[OCcardinal]

Cameron Brink has long been criticized for her propensity to foul. (ESPN recently had a full article about it: Stanford's Cameron Brink knows she has a foul problem). But looking at her stats on HerHoopsStats.com, I wonder if she's now hit a key (favorable) threshold this season:

Season Fouls-Per-Game (Fouls-Per-30-Minutes)
2020-21 2.8 (4.59)
2021-22 2.8 (3.84)
2022 so far 2.2 (3.16)

Brink is also now averaging 38 minutes before picking up her 4th foul.  That compares to her sophomore year rate of 4.86 fouls at 38 minutes and 5.81 her frosh season!

Of course, against South Carolina Brink did foul out (in a mere 23 minutes). But that also seems to have been a tightly called/especially physical game.  Fran Belibi picked up 4 fouls in 7 minutes and Aliyah Boston (who is averaging only 2.05 fouls per 30 minutes) fouled out in 29 minutes.

I'm not sure if the improvement is more technique or more playing away from the basket more often. Notably, Kiki Iriafen is averaging 4.12 fouls per 30 minutes (about 1 foul more than Brink per 30).  And as a further comparison, South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso, the #1 center in the class of 2020 and #5 overall, is averaging 3.41 fouls per 30 minutes (compared to Brink's 3.16).

In any event, Brink getting her average fouls down to 4.00 per 38 minutes would seem to be a key threshold. It suggests to me that there should be fewer games where Brink's minutes are limited due to foul trouble.  Last season she would have been expected to pick up a 4th foul in 31.3 minutes and freshman year a mere 26.2 minutes. So odds seem to be increasing that Brink will be there when the team really needs her (without Tara needing to sit her for extended minutes early in games).

P.S. Lauren Betts is averaging only 1.62 fouls per 30 minutes. Though her minutes are still limited, that stat is certainly encouraging!

[OCcardinal]

Cameron Brink has long been criticized for her propensity to foul. (ESPN recently had a full article about it: Stanford's Cameron Brink knows she has a foul problem). But looking at her stats on HerHoopsStats.com, I wonder if she's now hit a key (favorable) threshold this season:

Season Fouls-Per-Game (Fouls-Per-30-Minutes)
2020-21 2.8 (4.59)
2021-22 2.8 (3.84)
2022 so far 2.2 (3.16)

Brink is also now averaging 38 minutes before picking up her 4th foul.  That compares to her sophomore year rate of 4.86 fouls at 38 minutes and 5.81 her frosh season!

Of course, against South Carolina Brink did foul out (in a mere 23 minutes). But that also seems to have been a tightly called/especially physical game.  Fran Belibi picked up 4 fouls in 7 minutes and Aliyah Boston (who is averaging only 2.05 fouls per 30 minutes) fouled out in 29 minutes.

I'm not sure if the improvement is more technique or more playing away from the basket more often. Notably, Kiki Iriafen is averaging 4.12 fouls per 30 minutes (about 1 foul more than Brink per 30).  And as a further comparison, South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso, the #1 center in the class of 2020 and #5 overall, is averaging 3.41 fouls per 30 minutes (compared to Brink's 3.16).

In any event, Brink getting her average fouls down to 4.00 per 38 minutes would seem to be a key threshold. It suggests to me that there should be fewer games where Brink's minutes are limited due to foul trouble.  Last season she would have been expected to pick up a 4th foul in 31.3 minutes and freshman year a mere 26.2 minutes. So odds seem to be increasing that Brink will be there when the team really needs her (without Tara needing to sit her for extended minutes early in games).

P.S. Lauren Betts is averaging only 1.62 fouls per 30 minutes. Though her minutes are still limited, that stat is certainly encouraging!

[bl82]

Thanks for the data. If we could separate defensive fouls and especially fouls on blocks, I think you'd see an even steeper improvement trajectory. On thing that having Cam playing more on the perimeter is she is picking up a lot more offensive fouls when she drives, so the overall foul picture is improving a little more slowly.

[bl82]

Thanks for the data. If we could separate defensive fouls and especially fouls on blocks, I think you'd see an even steeper improvement trajectory. On thing that having Cam playing more on the perimeter is she is picking up a lot more offensive fouls when she drives, so the overall foul picture is improving a little more slowly.

[magnus]

Could the improvement just be strength of schedule?



Feels like our opponents this year have not been as strong on average. Similarly, we're just entering pac12 play. Wonder what the rates are for conference play.

That said, she does seem to have improved just based on the eye test.

[magnus]

Could the improvement just be strength of schedule?



Feels like our opponents this year have not been as strong on average. Similarly, we're just entering pac12 play. Wonder what the rates are for conference play.

That said, she does seem to have improved just based on the eye test.