They say if you live by the three you die with the three. Will that be us this season ?
- Thread starter Uncle Adolph
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Yes, likely similar to some past Bama teams. Of course unforseen injuries always play a part. One of those "expert" videos suggested Kriisa may just sit out the season (which if true would be very disappointing as he might otherwise prove a fan favorite).
But, what if there is always a few hot players in every game? Will be interesting.
But, what if there is always a few hot players in every game? Will be interesting.
It can always happen. This team can do more than just hit 3s. The cutting in the offense will open up many things. A team that tires to take away our 3s will have us dunking or layups left and right. Also if you have a bad night shooting you always have defense to bring you along. A bunch of the 3 point only shooting teams do not have much defense. We will have options. The last thing will be this. Hard for all guys to have a horrible 3 point shooting night. You could see someone like Noah or Perry come in and be stone cold. Pope has many buttons to push. Will be interesting to watch.
I tend to agree with this. I guess “technically” you could have 10-12 players go cold but the odds of that from such pure shooters seems low. Some going cold yes but that many doesn’t seem like the most probably outcome.
Golden State won a few championships doing it. I agree it is fun to watch, just like Pitino’s running and pressing teams.
I am hoping with 2 guys like Butler and Oweh, maybe Robinson and Kerr that we can press a bunch. We have a big to protect down low and he is mobile so we could do some stuff.
Yup, and I am A-okay with that. The Pitino years were like that until he managed to recruit some studs like Mashburn. Those early to mid years produced some of the most fun and exciting basketball of my UK memories. Hope to see that style again.
GS had two hall of famers for their first championship, and three hall of famers for 2 and 3. All of which could go get their own shot whenever they wanted.
This UK team has no one that is even close to being a top 10 player in college basketball, let alone 3 of them.
I am hoping someone can prove to be able to get their own shot when the shot clock is winding down or at the end of the game. Defenses tighten and refs swallow their whistles in those situations, making it next to impossible to run your normal offense. Need a dude (preferably two) who can break down a defense in those crucial situations and take over. Have no idea if UK has that.
One thing for sure, Pope has guys unafraid to go get the shot or make the play. Butler has been a guy that has been able to go get his shot or make that play for many years. Robinson can as well. Oweh is looking like he will be able to and you always have a chance with a guy like Brea that will shoot a 3 with 2 guys on him. Not to mention having Chandler who will be that kind of a guy as well. Kerr is unafraid to go get his if needed. I think we will have many options that way, not to mention this style of offense you do not have to have one guy dribble dribble dribble and then go try to make a play. You have an offense that is made to get the ball quickly to an open man for a open 3 or a backdoor cut and then kick if need. I think you are actually looking at this from Cal standpoint. Having to have one guy to get him a bucket. That will not be the case with Pope.
Link please? I call BS. Supposed to be nothing more than a hip pointer.
I think “win by the three die by the tree” is an old adage. With the way modern offensive is ran and the way teams use analytics. I believe shooting 30 plus threes a game is the way to win now. It takes away the athletic advantage a team might have. I believe this is one of the main reason Cal has struggled the last five years. Just having the athletic advantage is not enough in todays game.
One of the things that people who think an offense can only be good if you shoot 35 3s a game never understand. It worked for Golden State because they had two of the greatest shooters of all time. You can't just take NBA strategy and replicate it in college because the talent just isn't there.
It's one of the reasons I've always had a little problem with this type of offense. Bama got to the Final Four last year, but not having an off shooting night for six straight games in the tournament is incredibly difficult. The previous year they went like 5-32 against SDSU or something like that and got upset early. You absolutely need some sort of balance to lean on when your 3s aren't dropping. And it's either got to come from the defensive end or you need to figure out how to generate 2 point baskets on the other end.
Half of our points were 2s. Most at the rim.
Some people just aren’t happy unless they worry.
Some people just aren’t happy unless they worry.
Of course it will most likely as only 1 team wins the title each season.
2s are more consistent than 3s. You have to win six games in a row in the NCAA tournament. Better to go with a more consistent option lol. I also worry in the tournament in those big stadiums......the shooting tends to be poor. Again more a reason to go with the consistent option.
That being said.............Villanova took a bunch of them in their title winning years.
Only have to shoot 40% from 3 to equal 60% from 2. So if you have a team that can do that, may work.
And if you can do that plus do one other thing well on offense (ie. take care of the ball, rebound and/or get to the line) you're going to have a title contending offense.
That being said.............Villanova took a bunch of them in their title winning years.
Only have to shoot 40% from 3 to equal 60% from 2. So if you have a team that can do that, may work.
And if you can do that plus do one other thing well on offense (ie. take care of the ball, rebound and/or get to the line) you're going to have a title contending offense.
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We'll score plenty of twos and be able to lean on that when the threes aren't there. We're not going to abandon the three, of course, but the threat of threes will make things cleaner down low.
Pope had a top 25 team at BYU with guys who were half as athletic as we are.
We can score in the post and drive to the basket. We have dunkers whereas BYU had guys who could pretty much only lay it up (from what I can tell).
We have head coaching and NBA experience all up and down the coaching staff.
I'm confident that we'll eat with the three when it's there and figure out something when it isn't.
Pope had a top 25 team at BYU with guys who were half as athletic as we are.
We can score in the post and drive to the basket. We have dunkers whereas BYU had guys who could pretty much only lay it up (from what I can tell).
We have head coaching and NBA experience all up and down the coaching staff.
I'm confident that we'll eat with the three when it's there and figure out something when it isn't.
Just who are the they folks. It has nothing to do with shooting threes but has everything to do with shooting, taking good shots and running an offense we’re the other team has to guard you the entire shot clock.
I was curious about the Bama/SDSU game you mentioned. I think there are a couple of differences:
1) In that loss, Bama had 3 players go 2/20 from 3PT range. Of those 3 players, for the season, their 3pt FG %
- Brandon Miller = 38.4, 1/10 against SDSU
- Mark Sears = 34.5, 0/5 against SDSU
- Rylan Griffen = 30.1, 1/5 against SDSU
- Koby Brea, 2023-2024 = 49.8%, Career = 43.4%
- Ansley Almonor, 2023-2024 = 39.4%, Career = 38.5%
- Kerr Kriisa, 2023-2024 = 42.4%, Career = 36.8%
- Otega Oweh, 2023-2024 = 37.7%, Career = 36.8%
- Andrew Carr, 2023-2024 = 37.1%, Career = 34.4%
- Jaxson Robinson, 2023-2024 = 35.4%, Career = 34.3%
- Lamont Butler, 2023-2024 = 30.2%, Career = 32.1%
I just do see all 10 three points shooters going cold in the same game. Now maybe we run into a defense that keys on Robinson so maybe Brea, Carr and Oweh have open shots all night. Just reverse the names for a certain game. NO coach can prepare a game play to shut down 10 three point shooters. just saying.........
Maybe not quite that dramatic but the one thing we might miss is the ability to get to the line.
As much as I can’t stand Cal, his teams at times would just get to the FT line if the rest of the offense sucked.
I think we might shoot an all time low amount of FTs this year.
As much as I can’t stand Cal, his teams at times would just get to the FT line if the rest of the offense sucked.
I think we might shoot an all time low amount of FTs this year.
Maybe but with all the curl/back cut action, there are also opportunities to get fouled attacking the basket.
You are right, though, that it will probably be an major low compared to what we are used to seeing from UK teams the last 15 seasons.
BYU attempted 16 FTs per game. By comparison, the Cats shot 19.7 per game
This was the case up until 2020 but after that not so much.
Last year we were 246th in Free Throw Rate. Granted we shot it so well and we didn't turn it over so we had a very good offense still last season.
But getting to the line has been missing quite a bit in recent seasons.
The other thing that might be missing on the offense end was another thing Cal's teams did well.......offensive rebounding.
Honestly it just boils down to four things
1) Shooting
2) Taking care of the ball
3) Rebounding
4) Getting to the line
Do two of the four well, you'll have a top offense.
Steph curry has 4 world titles and a gold medal off the three. The game has evolved. Pope evolving with it. Who moved my cheese.
It’s over emphasized when it’s a team that shoots 3s.
The reality is…almost any good team that gets knocked out or upset is due to a statistically off night. Even when we were only shooting 10-15 3s
Yep.
And I think it usually happens it's also more to do with the other side..........usually some scrub team that decides they are going to shoot 500 threes that game hit 50% of them lol.
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