Are we a three point shooting team?

[jake14mw]

UConn is 228th in the country in fast break points. No surprise here. This means the team is very dependent on their efficiency in the half court to score.

They are 83rd in 3PT%, and 161st in 3PA, so this would seem to indicate that they're not taking more threes than they should be.

Coming into the season, it was safe to say that our main three point shooters would be Mullins and Ball, with Karaban close behind. With Mullins at 36% and Ball at 30%, should they be the guys taking the most threes? Was Ball's three point shooting last year just an aberration?

Name % Total Made
Smith 47 17
Demary 42 29
Karaban 40 56
Mullins 36 56
Ross 35 17
Stewart 34 17
Ball 30 63

The one thing that is obvious is that the offense should try to get the ball to Reed as much as possible. After that, who is the guy with the most scoring talent? Just talent wise, the obvious answer seems to be Mullins, but he's just not knocking down shots like I thought he would. Without a true disrupting playmaker, do we rely on the offensive system to get us good two point opportunities?

Chances are that the rest of the way we won't have a three point shooting performance anywhere near as bad as the Marquette game, but do adjustments need to be made to the offensive strategy? Balanced scoring has been a strength of the team, but I thought we would be a better three point shooting team this year.

 

[jake14mw]

One important thing to note. That Marquette shooting performance was so bad that it moved them way down the rankings of three point shooting. If my math is right, their 3PT% before the Marquette game was 36.5%, which would rank them at 45th in the country. That's a big difference.

 

[auror]

We are pretty equally a three point shooting team and a get the ball into Reed team, depending on how opponents are handling our off ball actions.

 

[Shabazzkets]

We have capable shooters who aren’t reliably excellent shooters. Could they scorch the nets and blow out everyone they play? Yes, I think they could.

Could they throw up 20+ bricks and lose to an inferior opponent? Marquette would like a word.

 

[Mister P]

We have capable shooters who aren’t reliably excellent shooters.

Although he’s having an off year compared to last year, Solo is still being recognized for has talent and ability. Congrats to him.

 

[husky429]

We are pretty equally a three point shooting team and a get the ball into Reed team, depending on how opponents are handling our off ball actions.

Yeah. Our stats put us about middle of the road shooting it for % and rate (150 & 168). but our EFG% is #31, so we're obviously getting decent looks in the paint. Reibe shooting 68% and Reed 65% obviously helps there.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Ball is not a guy who should be forcing pull-up -- or even off-screen -- 3s early in the shot clock.

He might have been that last year, but it's not working this year and is often deflating to us while allowing the other team to relax.

 

[DW1361]

Yes, just not a very good one at the moment. I agree get it in to Reed more often than we have, but Reed needs to be smart and kick it out when he isn’t in good position. This will keep the defense honest and open up more possibilities for himself or the result should be a great look from three.

 

[NJHusky]

The issue with relying on the 3 is there are games where it's not dropping...Do you keep hoisting them or do you look for points in the point or mid range 2. All the stats are based on averages, but no game is an average.

 

[JVN]

 

[uconngb]

I think the real question is are we a 3 point MAKING team. We definitely shoot enough then.

 

[superjohn]

I love Solo but how? He's shooting around 30% from three.

 

[aburks41]

I love Solo but how? He's shooting around 30% from three.

Surely isn't because of his defense...lol

 

[auror]

I love Solo but how? He's shooting around 30% from three.

When people lament we don't get national respect or say "If that guy was on Duke he'd be on the list", we can just remember this moment.

 

[imno1]

Can’t we just be happy for Solo that he’s a finalist ?

 

[navery12]

I think the real question is are we a 3 point MAKING team. We definitely shoot enough then.

We shoot an average number of 3's and make well above the average, so yes definitely

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Can’t we just be happy for Solo that he’s a finalist ?

Out of the question.

 

[jdb50]

How does our staff not get Solo to try to get to the foul line area for the midrange jumper that he is good at making? Just shooting long 3s is such a lazy play. All our shooters need to make an effort to shoot from the 3 point line and not bomb from 6 feet outside it. We get empty possessions due to taking the easy way out.

 

[jibsey]

Solo is due to hit his next 25-50 3’s.

 

[HooperScooper]

Solo is due to hit his next 25-50 3’s.

From your lips to God's ears.

 

[NJHusky]

Solo is due to hit his next 25-50 3’s.

I just hope it doesn’t take 100-200 shots

 

[willie99]

Sometimes

 

[HW611]

Solo is due to hit his next 25-50 3’s.

I’d like it better if he didn’t worry about that and got to his really good midrange jumper and the FT line. Start making that the highlight of his game instead of a secondary thought.

 

[JoCo]

Yes, just not a very good one at the moment. I agree get it in to Reed more often than we have, but Reed needs to be smart and kick it out when he isn’t in good position. This will keep the defense honest and open up more possibilities for himself or the result should be a great look from three.

Need to get Reibe in offense! High/Low he and Reed, he can drop a few from foul line and /or to hoop, create 2 bigs on 1 & kick out when it fails! Esp now that Stewart is out! Reibe can be big changer in upcoming games! Hope Dan reads this!

 

[jake14mw]

3 for 19 tonight. Just brutal. Not official, but this would put us at 109th in the country for 3 point shooting. With the offensive system we run, 35% three point shooting isn't good enough. We need Mullins to take more two point shots. He's pretty deadly with those.

 

[jibsey]

3 for 19 tonight. Just brutal. Not official, but this would put us at 109th in the country for 3 point shooting. With the offensive system we run, 35% three point shooting isn't good enough. We need Mullins to take more two point shots. He's pretty deadly with those.

He’s been told by Hurley NOT to take 17 footers.

 

[blkknight1]

After the Marquette game we said no way they could shoot that poorly again. Well they shot that poorly again. Once is an aberration this is twice in a 4 game span.

One of the general problems is that a ton of these are not rhythm 3s they are just jacked up unnecessarily.

Run those curls into the mid range for solo and Braylin let them get in rhythm there let them see the ball go into the basket a few times. Show them tape of rip Hamilton tell them how he made a damn good living in the nba running off screens and hitting midrange jumpers.

 

[Blue Huskie]

"Are we a three point shooting team?"​

Sure we are, just not tonight.

 

[Mike Honcho]

"Are we a three point shooting team?"​

Sure we are, just not tonight.

At some point we have to call a spade a spade. Our "shooters" are not shooting the ball that well. Solo is a 31% chucker for the year. He had 5 seconds to square up a shot tonight and bricked it. 0-4 tonight. AK is as streaky as ever. He went 1-5 from three each of the last two games. Braylon is 6 for his last 24.

We're ~88th in the country at 35.7% (before tonight) and 156th in attempts (23.8). We were supposed to be an inside-out team, and while we've seen flashes of it (Tarris with 8 assists against Georgetown), it's been inconsistent at best, mostly because Tarris is the only + rebounder and low post threat (but also because we suck at feeding him in the post and he takes himself out of the game with stupid fouls, like his 2nd on Zuby when he should have conceded the bucket).

 

[RuffRuff]

I would say this - that our offense is fairly reliant on 3's as a primary way to get points against good competition. Our only other option is dump downs into Tarris. This is what I've meant about not having an identity this year - their offense really doesn't have one. What can they do in a must have basket situation other than a 3?