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Abstract:
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The Ewing Theory, a theory commonly discussed in sports media, was developed as an explanation for team performance improvement in the absence of key players. Anecdotally, it is easy to find numerous examples of this phenomenon, but there is a paucity of empirical evidence to support the theory. Using NCAA Injury Surveillance Program and NCAA statistics data, team scoring margins over ten seasons were assessed for change when 3 or more players were removed from participation due to injury. Over this timeframe, teams experienced an average .63 points per game deficit with three or more injured players, but this difference was not statistically significant (p value=.87). After the players returned, the scoring margin actually decreased by 2.15 points on average, but again, this difference was not statistically significant (p value=.63). The lack of a statistical significance in the scoring margin in the time frame between a team having these players hurt and them returning indicates that these players being out doesn’t play a large role in the overall performance of the team. More detailed data are necessary to explore this theory when key players are removed from participation.
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