Pace Factor

The pace factor is used to estimate the number of possessions a team has per game. The more possessions a team accumulates, the quicker the pace of the game. The formula for this statistic is: ((Tm Poss + Opp Poss) / (2 * (Tm MP / 5))).

• “Minutes per Game” are the number of regulation minutes in a game. The NBA is 48 minutes. The WNBA, FIBA, and NCAA are 40 minutes of regulation time. Do not include overtime play.
• “Team Possessions” and “Opponent Possessions” are the number of possessions by each team. A possession happens when a team gets offensive possession of the ball. The possession ends when the team scores, loses the ball, or commits a foul or violation.
• “Team Minutes Played” is the number of minutes every player on the court plays. If a regulation game is 48 minutes, then the team minutes played would be 48 minutes x 5 players = 240 team minutes. Include overtime play.

Example:

In a game, a team has had 82 possessions and their opponents 77. The team’s players have played for a total of 240 minutes, and the match was 48 minutes long.

Pace Factor = 48 x ((82 + 77) ÷ (2 x (240 ÷ 5))

Pace Factor = 48 x (159 ÷ (2 x 48))

Pace Factor = 48 x (159 ÷ 96)

Pace Factor = 48 x 1.656

Pace Factor = 79.5

Therefore, this team has a pace factor of 79.5.

The pace factor is important when calculating many other advanced statistics because many other advanced statistics are based on the number of possessions a team has. Possession based statistical analysis has become the standard in today’s game because of the different styles of play across the league.

A team with lots of possessions will have more chances to score, but also gives their opponent more chances. A team with few possessions will not score as much, but gives their opponent fewer opportunities. This is especially important when calculating individual statistics. A player on a team with a low pace factor will have fewer opportunities to put up numbers than a player on a team with a high pace factor. Basing their statistics on possessions makes the comparisons fairer and easier to evaluate.

Examples of how Pace Factor is used in commentary: Nebraska is playing at an incredibly slow pace so far this year, which is sure to have a negative impact on their pace factor.