Block rate and conversion rate at the rim are worse than last year. Your steal rate is down big. The things the defense most controls are significantly worse than last year. Yes, the rebounding has been good, but a lot of that is because opponents are missing more of the shots that are easier to rebound (jumpers and free throws) than they did last year and fewer of the shots that are tougher to rebound (at rim and specifically blocks at the rim).

Two of the things that regressed hardest against you in league play last year (3PT% and FT%) are the primary things driving your “improved” defense. I’d rather have it be things that are more under my control.

Best part about Penn’s D this year is how it scares opponents off the line, but that also turned a bit in league play last year. Need to keep pushing opponents off the line and into 2PT Js.

I’d rather have last year’s D, frankly.

I am also in the club of not knowing the details of ORat and DRat. I understand your points about things a defense controls (steals and blocks). I don't think those stats really capture the full picture on defense. For example, a player could theoretically be really good at staying in front of the player he's guarding and pressuring their shot. He/she could hold them scoreless but still not have a block or steal to their credit. Would this result in a good DRat?

I also like that Penn is chasing the opponents off the 3 point line while also limiting attempts.

Do you read what I say or just spout off? I've stated some meaningful numbers that explain why we're a KP 95 rank on D this year so far while last year it was 133. I get why Mike thinks they aren't so meaningful, I think they do indicate a positive difference in the D. Time will tell.

This belief you hold that it's unreasonable to look beyond the numbers you understand is ridiculous.

I get that this is your shtick but it's old. Old enough that I'm done with this conversation.

Grow up.

I am sure some on here hope we get beat by 50 each of the next two Saturdays,

And are you ever able to lay off the personal invective? Sam's comments the other day might have given you pause.

iBut the last time Mike checked, we weren't particularly good at stopping shots at the rim

• PennFan10 Said:

This is such a terrible take.

Perhaps we are better off playing Simmons more, and that would maximize us. You and I could still be right that we are better off playing Sam Jones. But you can literally do this with any basketball team. It’s a more statistical version of everyone loving the third string QB, but it’s still the same thing. Making that one move would make us . . . 12-5.

There is of course a human element here, too. You can’t get the players to trust in the plan if you don’t show trust in the plan yourself. It appears the culture is strong enough to handle these sorts of tough decisions, but I think there is something to be said for continuity. As we’ve discussed, this wouldn’t have been my starting lineup at the start of the year. It sure as heck would be tomorrow though.

. What I don't enjoy is the sledgehammer of arrogance that sometimes comes with the data.

who's obviously playing well and making a big contribution to the team's success

...but that's colin (an intellectually dishonest person) for you.

He's a very nice guy. And the fact that you deem me to be an enemy, when we haven't met since I got you those NCAA tickets years ago is remarkable.

• Jeff2sf Said:

Serious question: Has "Colin" become a euphemism for an intellectually dishonest person? I'm genuinely confused by your use of this term.

I'm happy to report that Howard is alive and well and has attended almost every game this season. It is discussions like these that have caused him (and many others) to flee from this Board.

• PennFan10 Said:

When you say this, what I hear is "I don't enjoy data that doesn't conform to my understanding of basketball". This is subjective but generally speaking, I think a good piece of analysis or a good stat tells you about 80% of what you already know and challenges you/makes you rethink/tells you what you thought you knew was wrong about 20% of the time. If it tells you what you knew 100% of the time it's not really furthering the conversation and if it tells you something that makes you have to re-think 75% of what you know, there's a decent chance it's just a data mining, boil-the-ocean to find out AJ shoots better on 3s when it's rainy in Auckland.

Anyway, maybe you don't mean it the way I hear it, but the only one who seems to walk back his opinions is me. The data can absolutely be wrong. The data didn't support giving Max more minutes, it was wrong in so far as I expected him to get less effective, not more. And I admitted that even if I don't think his performance is good enough.

Finally, I just can't abide "coach says/thinks it so it must be true".

the enemy of the enemy is my friend but on the other hand you called me boorish.

We are better off with Howard gone.

I think whether he is even outplaying Max is complicated, as well. If you take away the division 3 game and the Delaware state game, he’s a 50% free throw shooter, sub 30% from 3. His rebound rate was better in the very small sample size of the first 3 Ivy games, but again overall his rebounding numbers don’t look like much without the games against non division one talent.

The other thing to keep in mind is that he basically played every minute he could against Princeton and Cornell — he fouled out of one and got 4 in the other. So not the rotation limiting his minutes there.