The Fawcett Leaks about Defensive Rebounding

By: Eric Fawcett -- September 16, 2022


If there is one area that Todd Golden will be looking to improve Florida basketball in from day one, it’s rebounding.

Looking at some of the reasons why Florida wasn’t able to hit their ceiling over the last couple of years, a category that sticks out is defensive rebounding. Here is where the Gators ranked nationally in defensive rebounding over the last five years:

2018: 256th
2019: 313th
2020: 150th
2021: 275th
2022: 333rd

Sorry @GatorPlanet . . . I didn't see you already had a thread. You guys tell me. LOL!

 

And we were this bad even keeping all five on the job and nobody leaking out. Heck, for years one of our guards might have been the leading rebounder for a few games. Maybe even Chiozza a few times.

I know nearly everybody that posts here wants us to run a faster offense, but securing defensive rebounds is something you have to do first. If you don't it often gives the opposing 5 an easy basket at worst and a new bite at the apple for a basket in the half court at best. Do we have the front court that can clean the glass and give our guards some freedom to break?

 

I do have to ask what the rankings for defensive rebounding is based on. Is it total number or the fraction of those available. I am guess that it is total number since Gloden's team had many more possessions per game.

 

It’s a good question because rebound rate is what you really care about, since as you note, the total rebounds stat can get swamped by number of possessions.

 

If Golden can improve our defensive rebounding AND reduce the number of 3-point attempts, consistently, then hats off to him. It's been infuriating to watch, especially when player after player doesn't box out or fails to close out on shooters.

 

Good question--these numbers are rebound rate (the percentage of available rebounds secured), NOT total number.