Cook chasing Wojo's career mark

[Olympic Fan]

There are threads about Okafor's freshman stats and Tyus Jones quest to set a Duke record for assist-to-turnover ratio.

I thought there should be one for Quinn Cook's quest to break Steve Wojciechowski's career record for assist to turnover ratio.

Wojo had 505 assists and 202 turnovers in his career. That translates as an exact 2.500 to 1 ratio.

Cook went to Charlotte with 496 assists and 198 turnovers -- amazingly an exact tie with Wojo at 2.500 to 1.

But Cook took the lead with 5 assists and 1 turnover against Robert Morris. He stretched it slightly with 1 assist and no turnovers vs. SDSU.

Cook now has 502 assists and 199 turnovers for his career -- a 2.522 to 1 ratio.

It's surprising how close their raw numbers are. If Cook were to have 3 assists and 3 turnovers in a game, they would be exactly equal.

While they are almost identical as playmakers/ball protectors, Cook and Wojo are very different players -- Cook a much better 3-point shooter (37.9 on 607 attempts; Wojo at 36.4 on 387 attempts); Wojo a much better on-the-ball defender (national defensive player of the year)

[cspan37421]

Is it the case that the 3-point line is longer for Cook than it was for Wojo?

[rsvman]

Is it the case that the 3-point line is longer for Cook than it was for Wojo?

I think this is true. Can't remember the exact year when the line was moved back, but it was definitely after Wojo was no longer playing.

[JetpackJesus]

Is it the case that the 3-point line is longer for Cook than it was for Wojo?

Yes. The NCAA moved the line back one foot to the current 20' 9" at the start of the '08/'09 season.

[NSDukeFan]

Yes. The NCAA moved the line back one foot to the current 20' 9" at the start of the '08/'09 season.

Does that mean Cook is stronger since he has to shot from a greater distance?

[dukelifer]

There are threads about Okafor's freshman stats and Tyus Jones quest to set a Duke record for assist-to-turnover ratio.

I thought there should be one for Quinn Cook's quest to break Steve Wojciechowski's career record for assist to turnover ratio.

Wojo had 505 assists and 202 turnovers in his career. That translates as an exact 2.500 to 1 ratio.

Cook went to Charlotte with 496 assists and 198 turnovers -- amazingly an exact tie with Wojo at 2.500 to 1.

But Cook took the lead with 5 assists and 1 turnover against Robert Morris. He stretched it slightly with 1 assist and no turnovers vs. SDSU.

Cook now has 502 assists and 199 turnovers for his career -- a 2.522 to 1 ratio.

It's surprising how close their raw numbers are. If Cook were to have 3 assists and 3 turnovers in a game, they would be exactly equal.

While they are almost identical as playmakers/ball protectors, Cook and Wojo are very different players -- Cook a much better 3-point shooter (37.9 on 607 attempts; Wojo at 36.4 on 387 attempts); Wojo a much better on-the-ball defender (national defensive player of the year)

But can Cook coach big men. That is the ultimate separator.

[ricks68]

But can Cook coach big men. That is the ultimate separator.

Bazinga!:)

ricks

[MCFinARL]

There are threads about Okafor's freshman stats and Tyus Jones quest to set a Duke record for assist-to-turnover ratio.

I thought there should be one for Quinn Cook's quest to break Steve Wojciechowski's career record for assist to turnover ratio.

Wojo had 505 assists and 202 turnovers in his career. That translates as an exact 2.500 to 1 ratio.

Cook went to Charlotte with 496 assists and 198 turnovers -- amazingly an exact tie with Wojo at 2.500 to 1.

But Cook took the lead with 5 assists and 1 turnover against Robert Morris. He stretched it slightly with 1 assist and no turnovers vs. SDSU.

Cook now has 502 assists and 199 turnovers for his career -- a 2.522 to 1 ratio.

It's surprising how close their raw numbers are. If Cook were to have 3 assists and 3 turnovers in a game, they would be exactly equal.

While they are almost identical as playmakers/ball protectors, Cook and Wojo are very different players -- Cook a much better 3-point shooter (37.9 on 607 attempts; Wojo at 36.4 on 387 attempts); Wojo a much better on-the-ball defender (national defensive player of the year)

Small numerical discrepancy--according to the stats on goduke.com, Cook had 2 assists and 1 turnover against SDSU, and has 96 assists and 45 turnovers on the year (as of 3/22). This year's media guide lists him with a total of 406 and 155 for his three previous seasons, for current totals of 502 and 200. If that is right, Cook is now at 2.51 to 1, rather than 2.522 to 1. Still a little ahead of Wojo, but not as much.

[MCFinARL]

But can Cook coach big men. That is the ultimate separator.

Well, coach, I don't know, but mentor--Jahlil Okafor says yes! :-)

[Kedsy]

Small numerical discrepancy--according to the stats on goduke.com, Cook had 2 assists and 1 turnover against SDSU, and has 96 assists and 45 turnovers on the year (as of 3/22). This year's media guide lists him with a total of 406 and 155 for his three previous seasons, for current totals of 502 and 200. If that is right, Cook is now at 2.51 to 1, rather than 2.522 to 1. Still a little ahead of Wojo, but not as much.

Well, you're right there is a discrepancy, because the same stats on goduke.com (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/players/statlines.php?playerid=2745) say Quinn's turnovers coming into this season were 154 and thus his career numbers are 502 and 199 (2.523). No idea whether goduke is right or the media guide is right, but I assume someone at Duke will figure it out eventually.

[MCFinARL]

Well, you're right there is a discrepancy, because the same stats on goduke.com (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/players/statlines.php?playerid=2745) say Quinn's turnovers coming into this season were 154 and thus his career numbers are 502 and 199 (2.523). No idea whether goduke is right or the media guide is right, but I assume someone at Duke will figure it out eventually.

Yes, I thought it likely there was a legitimate source for the other number as well, so discrepancy it is. My numbers came from adding up the previous seasons data in the media guide on goduke.com (because I couldn't find the total coming into the season that others found--so I'm already behind the curve), which are listed as 18 in 2011-12, 80 in 2012-13, and 57 in 2013-14, or 155 altogether. But of course, there may be a typo in there somewhere, or an error that was picked up later but not corrected.

I hope the 199 is right--would love for Quinn to leave Duke with a team record, and that will increase his chances.

[CDu]

While they are almost identical as playmakers/ball protectors, Cook and Wojo are very different players -- Cook a much better 3-point shooter (37.9 on 607 attempts; Wojo at 36.4 on 387 attempts); Wojo a much better on-the-ball defender (national defensive player of the year)

Slight quibble: as one who was a freshman when we lost to Kentucky in large part because Wojo couldn't guard Wayne Turner, I'm not sure that the bolded part is all that accurate. I think Wojo's reputation as a great on-ball defender was way overblown (and his NDPoY award was ridiculous). He was a physical on-ball defender who benefited from much looser hand-checking rules, but his lack of quickness got him abused by quicker PGs.

Had Cook been a collegiate player under the same rules as Wojo, I think he'd have been similarly "gifted" as an on-ball defender, as he'd have been able to hand-check away a lot of his on-ball defense weaknesses.

Cook is certainly a better offensive player than Wojo though - not just as a 3pt shooter, but his ability to score off the dribble is far superior to that of Wojo (who was really a game-manager/hustle player more than a playmaker). I liken Wojo in many ways to a rich man's Tyler Thornton (who also would have greatly benefited by playing with the rules of the 90s).

That tangent now complete, I'm hopeful that Cook keeps his turnovers down and sets this record. He's had an up-and-down career, but he's been a great clubhouse leader and a great part of our recruiting efforts over the last 2-3 years. And I love that he's finishing his career with such a strong senior year.