Shark Bites for SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks v Canterbury Rams, Friday 5 May, 7:00pm at ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill.
REGULAR SEASON RECORDS:
Sharks Home: 2017: 4-1, 2016: 6-3, 2015: 10-1 Rams Away: 2017: 3-3, 2016: 6-3, 2015: 3-6
Head to Head 2016: Rams by 4 (CHC), Rams by 13 (INV), Sharks by 23 (INV) Head to Head All-Time: Sharks 4, Rams 4 Head to Head in Invercargill All-Time: Sharks 4, Rams 1
Average winning margin in Invercargill: 16.0 points Average Score Head to Head in Invercargill: Sharks 94-83
NOTEWORTHY:
• The Rams earned their first victory in Invercargill last year, with a 13-point win after the Sharks blew a fourth quarter lead. The Sharks bounced back 8 days later to hand the Rams one of only three road losses last season.
• The Rams captured their first regular season title since 1993 last year with a 13-5 record, before bowing out at the hands of the Supercity Rangers, 104-85 in their semifinal in Invercargill.
• This match marks the return of last year's League MVP, McKenzie Moore. He was also signed mid-season last year and averaged 22.4 points and a league-leading eight assists and 3.4 steals per game earning All-Star Five selection and Most Outstanding Guard.
• Team-mate Marcel Jones also featured prominently in last year's awards, claiming New Zealand MVP, most outstanding New Zealand forward and most outstanding forward. He currently leads the League in Point per Game (26.1), Total Points (261) and Total Rebounds (102) and sits second on Rebounds per Game (10.2). Jeremy Kendle completes the Rams' triple-threat, with the League's third most points (214).
• The Rams are coached by 2011 Southland Shark, Mark Dickel and include the fourth most-capped Shark of all time Gareth Dawson (59 games from 2010-14) and Ethan Rusbatch (4 games in 2012).
2017 STAT COMPARISON:
Field Goal %: Sharks .464, Rams .490
3 Point %: Sharks .325, Rams .371
Free Throw %: Sharks .756, Rams .698
Turnover Volume: Sharks 12.00, Rams 13.70
Offensive Rebounds: Sharks 12.30, Rams 10.20
Defensive Rebounds: Sharks 27.30, Rams 28.00
Assists Per Game: Sharks 20.60, Rams 20.00
Steals Per Game: Sharks 6.40, Rams 7.40
Blocks Per Game: Sharks 2.90, Rams 2.90
Points Per Game: Sharks 92.10, Rams 95.90
Opponent's Points Per Game: Sharks 80.60, Rams 94.00
ANALYTICAL OVERLOAD: (FOUR FACTORS OF WINNING)
Effective Field Goal %: Sharks 52.1%, Rams 56.3% - Field Goals Made + Half 3-Point Field Goals Made / Field Goal Attempts
Offensive Rebound %: Sharks 33.7%, Rams 27.6% - Offensive Rebounds / (Offensive Rebounds + Opponents Defensive Rebounds)
Free Throw Rate: Sharks 19.9%, Rams 13.7% - Free Throws Made / Field Goal Attempts
Turnover Rate: Sharks: 12.7%, Rams 14.2% - Turnovers / Possessions
PAST MEETINGS: (Invercargill games in bold)
16/04/16 Southland Sharks 98 - 75 Canterbury Rams 08/04/16 Southland Sharks 78 - 91 Canterbury Rams 25/03/16 Canterbury Rams 98 - 94 Southland Sharks 09/05/15 Southland Sharks 97 - 84 Canterbury Rams 27/04/15 Southland Sharks 89 - 83 Canterbury Rams 10/04/15 Canterbury Rams 94 - 92 Southland Sharks 28/06/14 Canterbury Rams 90 - 87 Southland Sharks 20/06/14 Southland Sharks 108 - 83 Canterbury Rams