Abstract

The performance of basketball teams partcipating in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) was systematically examined as a function of home versus away game location. The study was designed to determine if a home court advantage or an away court disadvantage existed in the ACC during a ten year period from 1971-1981. Performance indicators were: (1) field goal percentage, (2) free throw percentage, (3) turnovers, (4) personal fouls, and (5) rebounds. Regression and discriminant function analyses were computed in order to determine what performance variables were predictive of game location and their order of importance. All variables were compared to performance standards supplied by ACC coaches. This comparison allowed for a determination of whether performance differences were indicative of a home court advantage (home teams playing well) or an away court disadvantage (visiting team playing poorly). Descriptive results indicated that visiting teams lost more games (W = 143, L = 275) and had a lower per game scoring average (H = 76.71, A = 72.51). Four of the five performance variables were found to be statistically significant predictors of game location F (5,134) = 9.30, p < .001: (1) field goal percentage, (2) tumovers, (3) personal fouls, and (4) rebounds. Comparison of actual performance with ACC coaches standards for performance suggested that an away court disadvantage existed for three of the four predictors variables. The rebound variables was the only performance indicator suggesting a home court advantage. Verf.-Referat