This is a post in a series that uses Win Score in different ways to ask - and attempt to answer - some difficult questions from last season. You can read about all the statistics used in this blog in the glossary. For more about Win Score specifically - and it's applications to the NBA - check out The Wages of Wins Journal blog.
While DePaul struggled to an 0-18 record during the Big East regular season did everyone miss out on the real story? Nobody seemed to mention just how solid a season sophomore forward/center Mac Koshwal (left) was having in the middle.
Dar Tucker struggled with his shot and Will Walker struggled with indecisiveness. What really limited Koshwal's productivity was the Blue Demons' inability to find a point guard that could get him the ball in the paint in a place to score. Thus Koshwal took it upon himself to find a way to put the ball in the basket. He rebounded furiously - 308 total - and handed out 57 assists - third on the team.
When the season was over not too many people noticed, but Koshwal had put up quite possibly the best overall year by any player in Chicago. Don't believe me? Here's the Win Scores for the Top 5 in the city:
- Mac Koshwal, DePaul - 284
- David Holston, Chicago State - 263
- Carl Montgomery, Chicago State - 253.5
- John Cantrell, Chicago State - 251
- Kevin Coble, Northwestern - 222
What makes those numbers even more impressive is that Win Score isn't a rate stat. It's not compensating for the fact that Chicago State played at the blisteringly fast pace of 75.4 possessions per game while DePaul had 65.9. Nope, Koshwal was just so good it doesn't matter. But as you'll see, when you compare him to his Blue Demon teammates, Koshwal's season is even more impressive.
Here are the DePaul players who put up a Win Score over 50 during the 2008-09 season:
- Mac Koshwal - 284
- Will Walker - 106.5
- Dar Tucker - 103.5
- Matija Poscic - 83
- Devin Hill - 52.5
That's it. Those six players were the only ones to contribute more than 50 to the team's Win Score. Just six players on the entire DePaul roster were even 1/6 as prolific as Koshwal last season. Even if you combined the outputs of Walker and Tucker you wouldn't reach Koshwal's productivity. That is incredible work.
What does that mean moving forward for DePaul? First of all, Jerry Wainwright - if he wants to save his job - should do everything in his power to move the ball through his star front court player. Koshwal is a good passer for a big man, so you don't have to worry about the ball stagnating in the post. An inside-outside game which starts with Koshwal could help DePaul's young shooters as well. Further, getting Koshwal involved early and often on the offensive end should help keep him focused on the defensive end.
(Also, if this isn't an argument for Devin Hill getting increased playing time, I'm not sure what is. Hill's Win Score per minute rate last season was the same as Tucker's and higher than Walker's.)
Koshwal improved significantly from his freshman to sophomore year. The Blue Demons played two more games in 2008-09, but Koshwal's per game Win Score rose to 8.9 from 7.3 and increase of almost 22 percent. A continuation of that trend would make him one of the elite players in the Big East. For DePaul to be successful next season, Koshwal needs to reach that level.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: DePaul, Mac Koshwal, statistics
0-18.