Fifteen years in the classroom can make a guy crazy. All those numbers -1200 on the SATs, 4.0 GPA, yeah, yeah, yeah.
65% is passing.
70% is rather mediocre, but it is a C.
80% earns a B.
90%? Well that is an A.
Somewhere we decided that 85% represents mastery. That point when a kid can take topic; turn it inside out and can explain to someone else how they went wrong.
College hoops?
50% might just take care of the job. That is 50% team shooting – making at least one of every two shots – could be the formula to success.
Last year Kansas shot 52.7% from the field as they knocked off Memphis in the national title game, 75-68.
In the Final Four – the Jayhawks hit 53.1% while holding UNC to 35.8% en route to an 84-66 victory.
Of the final seven games last year (Elite Eight, Final Four, and finals) only one team, Memphis, won while shooting less than 50%. Calipari’s (say it Wally – sounds like an entrée at an Italian restaurant) crew knocked down 42% of their shots in the semis. UCLA couldn’t take advantage – they fell short at 37%.
Only one team lost while shooting more than 50% – Louisville. The Cardinals scored at a rate of 52%, but the Heels maintained a 53% clip to advance to the Final Four.
So as we look at the first sampling of college hoops this year, a few teams have shown the ability to drop 50% in a big game.
Gonzaga shot 51.9% including 55% behind the arc as they topped Tennessee 83-74. Steven Gray came off the bench and led five Bulldogs – curly-top Matt Bouldin, Josh Heytvelt, Micah Downs, and Jeremy Pargo in double figures. These Zags are not like Gonzaga teams of the past who seemed happy to be mentioned among the top teams in the country. These Zags can drop it from the outside, but they also can go to the rack with authority. Like Fran Fraschilla commented – “check the bolts on the backboards after this game.”
The Zags weren’t the only gang to score at a chan’ship rate.
UNC hit 55% from the field as the topped Notre Dame 102-87 in the Maui Classic title game. A noteworthy stat – Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson combined to shoot 14 for 14 from the charity stripe. Ol’ Roy has gotta like that one. The guys most likely to touch the ball late in the game are also his best finishers from the line. (Yeah, I know Wally – ‘If God is not a Tar Heel, then why is the sky Carolina Blue? C’mon kid, give us some background on that one).
Speaking of perfect from the line in the clutch – freshman Terrell Holloway went 10 for 10 as Xavier
surprised Memphis 63-58 in the Puerto Rico Classic. Overall, the Muskies only shot 36%.
Others didn’t hit 50% but were good enough for the W.
Duke hit 48% in a 71-56 win over Michigan. 21.1% from behind the arc? Ouch! Coach K can’t like that.
Freshman, Willie Warren, led Oklahoma with 22 as the Sooners topped Purdue in OT, 87-82. Of course it’s gotta help Warren that opposing defenses have to worry about the Griffin brothers inside. OK hit 41%.
Five Demon Deacons scored in double figures as WF beat Baylor 87-74 in the Anaheim Classic. The Deacs made 40% of their shots. Remember the name Curtis Jerrells. The senior from Baylor can get after it.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Dayton. The Flyers figured out a way to win a non-conference game while shooting 0%. Well not exactly 0%. Of course a team has to score to win, but the Flyers went 0 for 24 from the arc, yet still trimmed the Auburn Tigers 60-59. Guess UD did a good job of cleaning the offensive glass. The Flyers grabbed 16 in the front court while out-bounding the Tigers 50-33. But 24 shots? One would think the Flyers would opt for an alternative.
Big Ten / ACC Challenge – Enjoy it!
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