As you may know, Rutgers is #3 in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom, at 84.2. Thought I would share a few other defensive statistics for Rutgers. Here are our rankings among B1G teams.
#1 in points allowed per game at 54.9
#2 in FGs allowed per game at 19.6 (NW is #1 at 19.5)
#2 in FG% defense at 36.6% (NW is #1 at 36.3%)
#1 in 3-pt FG% defense at 25.7%
#2 in 3-pt FGs allowed at 5.9 (MD is #1 at 5.2)
#1 in steals per game at 10.2
#1 in turnovers caused per game at 17.2
I haven’t looked this up, but we’ve also held almost all of our opponents to several ppg less than their season averages, and we’ve held 10 of our opponents under 60 points.
And here’s the most interesting stat: “Kill Shots.” Defined as the number of double digit scoring runs per game (10 points or more scored in a row without the opposing team scoring). Rutgers leads the country in Kill Shots with 21 this season. Tennessee is next with 18.
Disirregardless, this game scares me even though it’s at the RAC. Iowa can score in bunches, and our games are always wars. Plus our offense is mediocre at best (ranked # 108 in KenPom at 105.3), and we’re good for several games each year in which we shoot 2-18 from 3-pt range and only score 50 or fewer points. See our game against Seton Hall this year and our game against you guys last year (both in the 40s).
Here’s hoping we have a good, clean, injury free game (that Rutgers wins comfortably!).
As an aside, I hope Patrick McCaffrey will be okay. Although I don’t particularly like Fran as an opposing coach, I’ve always thought Patrick and Connor were good players and are likable dudes.
Cheers.
