NDSU Men’s Basketball Emphasizing Defense in Second Half of League Play

NDSU's record has directly correlated with opponent's shooting percentage

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State men’s basketball is hoping the cold weather will translate to cold shooting by opponents.

That hasn’t really been the case this season, where NDSU has allowed teams to shoot nearly 47 percent against them on the year. That is among the worst in the country.

As you would expect, there is a direct correlation between how well teams have shot the ball against NDSU and how likely they are to win.

“We’ve been looking back at the film, and our offense leads a lot into our defense, our shot selection and how we get back into transition,” sophomore forward Rocky Kreuser said. “That’s a huge part of it. We’ve definitely been focusing on the defensive end.”

The Bison have been very consistent shooting the ball in both wins and losses (44.7 percent in wins, 44.3 percent in losses).

But, opponents have shot 12 percentage points better in wins (54.7 percent in wins, 42.7 percent in losses).

The magic number seems to be 30 field goals allowed. When the Bison hold teams below 30 makes, they are 4-0.

When opponents make at least 30 shots, NDSU is 0-4.

The team is off until Saturday, when they face Western Illinois on the road.