The Size Myth in College Hoops

Traditional, back-to-the-basket centers have little to no effect on a team when it comes to winning the NCAA Basketball National Championship Game, according to Jacob E. Osterhout, whose Mythbusters article suggested that having good guards and forwards is a much better advantage in the later stages of the Tournament.

This is not to say that having an inside presence means nothing. Far from it. Just look at all the games guys like Tyler Hansbrough, Hasheem Thabeet, Luke Harangody and Blake Griffin are winning these days. Certainly there are exceptions to be found in the Tourney as well. However, when it comes to winning the national title, you’re better off having the Curry brothers than the Lopez twins. Jacob E. Osterhout explains the theory well in his article, but you could see the notion put into practice last year in the Final Four, where Kansas and Memphis, two team who relied on guards and forwards, vied for the title. UCLA and North Carolina, with Kevin Love and Tyler Hansbrough respectively, were ousted before the championship game. This year we’ll see if this theory works again. You might want to organize your bracket accordingly.

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Permalink - Posted in General on January 22, 2009 - Post a comment