Temple still maintains a one game lead over St. Louis. The Owls scored a solid victory over Xavier on Saturday and judging by their play of late, will be tough to reel in.
| Record | Off. Eff. | Def. Eff. | Margin | |
| Temple | 8-2 | 114 | 101 | +13 |
| St. Louis | 8-3 | 104 | 93 | +11 |
| UMASS | 7-4 | 101 | 97 | +4 |
| Xavier | 7-4 | 106 | 101 | +5 |
| St. Bona | 6-4 | 103 | 97 | +6 |
| LaSalle | 6-5 | 107 | 102 | +5 |
| St. Joseph’s | 6-5 | 100 | 100 | 0 |
| Dayton | 5-5 | 110 | 111 | -1 |
| Duquesne | 5-5 | 99 | 104 | -5 |
| Charlotte | 4-6 | 95 | 100 | -5 |
| Geo. Wash. | 4-7 | 102 | 107 | -5 |
| Richmond | 4-7 | 108 | 107 | +1 |
| Fordham | 2-8 | 95 | 115 | -20 |
| Rhode Is. | 2-9 | 96 | 107 | -11 |
The efficiency on the offensive end for St. Louis is not a big surprise. Rick Majerus’ teams traditionally value each possession and do not turn it over (an above average 18.8% TO rate) at a frequency that negatively affects the offense. The defense has been outstanding and the conference pace setter. The key components are a D allowing a 42.6% field goal percentage while forcing opponents into a conference high 25% turnover rate.
Temple’s defensive mark is high for a Fran Dunphy team. The three most recent A-10 seasons have seen the Owls limit opponents to 95, 92 and 97 defensive efficiencies. The offense though, is running on all cylinders.
Richmond is showing an impressive offense. The defensive end, another story. Offensively, the Spiders show the conference’s best turnover rate at 16%. They have knocked down 235 threes, best in the A-10, at a 35% rate. On defense, they do not force turnovers (18.5% for opponents) and allow a 50.2% eFG mark to the opposition. A contrast to the championship team of last season where the offense was 112 and the defense checked in at 101.
The fast pace of UMASS has resulted in opportunities to get to the line. The Minutemen lead the conference with 241 free throw attempts (hitting 173 for a 71.8 percentage).
St. Joseph’s enjoys a conference leading 39.5% opposing field goal percentage and a 10.5% block percentage. Their defensive efficiency is average and would be better if they forced opponents into more than a 14.7% turnover rate.
Fastest pace: UMASS 75, Rhode Island, Charlotte 70
Deliberate: George Washington 64 , Richmond 65
- Ray Floriani
http://www.collegechalktalk.com
