College Hoops: Top 10 Most Efficient Teams

The most important stat in any sport is wins and losses.

And lots of people will know which teams score the most points or who holds their opponents to the least number of points.

An obscure stat that actually states something rather important about a team is Offensive Efficiency Rating (OER).

When ESPN.com figures a team's OER or Points Per Shot (PPS), they take how many points a team is scoring and divides it by the total number of field goals taken. This also considers points from made free throws.

Being the basketball purist and stat geek that I am, I like looking at this to see how effective teams are in scoring points on the least number of possessions possible.

The following are the early-season top 10 teams in OER or PPS:  

10. Memphis Tigers

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 19: Wesley Witherspoon #11 of the Memphis Tigers looks on during their first round game against the CSUN Matadors in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 19, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Tigers OER: 1.44

Josh Pastner's Memphis Tigers are off to a great start this year.

They are 7-0, currently ranked No. 14 in the country and are the No. 9 team in scoring.

While they shoot decently from the floor, they attack the basket and get to the line a lot (30 times per game).

9. North Texas Mean Green

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OKLAHOMA CITY - MARCH 18: Josh White #10 of the North Texas Mean Green drives against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Ford Center on March 18, 2010 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ro

Mean Green's OER: 1.45

North Texas labors in college basketball obscurity on the outskirts of the Dallas Metroplex.

But the Mean Green are putting together another good season that may end up with them winning the Sun Belt again (24-9 last year, played against Kansas State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament).

They, like Memphis, get to the line a lot (just under 30 times per game), but the Mean Green shoot a higher percentage (.767) as a team from the line than the Tigers. 

8. Indiana Hoosiers

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INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Guard Jordan Hulls #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers drives with the ball against forward Mike Capocci #3 of the Northwestern Wildcats during the first round of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 11,

Hoosiers OER: 1.46

Indiana basketball traditionally has been built on good shooting and good shot selection.

Evidently, Tom Crean is keeping up that tradition in Bloomington.

The Hoosiers (7-1) are 13th in overall field-goal percentage (.505).

Jordan Hulls, a 6'0" guard, is shooting 56 percent from the floor and a fiery 58 percent from beyond the arc.

7. St. Mary's Gaels

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PROVIDENCE, RI - MARCH 18: Matthew Dellavedova #4 of the Saint Mary's Gaels drives to the basket against the defense of Francis-Cedric Martel #15 of the Richmond Spiders during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Dunkin' Donut

Gaels OER: 1.46

St. Mary's made big noise last year (28-6) after beating Gonzaga in the WCC postseason tournament, before beating Richmond and Villanova and losing to Baylor in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Randy Bennett, the SMC coach, has quietly put together quite a program, going 81-20 over the last three seasons.

This year the Gaels (6-2) are scoring 86 points per game (No. 8 in the nation), shooting .505 from the floor (12th in the nation) and are handing out 18.3 assists per game (No. 9).    

6. Colorado State Rams

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LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 20: Andy Ogide #32 of the Colorado State Rams prepares to shoot a free throw during a game against the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center February 20, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. UNLV won 70-39. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Imag

Rams OER: 1.48

The Rams (4-1) are lighting it up in Fort Collins.

Colorado State returns all three of its top three scorers from last season (Dorian Green, Andy Ogide and Travis Franklin), which may be one of the reasons why, as a team, they are shooting so well, 52.9 percent from the floor which is No. 3 in the nation. Ogide, a 6'9" senior forward, is shooting a ridiculous 70.4 percent from the field.

While finishing high in the Mountain West Conference, which includes New Mexico, BYU, Utah and San Diego State, the Rams are making people take notice.

5. Northwestern Wildcats

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INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 12: Forward Kelsey Barlow #12 of the Purdue Boilermakers contests a shot by forward John Shurna #24 of the Northwestern Wildcats during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2

Wildcats OER: 1.48

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows Bill Carmody's background that his Northwestern Wildcats (5-0) play efficient offensive basketball. He is considered one of the gurus of the Princeton offense. 

Before coming to Evanston, Carmody was an assistant coach for Pete Carril at Princeton. He then became the head coach there for five years. While head coach at Princeton, Carmody established an Ivy League career winning-percentage record (78.6).

John Shurna, a 6'8" forward, is unconscious from beyond the arc so far this season, connecting on 62.1 percent of his three's.

4. Duke Blue Devils

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PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 27: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils goes for a layup against the Oregon Ducks on November 27, 2010 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Blue Devils OER: 1.48

Duke, year in and year out, is one of the most efficient offensive teams in college basketball.

The Blue Devils' shot selection is good, they shoot the ball well, and they make their free throws.

That may not sound real sexy or spectacular, but it sure wins a lot of games.

Kyrie Irving, the Blue Devils' freshman point guard, is automatically being super-productive in his role in running the team. 

He not only is averaging five assists per game, but he is tied for the team league in scoring with Nolan Smith and is more efficient (1.81 pps) than either Smith or Kyle Singler. That is no small achievement. 

3. Kansas Jayhawks

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LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 27: Marcus Morris #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots against the Arizona Wildcats during the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational at The Orleans Arena November 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kansas won 87-79. (Photo by Eth

Jayhawks OER: 1.52

Bill Self has the Jayhawks (7-0, ranked No. 4) playing at an extremely high level early this season.

Kansas is the third-highest scoring team (90 ppg) and is the best field-goal percentage team (.569) in the nation.

One more impressive stat is the fact that the Jayhawks average the most assists per game (21.1), which usually leads to higher percentage shooting.

Marcus Morris is a great inside-outside threat. He is shooting a scorching 64.5 percent from the field, and is even shooting 60 percent (9-15) from beyond the arc. 

2. Central Florida Knights

Knights OER: 1.54

The Central Florida basketball program, under first-year head coach Donnie Jones, just keeps moving forward.

The Knights have not only started off this season winning their first seven games, but have added a victory over Florida and Jones' former boss of 10 years, Billy Donovan.

The Knights are the fourth-best shooting team in the nation (.525).

It doesnt hurt to have Marcus Jordan on your team.

The 6'3" sophomore guard is shooting 53.1 percent from the field, 85 percent from the line, and 48.1 percent from beyond the arc.

1. Arizona Wildcats

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LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 27: Markieff Morris #21 of the Kansas Jayhawks fouls Derrick Williams #23 of the Arizona Wildcats during the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational at The Orleans Arena November 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kansas won 87-7

Wildcats OER: 1.57

Sean Miller has done an unbelievable job of rebuilding the Arizona basketball program on the fly.

He had to virtually rebuild the team from scratch, but did so with having to start recruiting in April of 2009.

To start this season, Miller wanted his team to focus on two aspects to their collective game: individual defense and offensive rebounding.

While both of those areas have improved, the additional benefit is an overall increase in aggressive play.

The Wildcats are No. 6 in the nation in field-goal percentage (.517), but they are No. 2 in Adjusted Field Goal percentage (.603), which gives "extra credit" for threes.

Derrick Williams, a 6'8" forward, is having a monster sophomore season. He is leading the team in scoring (20) and rebounding (7.3), and he is shooting 67.1 percent from the field, 79 percent from the line, and....wait for it...81.8 percent from three (9/11). He is scoring 2.11 points per shot. WOW!