This website keeps non-conference stats, and 2011-12 has all of one conference game played, so non-conference stats are what I'm going to use to compare. I won't be ignoring the important (read: conference) games in the commentary, but the stats listed will all be non-conference.
The Center of Attention.
Stat Hibbert [Sr] Sims [Sr] Poss% 26 29 ORating 122 118 OReb% 14 9 DReb% 17 18 ARate 15 31 TORate 14 18 Goofiness 8 10 Block % 10 8 Team Def Rating 88 86 Indiv D Rating 89 84 Monster Points 1 0
I know. I'm as surprised as you. They have different strengths and weaknesses, but offensively, they have been similarly effective. We know that Roy's performance translated well to conference play -- his low post moves did not lose effectiveness, but we did see his offensive rebounding decline and turnovers increase as he became the focus of better defenses.
That's a concern for Sims; similar slides in either or more games where his shot is rolling out, and his effectiveness will start to rely almost entirely on his passing. And we know from experience the backdoors are severely cut down in conference play.
It is interesting to note that this year's Hoyas are statistically superior to the '07-08 Hoyas in non-conference defense. Some of that is opponent, but it's a nice sign for this year's Hoyas and Sims in particular.
Verdict: Sims isn't having a Ya-Ya year; he's having what we'll call a Sims year in the future. Ya-Ya went from nothing to decent; Sims is well beyond that. But Roy was still better, though possibly by not as much as I thought.
the rest of the breakdown after the jump
