Southland Update: Week 8

December 29, 2025 0 By Neill White

The Southland enters Week 8 with teams showing diverse trending patterns. This analysis examines each team’s performance trends using MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicators to identify not just where teams stand, but where they’re headed.

Figure 1: Efficiency margin trends for Southland teams throughout the season. Teams trending upward show improving performance, while downward trends indicate struggles.

Conference Snapshot

Week Dates: December 22 – December 28, 2025
Trending Up (Efficiency): Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, McNeese, New Orleans, Nicholls
Trending Down (Efficiency): Lamar, Texas A&M-Commerce

Team-by-Team Analysis

Houston Baptist

Record: 5-7 | Elo: 1359.2 (ranked 348 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -18.47 (ranked 314 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 158 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 247 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 346 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 337 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Incarnate Word

Record: 6-6 | Elo: 1421.0 (ranked 286 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -16.67 (ranked 295 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 163 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
2PM Per Poss (2 Point Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 119 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 339 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 356 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Lamar

Record: 5-6 | Elo: 1465.3 (ranked 234 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -10.02 (ranked 244 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

3Pt Pct (3 Point FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 260 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Balls Blocked Per FGA (Balls Blocked Per Shot Attempt): Currently ranked 92 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 255 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 77 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

McNeese

Record: 10-2 | Elo: 1643.3 (ranked 34 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +13.38 (ranked 68 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 82 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 82 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp FGA Per Poss (Opp FG Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 52 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 5 of 365 in D1. Trending up moderately 🔴.

New Orleans

Record: 3-8 | Elo: 1325.2 (ranked 358 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -11.97 (ranked 261 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 337 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 224 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 358 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 310 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Nicholls

Record: 3-8 | Elo: 1474.5 (ranked 221 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -9.98 (ranked 243 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 210 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
FGM Per Poss (Field Goal Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 258 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 333 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 31 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Northwestern St

Record: 3-8 | Elo: 1428.3 (ranked 279 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -23.53 (ranked 338 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 225 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 309 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 347 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 339 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

SE Louisiana

Record: 4-8 | Elo: 1444.6 (ranked 260 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -12.69 (ranked 268 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

2Pt Rate (2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 239 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
2PA Per Poss (2 Point Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 269 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 283 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 345 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

SF Austin

Record: 9-2 | Elo: 1499.1 (ranked 187 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +3.55 (ranked 131 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 125 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 61 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 22 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 211 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Texas A&M-CC

Record: 5-6 | Elo: 1478.1 (ranked 215 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -10.38 (ranked 247 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 269 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 345 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 352 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp 3Pt Pct (Opp 3 Point FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 310 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Texas A&M-Commerce

Record: 6-6 | Elo: 1381.0 (ranked 328 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -16.71 (ranked 296 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 252 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 309 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 326 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 100 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

UT Rio Grande

Record: 5-6 | Elo: 1414.2 (ranked 296 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +1.09 (ranked 153 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 166 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 199 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 108 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 177 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Figure 2: Offensive Four Factors comparison across Southland teams. The radar chart shows each team’s shooting efficiency (eFG%), ball security (TOV%), offensive rebounding (OREB%), and free throw generation (FT Rate).

Figure 3: Defensive Four Factors comparison across Southland teams. The radar chart shows each team’s opponent shooting defense (Opp eFG%), ball disruption (forcing TOV%), defensive rebounding (DREB%), and opponent free throw prevention (Opp FT Rate).

Figure 4: MACD trends heatmap showing which metrics are improving (green) or declining (red) for each team. Stronger colors indicate more pronounced trends.

Looking Ahead

As Southland teams continue their season, the MACD trending indicators will help identify which teams are genuinely improving versus those riding unsustainable momentum. Check back next week for updated analysis.

Metrics Glossary

Four Factors (Dean Oliver’s framework for basketball success):

eFG% (Effective Field Goal %): Field goal percentage adjusted for 3-pointers being worth more (FGM + 0.5×3PM) / FGA. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.
TOV% (Turnover Rate): Turnovers per 100 possessions. Lower is better offensively (taking care of the ball), higher is better defensively (forcing turnovers).
OREB% / DREB% (Offensive/Defensive Rebound Rate): Percentage of available rebounds grabbed. Offensive rebounds create second-chance points; defensive rebounds end opponent possessions.
FTR (Free Throw Rate): Free throws made per field goal attempt (FTM/FGA). Measures ability to get to the line AND convert. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.

Other Metrics:

Elo Rating: Chess-style rating system that updates based on game results and opponent strength. Higher Elo indicates stronger team.
Efficiency Margin: Point differential per 100 possessions (Offensive Efficiency – Defensive Efficiency). Accounts for pace of play.
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence): Trend indicator comparing 12-game and 26-game exponential moving averages. Positive MACD = improving trend, Negative MACD = declining trend.

Analysis powered by HoopSci’s advanced metrics and MACD trending indicators.

CategorySLC

TagsSLC Southland Southland Conference