Differences in predicted external training load values across an NCAA Division I men’s basketball season

Abstract

Tracking and monitoring of external load is an important consideration for sport performance practitioners. Despite its relative importance, there is very little research surrounding the external load demands of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the demands encountered by student-athletes across a season. External training load was measure during practice sessions using Catapult T6 inertial sensors from one NCAA DI Men’s Basketball team over the course of the 2021-2022 NCAA basketball season. Game external training load data was unable to be recorded, and was predicted utilizing fixed-effects panel regression, a linear regression variant in order to have an entire season of data. Players were split into Starters (N = 5), Rotation (N = 5), and Bench (N = 5) players based on average minutes per game. After players were categorized, one-way ANOVA tests with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc analysis was conducted to determine differences in external load values among playing groups. The results indicated that Starters experienced statistically significant differences in external load with starters averaging 4177 ± 2451 AU per month, Rotation players averaging 2949 ± 1927 AU per month, and Bench players averaging 2510 ± 1826 AU per month. Practitioners should be aware that NCAA DI Men’s basketball players experience highly stratified loads across a team, and should utilize this information appropriately to plan and periodize training to reduce injury risk and optimize skill development and physical preparation.