…Why is it that typically womens’ basketball games are lower-scoring affairs than male basketball? I have been curious about this for a while. I consistently see scores for, as an example, some local high school games where the scores are 41-25, and there was one on the news last night with a final score of 38-19. The male counterparts from the same schools typically have scores in the 60-70 point ranges. But I’ve noticed that it seems to extend to include college and pro basketball, as well. Not to THAT much of an extreme (by which I mean 19 points in a game). But why, statistically, does women’s basketball seem to be lower scoring?
on a relate note, I’ve always wondered why women’s college hoops features so many blowouts. In the men’s game, to blow out an opponent by 20 is impressive. But in the women’s game, scores like 85-40 are fairly common. I wonder why that is?
I think women’s college games and men’s college games are probably pretty close in terms of scoring. While men might have slightly higher shooting percentages, they also have a slightly longer shot clock (35 for men, 30 for women) and probably a few less possessions per game
The good women’s teams (UConn, Tennessee, Notre Dame) can run the floor pretty well and put up points at a rapid rate.
There are more blowouts in women’s basketball because there still isn’t as deep a talent pool for women’s players as there is for men, so greater disparities exist.
If anyone watched the Colonial Association men’s final, which ended up as a 35-33 win for George Mason, I would say that men can play some pretty low scoring games as well.
I finally dug up some stats from the NCAA on points scored per game.
As of January 14, the average men’s Division I team scored 72.7 points per game on 44.17% field goal shooting. The average women’s team scored 67.6 points per game on 41.2% shooting from the floor.
The highest scoring men’s DI team was TCU which averaged 93.6 points per game. The best for the women was Western Kentucky which averaged 88.4.
The best defensive team for men was Utah State at 56.8. For the women, it was Utah at 49.7.
The best average scoring margin for men was Duke’s 20.8 points. For the women, it was UConn’s 32.8.
So, a women’s game will likely have fewer points than a men’s game and maybe a bigger margin of victory, but it’s not a huge disparity.
In my opinion, ON AVERAGE:
-
Men have greater upper body strength and can wing the ball downcourt better for fastbreaks.
-
Men are taller and can score more consistently inside.
-
Hi Opal!
-
Jump shots are taken more by men, and they are more difficult to guard against.
-
Men tend to begin earlier in life with sports like this and have more experience playing the game.
THAT BEING SAID I freely and proudly admit there are thousands of women who could kick my butt in basketball, but when I played JV, I pacticed with the Varsity Girl’s team to help their offense, and I could play circles around them.
But what do I know?