So I have always wondered how exactly this factor works in this game. I know in real-life basketball you want to lower the amount of possessions which means every possession you “win” means more. Therefore it makes it more likely that you will win the game if you are the disfavored team. (Yes I know I am oversimplifying it but that is the gist of how it is used). Does it work the same in this game or is it more nuanced? Basically I have had two thoughts on it and wondered if any apply.
1. Would uptempo be better against better opponents because it increases the risk of fouls which, if the fouls land on the right person, can lead to a higher chance of winning? And/or
2. Would uptempo only be good against teams with lower physical attributes because it makes the effects of speed and athleticism weaker? (Basically you are reducing the number of fastbreak points which should favor teams with better physicals.)
Any and all thoughts are appreciated! Also ODAC in Iba is a great conference if anyone is looking for a team.

you're going to get several opinions on tempo..this is what faq"s says..i believe tempo affects your offense only..
"Q: How does tempo affect the game?
A: The tempo refers to the speed at which you want your offense to run. The faster the tempo, the quicker your players will be shooting, and the more conditioning they will require."

Some random comments:

Slowdown will allow you to keep your starters in the game for more minutes because they will be less fatigued. That sounds great, until you realize that it also will keep the other team's starters on the floor for more minutes as they will also be less fatigued. So it's a double-edged sword. Still, if you've got a weak bench (especially because you have a couple of redshirts and/or walkons), slowdown may be to your benefit as your standard tempo.

I love to run uptempo against teams that run a thin rotation, i.e. less than 10 players, even when they are significantly better than I am. They will become fatigued more quickly and become less effective. I've pulled out a couple of upsets over the years by doing this. Every once in a while you'll encounter an opponent who runs as low as a 7 or 8 man rotation. When you see that, give strong consideration to going uptempo against them.

I agree that you will get many opinions on this. But kinda what tecwrg said in reverse.... if a team is better than you clearly, uptempo isn't a good idea. Because you give them MORE possessions to be better than you in each one. I have a better chance to beat Lebron James 1-on-1 in a game to 5 than i do in a game to 20. So I'd take my chances in the short game.

Having said that, it's so much more in depth than that. Opponents rosters and settings. Is press involved? Stamina ratings where needed. IQ comparisons (does he have 10 A+ to your 4 A+ or vice versa.....).

Tempo is a big contributor. And i think the best way to look at it is, if it's not blatantly obvious what you should do, running normal is always a safe bet. I think tempo decisions are something that improve with experience too. At least for me it's that's way

It's been my belief for years that HD coaches significantly overuse uptempo.

I get the appeal of "I'll wear my opponent out". But to me, it requires multiple things to be true at once. Better overall team AND better stamina. Much better bench AND stamina. More scholarship players AND your opponent playing press while you don't AND some of the other factors above. However you define the criteria (as topdogg said, different coaches have different interpretations), the value of uptempo never arises from just one easy-to-find factor.

When I was an inexperienced coach, I definitely lost more winnable games because I ran uptempo than I won because of it. That doesn't mean you should never run it; just make sure you stick to your criteria.

In my opinion, you can build your team to run uptempo, to the point where as long as the following conditions are right, it is always a viable option:

1. Enough stamina. Presuming a full 12-man team, mid 70s for zone, high 70s for man, low 80s for press, mid 80s for FB/press is an ok rule of thumb.
2. A speed/ball-handling advantage over your opponent. Most important for guards, but it matters for everyone with distribution. Consider passing too, especially if your opponent presses. You have to limit turnovers. Uptempo increases your turnovers, so you’ll want to start with an advantage to mitigate that negative so it doesn’t become a deficit.
3. Solid defense, no glaring weak links. Running uptempo increases fatigue, which affects defense. Tired defenders are more likely to foul. So if you have guys prone to foul trouble under normal settings, think twice before moving to uptempo.

If those three conditions are met, I consider uptempo primarily if I am confident I have the better team, and want more possessions to reduce statistical variability; and secondarily if my opponent has a short bench, or some other fatigue-related deficit I think uptempo might exploit.