Seven stats to know before VCU takes the court in the NCAA Tournament

For the third consecutive season, Coach Shaka Smart and the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams are dancing in the NCAA Tournament. Here are seven stats worth knowing before VCU takes the court in Motown.

March 19, 2013; 9:22 AM • by Aaron Williams

For the third consecutive season, Coach Shaka Smart and the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams are dancing in the NCAA Tournament. Sunday evening, the tournament selection committee announced that #5 VCU will face #12 Akron in Auburn Hills, MI on Thursday at 9:45PM (see the full bracket here (PDF)). Here are seven stats worth knowing before VCU takes the court in Motown.

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1. Incredible postseason record

VCU is 11-2 in the post season under Coach Smart with a 2010 CBI Championship and a 2011 NCAA Final 4.

2. Wearing white

The Rams will play in an NCAA Tournament game as a higher seed for the first time since the 1985 season when they were a #2 seed.

3. Beware the Hoosier state

The Ram’s last two trips to the NCAA Tournament have ended at the hands of teams from the state of Indiana (2011 Butler, 2012 Indiana). Fortunately, the South region is the only region with no teams from the Hoosier state.

4. Familiar faces

Coach Smart has spent four seasons as an assistant coach to teams in the South region. He worked under current Zips coach Keith Dambrot from 2003-06 at Akron, and he worked under Billy Donovan at Florida from 2008-09.

5. Undefeated against the South

VCU is 32-18 all-time, and Coach Smart is a perfect 10-0 against teams in the 2013 South Region.

Seed	Team	Date	Result
1	Kansas	3/27/11	W · 71-61
2	Georgetown	3/18/11	W · 74-56
6	UCLA	11/26/10	W · 89-85
10	Oklahoma	11/21/09	W · 82-69
12	Akron	2/20/10	W · 70-53
12	Akron	12/29/11	W · 76-75 OT
15	FGCU	11/9/12	W · 80-57
16	Western Kentucky	11/20/11	W · 69-64
16	Western Kentucky	11/23/11	W · 68-45
16	Western Kentucky	12/18/12	W · 76-44

6. Mixed results against tourney teams

VCU played 12 games against 11 teams in the 2013 NCAA Tournament field, the most by any tournament bound team in VCU history. The Rams finished 5-7:

Seed	Team	Date	Result
15	FGCU	11/9	W · 80-57
9	Wichita St.	11/13	L · 51-53
6	Memphis	11/22	W · 78-65
2	Duke	11/23	L · 58-67
9	Missouri	11/24	L · 65-68
11	Belmont	12/1	W · 75-65
16	Western Kentucky	12/18	W · 76-44
13	LaSalle	1/26	L · 61-69
4	Saint Louis	2/19	L · 62-76
6	Butler	3/2	W · 84-52
9	Temple	3/10	L · 76-84
4	Saint Louis	3/17	L · 56-62

7. An efficient offense

Despite playing the most difficult schedule of Coach Smart’s tenure, this season’s Rams boast his most efficient offense in addition to his signature defense.

Year	SOS	OPPG (rank)	OPPP (rank)	DPPG (rank)	DPPP
’10	#141	76.0 (37)	1.11 (23)	66.4 (122)	0.97
’11	#61	71.6 (89)	1.08 (53)	66.8 (135)	1.01
’12	#146	68.0 (177)	1.04 (114)	59.8 (18)	0.91
’13	#25	77.3 (14)	1.12 (21)	64.8 (119)	0.99

• OPPG – Total points scored / # of games.
• OPPP – The number of points per possession scored by an offense.
• DPPG – Total points allowed / # of games.
• DPPP – The number of points per possession given up by a defense (no national rankings available).

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March 19, 2013 9:22 AM 0