How Has The NCAA's New 30-Sec Shot Clock Worked This Postseason?

 

Adjusting for the matchups and expected points in each game, scoring in the smaller tournaments has been about 5.6 ppg more than the NCAA tournament. This is 2.4 ppg higher than the typical difference in these events. That's not something that will transform the game, but if you assume that boost applies to the entire 2015-16 season, it would take the sport to scoring levels not seen since 2003.

 

One of the concerns of the 30-second clock is that it may make offenses less efficient, but the postseason experiment isn't providing much evidence of that. Accounting for the quality of the teams and the usual increase in efficiency seen in the lower-level events, efficiency was actually up, though by a miniscule 0.6 points per 100 possessions. The fact that it didn't decrease in any significant is major news.

 

Two-point percentage in lower tournaments averaged about 1.6 percent better than in the NCAA tournament in previous seasons. This season, it's 1.4 percent better, so it's basically unchanged, even when accounting for matchups. Likewise, three-point accuracy appears to be unaffected by the shorter clock. If anything, it's improved a bit.

With Murray State in the tournament I watched 3 NIT games and it was better I felt.

Teams like Kentucky wind the shot clock down sometimes without much pressure from the defense and then really get into their offense at the 15 second mark. So I'm all for the 30 second shot clock.

 

I personally didn't think it would affect offensive efficiency, so I'm glad to see so far they believe it hasn't.

I have come over to the "24 second college shot clock" camp, but 30 is better than 35.

Teams like Kentucky wind the shot clock down sometimes without much pressure from the defense and then really get into their offense at the 15 second mark. So I'm all for the 30 second shot clock.

 

I personally didn't think it would affect offensive efficiency, so I'm glad to see so far they believe it hasn't.

That is the thing. Many in opposition say teams are running offense. No, throwing the ball around the perimeter, and not coming closer than 28 feet to the basket until under 8 seconds on the clock is not running offense.