Just in time for the new year, net plus-minus for the current NCAA Division I college basketball season is available! By net plus-minus, I mean that the team’s performance with that player on the floor is compared to the team’s performance overall. It is measured on a per possession basis. For example, if a player has an overall plus-minus of +5, it means that his team is expected to outscore the opponent by five points over an average-paced 40 minute game. For overall and offensive plus-minus, a more positive number is better, while for defensive plus-minus a more negative plus-minus is better.
However, you must approach these numbers with caution. First of all, it is very early in the season. Most teams have only played 10 or 12 games, so plus-minus with such a small sample is very unreliable. As the season progresses the numbers should become more accurate. Secondly, as I’ve mentioned before, the official play-by-play data is filled with errors, so for some players the numbers may be slightly off. Also, some players and teams aren’t available, so if there’s a team you’d like to see that’s not already there, let me know. Finally, we must remember that all plus-minus stats have their own strengths and weaknesses. This is not adjusted plus-minus, so a player’s teammates are not taken into account. Therefore, if a poor player is often paired with an excellent player, the poor player may look better than he actually is.
With all of that being said, below is a spreadsheet containing all of the data. To sort by team, click on the filter at the top and choose which team you’d like to see. Also, if you click the arrow at the top left, you can download the file as an Excel spreadsheet. If you notice any errors, please let me know.
