Ross Hodge cited analytics multiple times during his introductory press conference at West Virginia.
From using the home court advantage statistic on KenPom, to offensive efficiency, it’s something that the head coach is very aware of within the realm of college basketball.
It’s become a major piece to the puzzle in college basketball as well as the game itself across all levels with the data being collected and explored in a variety of different ways.
So, I asked him about his utilization of the data and how it influences his coaching. The answer was one that recognizes it’s place, but at the same time understanding when to draw the line.
“It’s definitely a tool. It’s not the bible,” he said.
The eye test still matters for Hodge and the data is used as an effective tool to essentially reinforce what the coaching staff is seeing play out on the floor.
In fact, Hodge is still in the camp that he prefers to watch the film first and then gather his own thoughts before even peeking at the data to see what it says.
And from there Hodge uses that to look at some things that can be tweaked when it comes to his approach.
“Maybe you go back and revisit some things based on the data and analytics,” he said.
So, while there are certainly benefits to the data it isn’t something that will make decisions for Hodge. But it still certainly has it’s place in the modern game of basketball.
“Certainly, a great resource and a great tool and it’s very helpful,” he said.
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