DEEP STATS: A breakdown of State’s Loss to Purdue

Why State Lost: Offensively

NC State didn’t lose the game because they shot the ball poorly. Their effective field goal percentage of 50% was above their season average (48.7%). In fact, it was their third best shooting performance of the season thus far.

NC State didn’t lose because they turned the ball over. Through the first six games, the Wolfpack came in ranked 21st in the NCAA in Turnover% (the percentage of a team’s possessions that end in a turnover) at 15.5%. Against the Boilermakers, NC State beat that average, with a TO% of 15.1%.

NC State lost because they were efficiently kept off of the offensive glass. The Wolfpack came into the game against Purdue ranking 42nd in the nation in Offensive Rebound Percentage, hauling in 38.8% of the possible offensive boards. The Boilermakers physical play, and two towers inside, held NC State to a subpar 30% OR%. Coming into the game this wasn’t one of Purdue’s strengths, ranking 108th in Defensive OR%.

The Wolfpack also lost because they failed to get to the free throw line the way they had been. And it was a huge missed opportunity. Purdue came into the game as one of the more foul happy teams in the country, ranking 159th in Defensive Free Throw Rate (FTA/FGA…how often they put people on the line. Instead of excelling above their Offensive Free Throw Rate average of 45.8, NC State missed an opportunity with a week Free Throw Rate of 38.8.

Why State Lost: Defensively

The Wolfpack actually did a good job at holding the Boilermakers to a below average effective field goal percentage. Purdue came in ranked 19th in the NCAA in eFG% (57.3%), and NC State held them to an eFG% of 45.5%.

NC State has been one of the worst teams in the NCAA in creating turnovers, ranking 314th in the country, taking the ball away only 16.5% of the time. They didn’t do much better against Purdue, beating their average by four tenths of a percentage point. What is discouraging about this, is Purdue came in as one of the worst teams in the country at turning the ball over, with a TO% of 21.3 ranking 236th.

NC State lost this game in a big way because of their failure on the defensive glass. This was surprising, because they came in ranked 16th in Defensive OR%, only allowing opponents to grab 24.1% of possible offensive rebounds. Purdue grabbed 42.1% of their own shots that clanged off the rim.

The Wolfpack also lost because they handed Purdue way too many points at the charity stripe. The Pack came in ranked 19th in Defensive Free Throw Rate (24.5), being one of the better teams in the country at keeping people off of the line, and staying out of foul trouble. Purdue lived on the line, with a whopping Free Throw Rate of 39.3.