Now we can get back to this question b/c we've just finished a stretch where the Cats won 8 out of 9 games. Last year also had a stretch with 8 out of 9 wins. Granted, last year never had a stretch as bad as our first 6 games, but we can at least look at the numbers and how the schedule played to achieve each of these streaks.
Last year's 8 of 9 streak began with a win @BU (finished #6 kenpom) and finished with a win over MU (#19). The loss was to KU in OT (#2), but other than the 2 previously mentioned wins, the best team we beat was @Tech (#69).
This year's stretch featured wins over KU (#2), MU (#28) and @UT (#5). The loss was @CU (#62), but there were also 2 decent wins over NU (#41).
Of course last year's team ended up losing at KU and at home to ISU going into the Big 12 tournament.
Now the numbers, first last year in those 9 games:
EFF eFG% TO% OR% FTR
KSU 1.10 52.2% 19.4% 38.3% 42.2%
Opp 0.96 46.2% 22.9% 34.6% 39.8%
This year for our best 9 games.
EFF eFG% TO% OR% FTR
KSU 1.10 52.5% 19.5% 36.1% 46.1%
Opp 0.97 46.4% 22.0% 29.8% 41.4%
Shooting is about the same, last year's team was better at not turning the ball over, but this year's team has gained a bigger advantage on the boards and at the FT line. PPP is nearly identical for offense and defense.
So no, I don't think you can definitively say we are playing better, but we are matching last year's level of play and we did it against a better schedule.
