Especially in basketball where changing variables have a bigger impact to the game than other sports where game impact is spread to a wider group of players.
We simply can't determine how all of the variables may be impacting one game versus another.
Some of those variables may be:
- Game strategy
- Peaks and troughs of player performance from game to game.
- Travel fatigue
- Venue energy and it's impact on player psychology
- General player health (fatigue, sickness, injury)
- Other external factors (social issues, family issues, nutrition)
- Player preparation
All of this (and much more) can change from game to game for a given team. It can be frustrating, but it's also what makes college athletics so much fun!