariel to push Empress and Brady for a spot on the starting five. Celina and Krystle will be pushed by the frosh, especially Brooke, who supplies a scoring punch neither Celina nor Krystle showed consistently. It’s a good bet that the starting five we will see in November’s season opener will not be the one that takes the floor for the first conference game.
