TOURNAMENT TIME. DATA DATE. FAST APPROACHING.
This is a funny one to talk about because the author of this post has been to High Point, NC for so many various work reasons.
ROUND ONE! What them Panthers got in their teeth?
High Point (29-5, 17-2) – Kenpom #84
Basic Information
Location: High Point, North Carolina
Type of School: Private University
Mascot: Panthers
Venue: Qubein Center
Head Coach – Alan Huss
Seasons at High Point: 2
High Point Record: 56-14
Other Head Coaching Jobs: Just high schools and boarding schools, nobody cares about the long-term coaching career at that deep of a level to write about it. But he was a very good private school coach, played for Creighton, was an assistant at New Mexico and then Creighton, he’s a good coach, blah blah blah.
Overall Record: 56-14
Regular Season Conference Championships: 2 (Both of his first attempts, he already kind of owns the Big South Conference)
Conference Tournament Championships: 1
NCAA Appearances: This is his first!
Final 4 Appearances: 0
Kenpom Style of Play
() = National Ranking per Kenpom
Offense
Adj. Efficiency: 118.5 (25)
Avg. Poss. Length: 17.6 (174)
Defense
Adj. Efficiency: 109.2 (226)
Avg. Poss. Length: 18.0 (268)
Tempo
Adj. Tempo: 66.5 (222)
Kenpom 4 Factors
() = National Ranking per Kenpom
Offense
Effective FG %: 56.4 (12)
Turnover %: 15.3 (52)
Off. Reb. %: 34.0 (60)
FTA/FGA: 37.6 (53)
Defense
Effective FG %: 49.1 (92)
Turnover %: 16.5 (223)
Off. Reb. %: 29.9 (189)
FTA/FGA: 36.3 (270)
Analysis from your pal Garrett Shearman aka Gurt Sherm:
They shoot incredibly well because they’re in a mid conference with bad teams and are very well-organized. They don’t play defense. The only way I see the Boilermakers losing is if the Panthers get Cinderalla levels of long-distance shooting percentage and we forget how to shoot and panic and forget that we can simply over-talent High Point down low.
Purdue are 80% favorites with a projected score of 82-73.