No Free Points

[Bearcat04]

We've lost four games by four points or less, and two of the other three losses have been affected by a serious lack of "free points."

There are 342 Division I college basketball programs. UC ranks #336 with just 15.6% of their points scored from the FT line. Sure, this has something to do with one of the worst FT shooting teams in the country (63.7%, #303), but it has even more to do with the rate that they actually get to the line (28.2%, #324). Instead of drawing fouls, getting free points, and making life hard on their opponents, this team continually relies on the worst shooting team in the BE (42%) to make enough shots to win games. At this point it's actually a surprise that they have won five conference games considering the best they have shot in nine games is 46% at Georgetown.

Even the serial hackers at Rutgers kept the Cats off of the line and managed to keep their starters in for the majority of the game. Rutgers has not only committed the most fouls in the BE, they are one of the worst fouling teams in the country. Their opponents score (33%) of their points from the FT line. Saturday night the Cats got 7 points from the line (13%).

It's a battle trying to score consistently in the BE. It's even tougher when you don't help yourself, as well as hurt your opponent, by getting to the FT line. Come March this just might be the line that separates the NCAA tournament and the NIT.

 

[waterhead]

I didn't realize it was that bad. Wow! If you make a higher % of FT's and get to the line more...you could probably add about 10 pts per game. That is the missing offense we need.

 

[mplebanon]

We've lost four games by four points or less, and two of the other three losses have been affected by a serious lack of "free points."

There are 342 Division I college basketball programs. UC ranks #336 with just 15.6% of their points scored from the FT line. Sure, this has something to do with one of the worst FT shooting teams in the country (63.7%, #303), but it has even more to do with the rate that they actually get to the line (28.2%, #324). Instead of drawing fouls, getting free points, and making life hard on their opponents, this team continually relies on the worst shooting team in the BE (42%) to make enough shots to win games. At this point it's actually a surprise that they have won five conference games considering the best they have shot in nine games is 46% at Georgetown.

Even the serial hackers at Rutgers kept the Cats off of the line and managed to keep their starters in for the majority of the game. Rutgers has not only committed the most fouls in the BE, they are one of the worst fouling teams in the country. Their opponents score (33%) of their points from the FT line. Saturday night the Cats got 7 points from the line (13%).

It's a battle trying to score consistently in the BE. It's even tougher when you don't help yourself, as well as hurt your opponent, by getting to the FT line. Come March this just might be the line that separates the NCAA tournament and the NIT.

Good post. You post this over on Bearcat Banter.

 

[ervins84]

definitely agree on the lack of getting to the FT line, but the team is going to always be one of the poorest FG shooting teams bc a disproportionately high number of attempts comes from the 3pt line. 42% when they take as many 3's as they do isnt that bad.

 

[ralph1950]

definitely agree on the lack of getting to the FT line, but the team is going to always be one of the poorest FG shooting teams bc a disproportionately high number of attempts comes from the 3pt line. 42% when they take as many 3's as they do isnt that bad.

Shooting 33% from the 3 point line is the same as shooting 50% from inside the 2 point line.

 

[ervins84]

Shooting 33% from the 3 point line is the same as shooting 50% from inside the 2 point line.

and? thats what im alluding to

 

[Eternal E]

guards aren't consistent enough and when the shots don't fall they hang their heads on D. That essentially summarizes this team.

 

[Bearcat04]

definitely agree on the lack of getting to the FT line, but the team is going to always be one of the poorest FG shooting teams bc a disproportionately high number of attempts comes from the 3pt line. 42% when they take as many 3's as they do isnt that bad.

Agree with the skewed percentages because of all the threes, but this team only shoots 45% from inside the arc. A lot of that has to do with the initial point of not getting fouled enough, or trying to avoid fouls. How many times have you seen one of the guards actually avoid contact only to miss a much more difficult shot in the lane? I love Cash, but I wish he had more of that toughness that you've seen over the years from the Nova guards. They attack, get in the lane, and get fouled.

Another big problem with the lack of FT attempts is trying to keep a lead late in games when you haven't even reached the bonus. Having to shoot a lot of late 1-1's almost cost them the game at Pitt and UConn.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Agree with the skewed percentages because of all the threes, but this team only shoots 45% from inside the arc. A lot of that has to do with the initial point of not getting fouled enough, or trying to avoid fouls. How many times have you seen one of the guards actually avoid contact only to miss a much more difficult shot in the lane? I love Cash, but I wish he had more of that toughness that you've seen over the years from the Nova guards. They attack, get in the lane, and get fouled.

Another big problem with the lack of FT attempts is trying to keep a lead late in games when you haven't even reached the bonus. Having to shoot a lot of late 1-1's almost cost them the game at Pitt and UConn.

I've noticed this for years, our players don't lean into players on shots. They jump out of the way or do a pump fake with a guy in the air and let him land before going back up with a shot. Anytime you have a chance to draw a foul you take it. It changes your opponents defensive strategy completely. Any team that is successful in the tournament has a guard that knows how to get to the line.

With regards to the Rutgers game, the refs did a great job of making Rutgers look like a stellar defensive team.