(38) THE RELATIONSHIP OF OPPONENT RANKING AND IN-GAME DYNAMICS OF DIVISION-1 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between an opponent’s ranking and locomotion and physiological factors in collegiate women’s basketball.

Methods: Sixteen Division 1 Women’s Basketball Players (Age: 21 ± 3 yrs; Height: 174.21 ± 19.27 cm; Body Mass: 73.98 ± 11.52 kg) were monitored during matches played between December 2021 and March 2022. The participants were given Polar Team Pro Sensors and straps and were instructed to wear the sensors during all games and practice sessions during the season. Using the polar team pro system sampling at 10 Hz, distance, speed, and heart rate were calculated. A Student’s T-Test was used to compare the differences in average heart rate, total distance ran, maximum speed, average speed, and distance per minute when faced with a higher-ranked opponent versus a lower-ranked opponent. Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated for each dependent variable to determine the practical significance of each variable across load conditions. A Bonferroni Correction was applied to the data. R version 4.1.2 (R Foundation, Vienna, Austria, https://www.R-project.org) was used for the data analysis.

Results: The descriptive data for teams ranked higher and teams ranked lower are in Table 1. The average heart rate was higher when playing opponents ranked lower (p < 0.001, d = -0.13). When playing lower-ranked opponents, the athletes had a higher total distance in meters (p < 0.001, d = -0.22). The distance per minute in meters was higher when playing lower-ranked opponents than it was when playing higher-ranked opponents (p < 0.001, d = -0.19). The maximum speed was higher in games played against lower-ranked opponents (p < 0.001, d = -0.25). The average speed in kilometers per hour was higher when playing lower-ranked teams than when playing higher-ranked teams (p < 0.001, d = -0.11).

Conclusions: The main findings from this study were that in-game dynamics change when playing higher and lower rankings. Specifically, when playing teams that are ranked lower, the subjects tended to have higher average speeds, maximal speeds, total distance covered,  and heart rates. The opposite was true when playing teams with higher rankings, the athletes tended to move at slower speeds, cover less total distance, and had lower average heart rates. Practical Applications: When creating a team’s periodization plan, coaches should look at the strength of the opponents and take into consideration the additional exertion that may occur during games. Future research should consider the perceived exertion of the athletes, as well as the effect of the team in the study’s national ranking on these metrics.  

 
 





Acknowledgements: None