There is a lot of when Diamond was at UNC comparison happening in threads and I thought I would just do a little comparison between the two teams and Diamond's stats so people can move past mythology to some facts:
UNC scored 78.8 points per game vs. TN's current 65.8 so offensively they were much more explosive and they shot .444, not great but certainly better than TN's .413
But UNC was also giving up 65.5 ppg vs. TN's current 58.9 and UNC did not play as tough a schedule, not bad but not great.
So UNC played higher scoring games which has an effect on individual scoring and assist numbers but they also gave up more points. And they ended the year with a regular season 22-8 inflated by playing a few more cupcakes than TN. So not that great a team, with a 5-2 post season record. TN is currently 12-8 and likely have some more losses coming so not as successful, but not out of the same league, especially given the schedule differences.
Diamond was a big part of the team and her gaudy 18 point per game average looks nice - but her:
Percentage of team points: TN 22%, UNC 22%
Percentage of shots taken: TN 23%, UNC 24%
Points per shot: TN 1.0, UNC 1.1
Assist per game: TN 2.4, UNC 2.5
Turnovers per game: TN 3.7, UNC 3.4
Rebounds per game: TN 5.0, UNC 5.4
Steals per game: TN 1.9, UNC 1.7
Blocks per game: TN 1.0, UNC 0.3
Fouls per game: TN 2.6, UNC 2.4
Minutes per game: TN 26.9, UNC 27.9
Shooting percentages: TN .402/.241/.778, UNC .426/.279/.776
That to me is an amazingly consistent picture between the two years. Given different competition and different teammates the variation in numbers is meaningless - Diamond is statistically the exact same player providing the same percentage of offense, and the same kind of production in teams that are a bit different in character, but generating fairly similar results.
And neither team had a really strong coach - Sylvia was on sabbatical and the team was coached by her assistant, Pat is gone and the team is coached by her assistant.
The one distinction I would make is that Diamond was highly touted as the best freshman and some things like TOs and less than great shooting are expected by freshman, with the expectation those things will improve each year. And that hasn't happened here.
UNC scored 78.8 points per game vs. TN's current 65.8 so offensively they were much more explosive and they shot .444, not great but certainly better than TN's .413
But UNC was also giving up 65.5 ppg vs. TN's current 58.9 and UNC did not play as tough a schedule, not bad but not great.
So UNC played higher scoring games which has an effect on individual scoring and assist numbers but they also gave up more points. And they ended the year with a regular season 22-8 inflated by playing a few more cupcakes than TN. So not that great a team, with a 5-2 post season record. TN is currently 12-8 and likely have some more losses coming so not as successful, but not out of the same league, especially given the schedule differences.
Diamond was a big part of the team and her gaudy 18 point per game average looks nice - but her:
Percentage of team points: TN 22%, UNC 22%
Percentage of shots taken: TN 23%, UNC 24%
Points per shot: TN 1.0, UNC 1.1
Assist per game: TN 2.4, UNC 2.5
Turnovers per game: TN 3.7, UNC 3.4
Rebounds per game: TN 5.0, UNC 5.4
Steals per game: TN 1.9, UNC 1.7
Blocks per game: TN 1.0, UNC 0.3
Fouls per game: TN 2.6, UNC 2.4
Minutes per game: TN 26.9, UNC 27.9
Shooting percentages: TN .402/.241/.778, UNC .426/.279/.776
That to me is an amazingly consistent picture between the two years. Given different competition and different teammates the variation in numbers is meaningless - Diamond is statistically the exact same player providing the same percentage of offense, and the same kind of production in teams that are a bit different in character, but generating fairly similar results.
And neither team had a really strong coach - Sylvia was on sabbatical and the team was coached by her assistant, Pat is gone and the team is coached by her assistant.
The one distinction I would make is that Diamond was highly touted as the best freshman and some things like TOs and less than great shooting are expected by freshman, with the expectation those things will improve each year. And that hasn't happened here.