Digital Commons Network^™

Hot Hands Or Chance Happenings? A Simulation-Based Approach For Wnba Teams, Ruben Jimenez

Master's Theses

The hot hand is a polarizing topic in basketball analytics: fans, stakeholders, and even players themselves assert confidently their belief or disbelief in the idea that players who perform well will continue to do so over an extended period of time. Statistical research has been conducted since as early as 1985 to attempt to disprove or prove the existence of this phenomenon. More recent works have refuted the earliest objections to the hot hand’s existence, with conclusions aided by robust simulation techniques. In this work, we compare hypothesis tests using multiple simulation techniques to explore the hot hand at the …

The Impatience Of Winning: An Analysis Of Time Discounting, Predictive Modeling, And The Nba Draft, Alec R. Plante

Business and Economics Honors Papers

This paper examines whether NBA draft decisions can be better explained by incorporating non-geometric time discounting into a model of general manager decision making. Using a dataset of 285 NBA draft prospects over a 12-year period, the impact of college statistics on Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) is determined, and these impact values are then used to create a “predicted” VORP for the first 4 seasons of each player’s career: a projection of what a general manager might think of a prospect’s future value given their college statistics. Following this, geometric and hyperbolic time discounting models are applied to estimate …

''Una Ncaa Division Ii National Champs!!'', Times Daily

Documents

Souvenir edition of the Times Daily in honor of the University of North Alabama Men’s Basketball Team’s win in the NCAA Division II National Championship of 1979. The newspaper includes various articles related to community celebration of the team and information on individual players.

1959 Florence State College Basketball Media Guide, Florence State College, News Bureau

Documents

Media guide for the 1959 Florence State College Lions basketball team. The guide includes a variety of information on the team, schedule, statistics, prospects, and history.

''Lions Win Ncaa Division Ii Title - 1979 National Champions!'', The Flor-Ala

Documents

Excerpts from the Flor-Ala publication announcing the University of North Alabama basketball team’s success in the NCAA Division II 1979 National Championship game. The newspaper includes images, statistics, and game recaps.

Florence State University Basketball Recruitment Letter, E. E. Billingham

Documents

Basketball recruitment letter and statistic sheet sent by Coach E.E. Billingham in 1971.

Transcript

----Page 1---- 

FLORENCE STATE UNIVERSITY 

FLORENCE, ALABAMA 35630 

205-766-4100 

DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS 

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about Florence State University in Florence, Alabama. 

We are a small Southern University (3300 students) just starting to get off the ground in a vigorous basketball program and we need prospects of your caliber, if we are going to accomplish our goals. We are having our most successful start in a long time but will graduate five seniors and need to have a good …

1961-62 Florence State Lions Basketball Media Guide, Pete Kelley, Florence Herald Print

Documents

Media guide for the 1961-62 Florence State College Lions basketball team. The guide includes a variety of information on the teams, schedule, statistics, team members, prospects, and history.

Florence State College Basketball 1963-64, Glenn Stephens

Documents

Pamphlet concerned with the 1963-64 Florence State College Basketball Season, including historical information, reference to Athletic Director H.A. “Eddie” Flowers, Head Basketball Coach Edmond E. Billingham, and team images, statistics, and facts.

Muscle Shoals Invitational Tournament Program, Florence Herald

Documents

Program for the Muscle Shoals Invitational Basketball Tournament held at the Sheffield, Alabama community center on Friday and Saturday, December 16-17, 1955. The tournament includes participating institutions, such as Birmingham-Southern College, Howard College, (Troy) Alabama State Teachers College, and (Florence) Alabama State Teachers College. The program features lists of team players and statistics.

Book Review: Magic In The Air: The Myth, The Mystery, And The Soul Of The Slam Dunk, Andrew C. Sellers

Global Sport Business Journal

Book review of Mike Sielski's (2025) Magic in the Air: The Myth, the Mystery, and the Soul of the Slam Dunk.

The Caitlin Clark Effect: Evidence Of Athlete-Driven Market Disruption In Women’S Collegiate Basketball, Lawrence W. Judge, Jeffrey C. Petersen

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Caitlin Clark’s emergence as a generational collegiate basketball talent triggered a profound shift in consumer behavior, known as the “Caitlin Clark Effect” (CCE) (Lucas, 2025). This study examined attendance and venue utilization data from the University of Iowa’s women’s basketball program, spanning pre-, during-, and post-Clark periods. Results from one-way ANOVA analyses showed a statistically significant increase in average game attendance (home, away, and neutral), rising from 5,387 pre-Clark to 13,877 in her senior year (p < .001), with a sustained post-Clark average of 9,890. Arena capacity utilization followed a similar trajectory, increasing from 37.3% to 92.4%. Notably, post-Clark utilization remained at 74.3%, indicating durable fan interest. These findings provide time-sequenced evidence of a singular athlete catalyzing lasting institutional and market change in women’s collegiate sports. The study advances sport business theory by illuminating the strategic implications of athlete-driven branding and challenges assumptions underpinning facility planning and resource allocation.

Changing The Game: Examining The Impacts Of Name, Image, And Likeness Legislation On Dominance Within Ncaa Division 1 Men’S Basketball, Jaclyn Noel Lawrence

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

On July 1, 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented a policy change allowing collegiate athletes to benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), enabling them to earn additional income through partnerships without penalty. This shift sparked widespread debate regarding its potential impact on competitive balance and dominance within college athletics—a principle the NCAA has long cited in defense of its amateurism model. Controlling for player, coach, and institutional characteristics, this study estimates a comprehensive model to assess the relationship between the presence of NIL opportunities and team success. We found no evidence that NIL alone has significantly …

Corporate Partnerships: The Heartbeat Of An Organization, Turner J. Symancyk

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

A deep-dive into the world of Corporate Partnerships for large sporting events. This thesis includes day-to-day responsibilities and takeaways from a ten-week internship with the 2024 Men's Basketball Final Four event.

Ua19/16/2 Women's Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU women's basketball team in spring 2025.

Ua19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU men's basketball team in spring 2025.

Exploring Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy In The Lived Experiences Of African-American Male Former Division I Basketball Players: A Phenomenological Study, James Jameel Pugh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the self-perceived career goal achievement capabilities of African-American former Division I basketball players through the lens of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) and its impact on their post-athletic career decisions. Through a phenomenological approach, this study aims to contribute a nuanced understanding of the experiences, behaviors, and perceptions of these athletes' post-collegiate sports career transitions. Embedded within the literature review framework, this study illuminates likely factors influencing CDMSE by examining Self-Efficacy, Athlete Identity, Identity Foreclosure, and Career Maturity. Additionally presented is an overview of the unique culture within revenue-generating collegiate sports and, specifically, previous research on the experiences …

The Effect Of National Origin And Skin Color On Playing Time In The Wnba, Nola Agha, David Berri, Akash Bhatt, Jennifer Van Gilder

Sport Management

This article uses data from the 1997-2022 seasons to investigate the role of bias in the distribution of playing time in the WNBA. We evaluate national origin, a fixed and objective measure, and improve upon past uses of subjective, perception-based measures of race by using a more objective measure of skin tone. More specifically, via a fixed-effect estimation of 2,949 WNBA player-year combinations we find no evidence that the national origin of either players or coaches is related to the provision of playing time. Similarly, skin tone of players or coaches (n=893), either alone or in combination with national origin, …

Creating A Social Media Presence In Columbus State Women's Basketball Program, Kaihla Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This professional project will explore increased social media growth within the Columbus State University Women's Basketball team. It will present a sweeping writing audit focusing on the encounters and perspectives of the Columbus State Women's Basketball program regarding social media and the advancing opportunities for female student-athletes. It will dive into the framework to understand how women's basketball social media platforms impact the subjects, stories, and conversations encompassing the game, ultimately molding the public insight and plan. We get into the impact of a solid virtual social media presence, effective online entertainment strategies, the variety inborn in the women's basketball …

Predictive Machine Learning And Its Future In Professional Basketball, Zachary Harmon

Honors College Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an ever-evolving field, transforming various aspects of contemporary life. From language models to immersive gaming experiences, AI technologies have become integral to our daily existence. Among the most promising arenas for AI integration is the world of sports. This research delves into the application of machine learning models to predict NBA game outcomes, shedding light on the profound impact of machine learning in the realm of professional basketball. Beyond the scope of game prediction, this study explores the broader implications, such as optimizing the selection of televised games, assisting players in showcasing their skills, and much …

Ua19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU men's basketball team from August to December 2023.

Ua19/16/2 Women's Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU women's basketball team from August to December 2023.

Ua19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU men's basketball team from January to July 2023.

Ua19/16/2 Women's Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU women's basketball team from January to July 2023.

Nba Tean Valuation: What Drives Value?, Jackson Cleary

Honors Theses and Capstones

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has slowly become one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the United States as well as growing its reach in European and Chinese ties. With this growth, we have seen the value of NBA teams climb significantly. Mark Cuban, a well-known entrepreneur and Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank, purchased the Dallas Mavericks for $285 million in 2000. They are now worth a staggering $2.5 billion (as of 2021). In 20 years since Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks, they have seen close to ten times increase in their value. This begs the question, what …

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Details Finalized For New Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center at Georgia Southern

Changes In Leukocyte Hspa1a, Hspb1 Mrna In Basketball Players After Plyometric Training, Malgorzata Zychowska, Eglė Kemerytė-Riaubienė, Audrius Gocentas, Nijole Jascaniniene, Grzegorz Chruscinski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Exercise-induced stressors activate leukocyte HSPA1A and HSPB1 gene transcripts. However it is not clear how plyometric training affects the expression of these genes in basketball players under plyometric exercise. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the changes in leukocyte HSPA1A and HSPB1 mRNA, in male basketball players after plyometric training. Material/Methods: Twelve male college basketball players (age 22.1 ±2.96 years) took part in this study. Peripheral blood (2.0 ml) was collected from the ulnar vein of each participant before and after a plyometric exercise to assess HSPA1A and HSPB1 mRNA relative expression of leukocyte via quantitative …

The Point Spread As A Reference Point: Evidence From The National Basketball Association, George Diemer, Michael Leeds

Journal of Applied Sport Management

A contentious literature surrounds the claim that heavy favorites’ failure to cover the point-spread in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball could indicate point-shaving. This paper extends the literature by using a new methodology to show that favorites in the National Basketball Association (NBA) also frequently fail to cover the spread. However, the high salaries in the NBA make point-shaving by players unlikely. Moreover, heavy underdogs also fail to cover the point spread and lose by more than expected. These seemingly anomalous findings are consistent with underdogs’ using the point-spread as a reference point.

Moving The Chains On Men's Sports: An Analysis Of Successful Female Coaches, Kira Widran

Honors Papers

In this paper, I set out to understand how women have been successful as coaches of men's sports at the Division III college level and above. This is important because despite a national increase in women playing sports after the passage of Title IX in 1972, there continues to be a glaring lack of women in coaching positions, especially within men’s sports. Existing scholarship highlights social barriers to reaching these positions, however there is very little information about the women who do achieve success in this field. Four coaches from men's baseball, basketball, and football teams were interviewed in order …

Features Of Special Strength Training Of Young Basketball Players Of Training Groups, Timur Tazhetdinovich Mambetzhumaev

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: The paper discusses the features of the use of a special set of exercises for the development of strength training of young basketball players of training groups. to study the influence of a special set of exercises for the development of strength capabilities of young basketball players of training groups.

Methods: The author used a universal dynamo graphic stand as instrumental research methods in his work to monitor the development of the studied qualities.

Results: As a result of the analysis, it was revealed that at the beginning of the pedagogical experiment, young basketball players from the experimental groups …

Women's Basketball Media Guide 2021-22, Wofford College. Department Of Athletics

Media Guides

No abstract provided.