One of my favorite pastimes is to look at teams beyond the raw boxscore numbers. In basketball, that's done by looking at pace and examining squads on a per possession level, rather than a per game level.

This winter, pace has been one of the dominant themes for area basketball teams. The Smith Center boys have improved by playing at a quicker tempo. The Plainville boys have risen to the No. 2 ranking in Class 2A by playing at slower pace. The Bird City-Cheylin girls have won few games, but play at an extremely quick pace, perhaps the fastest in the area, etc.

Looking at pace and teams on a per possession level can provide a better comparison between squads -- and allow more insight into what teams which could reach state tournaments.

During the past several days, I have looked at every area girls' team that has available statistics that measure possessions (field goal attempts, free throw attempts, offensive rebounds and turnovers). As well, I put in some non-area squads that could face area teams in sub-state, such as Class 2A Lincoln.

I also looked at total points scored, total points allowed, offensive rebound rate and rate of free throws attempted compared to total field goals. The offensive rebound rate and free throw rate are two of basketball's four most important statistics, according to longtime basketball statistician Dean Oliver.

The possession formula used came from well-known basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy and all statistics came from maxpreps.com.

While the study didn't include all area teams -- not everyone uses maxpreps -- it still provided a good cross-section of the area. Entering last Friday, the 17 teams studied had a 154-129 combined record.

During the next week, I will look at the boys' teams.

1. Victoria's offense and rebounding:

The Knights average only 40.5 points per game, which, at face value, is hardly the stuff of an elite offense. Last year, Victoria went 8-11 and averaged 40.7 points per contest. This season, Victoria is 11-6 under first-year Anne Dinkel mainly because of a very efficient offense.

Through the team's first 15 games, the Knights averaged just 48.1 possessions, well under the average of the teams studied (60.4). Victoria, though, scored 0.92 points per possession, second-best in the study.

The Knights only trailed undefeated Smith Center (0.99 points/possession). Victoria's greatest strength lies in its rebounding. It has an offensive rebounding rate of 0.28, fourth-best in the study.

Victoria's rebounding has helped the Knights in multiple contests this season, especially a home win against Ellis in late January. Victoria has suffered two big losses to St. John, ranked No. 1 in Division I (60-27) and to Class 3A's Hoisington (59-22), in its last two games.

However, the Knights, a Class 1A, Division II school, won't see either of those two teams in sub-state. If Victoria can manage games to its slower tempo and continue to rebound at a high rate, look for the Knights to reach the state tournament in Hays.

2. Atwood and Hillary Chvatal:

The Buffs are part of the Class 2A Ellis sub-state, a grouping that features Oakley, Hill City, Atwood and WaKeeney-Trego on the girls' side and Plainville, Ness City, Ellis and Hill City on the boys' side.

Atwood (10-6) ranks as the third-best defense in the study, allowing 0.59 points per possession.

However, the Buffs, even with Chvatal, who averages 23 points and 15.4 rebounds a contest, score just 0.72 points per possession. That ranked 12th-best in the study. Chvatal's importance was shown in a 41-31 loss to Weskan on Feb. 4, when she had just four points.

Atwood shot just 28 percent from the field and averaged 0.56 points per possession in a 55-possesion game. In addition, Atwood committed turnovers on 34 percent of its possessions in the Weskan loss - and commits turnovers on 34 percent of its possessions this season. The turnover rate ties for second-worst among teams studied.

Bottom line: For the Buffs to advance to state, they'll need to lower their turnovers and try to have a little more production from the supporting cast around Chvatal.

3. Three very different teams:

The Almena-Northern Valley sub-state, which has no elite team on either the boys' or girls' side, could send two teams to state with sub-.500 records.

For the girls, three teams, Natoma (5-11), Logan (9-6) and Wheatland-Grinnell (10-7) have emerged as the three strongest squads.

The one similarity among the three teams is each squad has a great player -- Natoma's Danica Casey, Logan's Caley Greving and Wheatland-Grinnell's Megan Heier. Casey is arguably the best of the three, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds, and leading Kansas in free throw attempts.

Natoma has already lost to Logan twice, by 17 and 29 points. The Tigers have some big weaknesses (25 percent team field goal shooting, 0.33 turnover rate and .074 points allowed per possession), but some great strengths (0.32 offensive rebound rate and 0.39 free throw to field goal shooting rate, best in the study). But the poor shooting limits Natoma to 0.60 points per possession.

If Natoma can lower its turnovers and even shoot the ball slightly better - such 30 percent - the Tigers' strengths could carry them to a state berth.

For Logan, the Trojans shoot just 30 percent from the field and rarely attempt 3-pointers (only 70 all year).

Logan scores 0.66 points per possession, but it permits just 0.58 points per possession for a strong defense, is steady with the ball (.027 turnover rate) and also reaches the free throw line frequently (0.35).

For Logan to reach state for the second straight season, the Trojans' defense and an offense that doesn't make many mistakes will be the reason. Wheatland-Grinnell has not faced Logan or Natoma this season and list statistics for only 13 games online.

The partial statistics do show the Thunderhawks don't have the defense (0.63 points allowed per possession) of Logan and lag well behind Natoma and Logan in offensive rebound rate (0.19 percent) and free throw to field goal rate (0.39).

If the current numbers hold for two more weeks, expect Logan to reach the Class 1A, Division II state tournament in Hays.