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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Biggest Loser: How Tanking In Professional Sports Impacts Fan Perception, Julia Ayres
The Biggest Loser: How Tanking In Professional Sports Impacts Fan Perception, Julia Ayres
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Professional sports teams are adored nationwide for their talents and the pride they bring to their city for their efforts. However, not all teams take this responsibility seriously and will lose on purpose, or tank, to gain a higher draft pick in the future. Although the long-term goals of tanking are to help the organization, many people take issue with athletes not putting in their best efforts in every game. Teams in both the NBA and NFL are guilty of tanking to gain better draft picks but not all have found success in this process. This leads to important questions …
The Decline Of The Mid-Range Jump Shot In Basketball: A Study Of The Impact Of Data Analytics On Shooting Habits In The Nba, Shawn Kilcoyne
The Decline Of The Mid-Range Jump Shot In Basketball: A Study Of The Impact Of Data Analytics On Shooting Habits In The Nba, Shawn Kilcoyne
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The purpose of this thesis paper is to investigate the strategic shift away from the mid-range jump shot in basketball over the past decade. This paper will cover the rationale for the decline of the mid-range, as well as the general impact of data analytics on the way the game of basketball is played at the professional level. Following a review of the existing literature relating to the use of analytics in the NBA, this paper will analyze the differences in shooting habits between two seven-season periods. Data visualization tools, including boxplots, statistical trends, and distribution plots, will be used …
The Value Of A Win: Analysis Of Playoff Structures, Matthew Orsi
The Value Of A Win: Analysis Of Playoff Structures, Matthew Orsi
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The purpose of this Senior Capstone project is to analyze the distinctions between existing playoff systems. In particular, we are looking to analyze the differences between the standard single-elimination tournament (which the NCAA has used since the inception of the tournament) and other potential options: double-elimination and multiple game series. Popular sports such as Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association all use multiple game series for their playoffs. This project will use probability theory and simulation to determine the likelihood of different seeds winning a championship as well as the expected number of victories by seed in each …
Actual Vs. Perceived Value Of Players Of The National Basketball Association, Stephen Righini
Actual Vs. Perceived Value Of Players Of The National Basketball Association, Stephen Righini
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Over the past few decades the media has played an increasingly large role in shaping how player effectiveness in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is perceived. Several factors have caused fans, announcers, and even NBA team management to have unintentional bias toward certain players. This study aims to utilize various formulas created by NBA statisticians, called Player Raters, to identify how efficient each NBA player actually is in comparison to the rest of the league. Data from the past 12 seasons was compiled and six Player Raters were used to place values on every NBA player since the 2000-2001 season. …
Are Nfl Athletes Receiving Over-Valued Contracts?, Jason Scott
Are Nfl Athletes Receiving Over-Valued Contracts?, Jason Scott
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Many sport research studies have been conducted that examine the performance of professional athletes and their corresponding effect on franchise winning percentages, team revenues, economic repercussions, performance-based compensation, and much more. Research in the National Football League, however, has been found to be somewhat limited due to the numerous possible positions and resulting vastness of position-specific variables. The NFL lockout in 2011 caused many to question the specific relationship between professional athlete performance and salary distribution. This study’s purpose was to find a collection of variables with which all NFL athletes could be compared, and to identify relationships existing between …