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Bracket Wisdom #5: Do matchups matter in college basketball?

By Dr. Ed Feng Leave a Comment

Suppose West Virginia is elite at offensive rebounding but Iowa State is awful at defensive rebounding. Can we use this to make a more accurate prediction?

I dig in by first explaining the four factors of basketball. Then I describe the work of Jordan Sperber on matchups in college basketball.

Timing isn’t great given the lack of a NCAA tournament, but at least this episode is evergreen. The content was also part of my ultimate guide to predictive college basketball analytics.

To listen, click on the right pointing triangle:

You can also grab the episode on Apple Podcasts by clicking here.

Filed Under: 2020 NCAA Tournament, Bracket Wisdom, College Basketball, Podcast

Bracket Wisdom #4: How to make college basketball predictions

By Dr. Ed Feng Leave a Comment

Ever wondered how to make a college basketball prediction based on efficiency? To explain, I dig into points per possession and how to estimate this quantity from the box score.

Then I discuss the least squares algorithm and how it leads to the rankings on kenpom.com. Finally, I talk about going from these efficiency rankings to a prediction for a game.

This episode formed the basis for part of my ultimate guide to predictive college basketball analytics.

To listen, click on the right pointing triangle.

To get the episode on Apple Podcasts, click here. You can subscribe to the podcast to make sure you get every episode of this daily series.

The Bracket Wisdom series is also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Filed Under: 2020 NCAA Tournament, Bracket Wisdom, College Basketball, Podcast

Bracket Wisdom #3: Michigan State

By Dr. Ed Feng Leave a Comment

Michigan State might not seem like a championship contender given their record. They lost 6 of 10 games at one point this season.

However, a surprising predictor of tournament performance likes Michigan State. I break down this team on offense and defense and explain their poor record because of an exceptional Big Ten.

To get the episode on Apple Podcasts, click here. You can subscribe to the podcast to make sure you get every episode of this daily series.

The Bracket Wisdom series is also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Filed Under: 2020 NCAA Tournament, Bracket Wisdom, College Basketball, Podcast

Bracket Wisdom #2: The one thing you must get right

By Dr. Ed Feng Leave a Comment

You got the memo on using analytics to predict the NCAA tournament. You’re ready to win.

Not so fast. If you get this one thing wrong, you might as well light your entry fee on fire. I explain with an analogy using Steph Curry.

To get the episode on Apple Podcasts, click here. You can subscribe to the podcast to make sure you get every episode of this daily series.

The Bracket Wisdom series is also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Filed Under: 2020 NCAA Tournament, Bracket Wisdom, College Basketball, Podcast, Uncategorized

Bracket Wisdom #1: Madder than usual in 2020?

By Dr. Ed Feng Leave a Comment

The word parity has been used to describe college basketball this season. But does this actually apply?

To answer this question, I compare win probabilities for this year to the past few seasons. In discussing my latest methods for predicting college basketball, I touch on Dayton, San Diego State, Arizona and Michigan State.

To listen here, click on the right pointing triangle:

To get the episode on Apple Podcasts, click here. You can subscribe to the podcast to make sure you get every episode of this daily series.

The Bracket Wisdom series is also available on Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Filed Under: 2020 NCAA Tournament, Bracket Wisdom, College Basketball, Podcast

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  • About
    • About The Power Rank
    • Start Here
    • Contact
  • Predictions
    • Games
    • March Madness
  • Content
    • Must Read
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • March Madness Book
  • Rankings
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    • Cluster Luck
    • College Basketball
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    • CFB yards per play
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