6’ 10” stud post Efe Abogidi has been named WSU’s first ever Pac-12 Freshman of the Week since the award was established leading up to last season. In wins this week over Prairie View A&M (1-3) and Northwestern State (1-10), Abogidi put up 31 points on 10-17 shooting, 26 rebounds, and 8 blocks. He also made 10 of his 11 free throws, all in 58 minutes of play. The Cougs had a clear size advantage in these games, with starting lineups of Bonton, Williams, Jakimovski, Abogidi, Markovetskyy averaging 6’8” against 6’4” for their opponents.
Breakdown of Abogidi’s Per Game Statistics this Season
Abogidi is quickly adapting to the Division I game. His ability to play outstanding rim protecting defense without fouling has been a clear facet of his early development and has allowed him to stay on the court.
Looking at his offensive game, Efe is shooting an outstanding 59% from inside and a remarkable 5-11 on threes which comprise 22% of his shot attempts. That combined with his 81% free throw percentage makes him a scary sight for opposing defenders. He has contributed the most offensive win shares on the team this season (0.6) despite his usage (19%) being below guys like Bonton, Noah Williams, and Andrej Jakimovski; the Cougs need to utilize Efe more on that end.
In addition to his shooting, Efe creates more opportunities for the Cougs -- averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds per game -- good for fourth in the conference while grabbing about 13% of available offensive boards.
As good as his offense is, it’s the defensive end that makes Efe an exceptional talent. He ranks 1st in the Pac-12 and 7th in the nation in defensive win-shares, doing so in less playing time than anyone in the top 30 nationally. His advanced stats this season have been so good that they’re best displayed using a table.
Efe Abogidi’s Production Compared with Qualifying Players totaling at least 100 minutes
Looking at the Cougs as a whole, they enter Pac-12 play at 8-0 and as one of 34 unbeaten teams in the nation. They’ve also already picked up a conference win against Oregon State thanks to COVID’s funky schedules.
Despite going 8-0, the Cougs play hasn’t necessarily exceeded expectations -- at least from a statistical point of view. The Cougs give up 57.6 points per game, fewest in the conference, but only score 68.8 which is 10th best in the Pac. Their offense ranks even worse when adjusting for pace; the Cougs are 4th fastest in the conference. The offensive woes can be mainly attributed to shooting and ball control. They're shooting at 46.5% when adjusting for the added value of threes, only ahead of the Dawgs and while they are having no trouble getting to the line (4th), free throws are only going in at a 69% clip (9th). The Cougs are turning the ball over second most in the conference (14.5 per game) thanks in part to point guard Isaac Bonton who is posting a baffling league leading 3.6 turnovers per game while continuing to have the second highest usage. Amdrej Jakimovski and Noah Williams are also top 20 in the conference in turnovers per game with 2.3 each.
So if the Cougs are performing so poorly, how are they undefeated? They’ve only played one team with a record above .500 (Oregon State) and the combined record of their opponents is 14-37. Additionally, they have stayed home at Beasley Coliseum for each of their contests. Their schedule thus far has been the second easiest among all Power 6 conference schools playing at least three games. WSU has been favored in each game besides against the Beavers and posted single digit wins against them, Eastern Washington (2-4), Idaho (0-5) and Portland State (2-4). Their Net Rating, capturing the predicted outcome against an average Division I opponent on a neutral floor, has only marginally increased since their preseason projection.
Looking ahead, “Recspecs730 Basketball Central” projects a 7-12 record for the Cougs, good for 9th in the conference. They host Arizona this Saturday, January 2nd.
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