POLL: The Ultimate Question, it seems to me ??

[megablue]

This will be a very interesting season, no question, and will enable all to evaluate the high-level success potential of relying so heavily on the three-point shot. Clearly, the potential is there to blow teams away on hot-shooting nights, but do/will the rims tighten up during the NCAA tournament ??
GO CATS !!

 

[catlogic15]

And it will most likely. Happened to BYU in the first round last year. Lost as an 11 point (I think) favorite.

 

[JumperJack]

Great question. Probably not. Elite defense is a must.

 

[zoid1]

I think we can hold our own offensively. The question is will our defense be great for 6 straight?

 

[blue cincy]

I watched several BYU games from last year. There were games where Pope had a lineup to take the ball down low and score because of 3 not hitting or teams taking away the 3. They won 2 of the ones I watched and in both cases, going down low got them back in the game and then 3s opened up late to take the game over.

The one big difference is this team can and will play defense. Pope made 100% sure of it with the portal picks. Not sure what types of defense (meaning pressing, or more like Tubby ball line, or something different) but they will play defense.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I doubt it. As this board likes to do with other teams, it is difficult to shoot well 6 games in a roll.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Villanova 17-18 averaged 30+ 3 point attempts in their tourney run. They had a couple games in that run with at least 40.

I think BYU averaged like 32 a game last year. I think it’ll be hard for them to hit 35+ consistently enough to average that kind've number. I think to hit 35+ as an average they’ll have to play 5 out with a shooter at every position. Neither Garrison nor Williams can shoot them. We also figure to play Lamont a good chunk of minutes at the 1 where he won’t really be a sniper by any means.

Using the Villanova example in 17-18 they went 4-24 from 3 against Texas Tech who had a top 5 defense. Their volume and efficiency were both solid or better in the other 5 games.

 

[BBNinSC]

I think this team will be really good to great defensively. Butler and Oweh would be the best defensive backcourt in the country. Williams is a proven post defender and I believe Garrison will become another good defender.
If we get into sync, and I believe they will, Kentucky will have an elite team defense

 

[YardCat]

I believe that we can make a good run, I’m not worried about winning 6 in a row. Right now, I would love to win the first game and make it to the 2nd weekend.

 

[megablue]

I believe that we can make a good run, I’m not worried about winning 6 in a row. Right now, I would love to win the first game and make it to the 2nd weekend.

I understand, but am not talking about this year's team specifically. I'm talking about any program using such an dramatic emphasis on three-point shot as a standard offensive philosophy.

 

[NociHTTP]

As long as Cal's team is guarding you, yes.

 

[chroix]

I understand, but am not talking about this year's team specifically. I'm talking about any program using such an dramatic emphasis on three-point shot as a standard offensive philosophy.

I think it is out of necessity this season more than a set in stone strategy going forward.

 

[megablue]

I think it is out of necessity this season more than a set in stone strategy going forward.

I see. I didn't realize that. I thought the scheme was based on general analytics and not specific to this year.

 

[bucsrule8872]

It really depends on how well you shoot 3’s. If the team shoots 35 and makes them at a decent clip, they are going to be hard to beat.

 

[JonathanW]

That is why, as we saw last year, why you need to play good DEFENSE. Good Defense is much more consistent than good Offense. Ideally you want both. Sometimes you need to outscore a team, and sometimes you need to shutdown a team.

 

[chroix]

I see. I didn't realize that. I thought the scheme was based on general analytics and not specific to this year.

I could be wrong but I think we’ll shoot a lot more than we have in future seasons but this might be the high water mark. Probably depends on what he’s got on the bench.

 

[JonathanW]

It really depends on how well you shoot 3’s. If the team shoots 35 and makes them at a decent clip, they are going to be hard to beat.

The "decent clip" thing is important. But even for a team that makes 40% from 3, they are going to have nights where they make <30%, <25%, maybe even <20%. Last year we made an amazing 40.9% of our 3's. But last year in 13 of our 33 of our games we made <30% of our 3's, in 8 of our games we made <25%, and in 1 game we made <20%.

Can you find other ways to score when nobody is making them?
Can you lockdown the other team, when you are having trouble scoring?

 

[Skyguyb27]

As long as Cal's team is guarding you, yes.

Cal doesn’t participate in tournaments.



Late March legs get tired and big stage jitters. I think they can win it doing it but the percentage will go down and defense will need to supplement lower percentage of 3s.

 

[Joerules19]

It really depends on how well you shoot 3’s. If the team shoots 35 and makes them at a decent clip, they are going to be hard to beat.

True, but there are going to be around 5 games a year when a good shooting team isn't shooting that well. Someone earlier mentioned the 17/18 Nova team. They had four regular season losses. In 3 of them, they shot under 30% from three and lost. It's hard to string six games in a row. I looked up the Texas Tech game were they were miserable in the tourney (yet won). They shot 33% from the field and 16% from 3, yet won by 12. How the f does that happen? Don't remember the game but they must have played great d and they hit 29 of 35 free throws. Point is, it is difficult for a team to win 6 in a row in the tourney if you rely on the 3 a ton, but it can be done