It is painfully obvious we have no outside shooting

[79Warrior]

I don't recall a MU team that cannot hit shots beyond 3 feet from the basket. DJO is just abymsal.

[muhoops1]

DJO was scared today.

[marquette09]

I don't recall a MU team that cannot hit shots beyond 3 feet from the basket. DJO is just abymsal.

The 06-07 team had some serious shooting issues

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't recall a MU team that cannot hit shots beyond 3 feet from the basket. DJO is just abymsal.

Christopherson just hit another 3.....

OK, OK...I know.   You're right though, terrible shooting team.  Why would any team not just play a zone against us all year.  FUGLY.

[wadesworld]

Christopherson just hit another 3.....

Honestly, he might lead this team in scoring.  Wisconsin was able to sag their defense as much as they wanted because we didn't even LOOK at the basket from outside of 15 feet.  Terrible.  One-on-one from the top of the key with no passes SO many times.  Very undisciplined, and driving to the hoop doesn't work when you have no outside threat and the defense just sags.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36626
17 ppg on 60% 3 point shooting.
Yes, I miss him and wish we had him.  We could use him.  And even if we only could play 5 people (like some people tried to argue, saying we'd have to replace a starter or play with 6 people on the court, not sure how that argument works with a 13 man roster...), I, for one, would take him over DJO this season.  Yes, I said it.  Definitely.  No second thoughts.

The way we rebound and shoot it's going to be a LONG season.  15 offensive rebounds for 21 2nd chance points.  1/3 of their points came on 2nd chance points.  Unbelievable.  No chance to win games when that happens.  And that was to an unathletic team.  I am NOT looking forward to playing teams like Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, etc.  Those games could get ugly if we play/rebound like this.

[TillysDad]

The great equalizer, the 3 pointer, and we are missing it this year. Last year we we spoiled by Acker, DJO, Cooby, and Zar shooting the 3 at a very high level.  It masked many of our big flaws.  This year, we are no where even close to shooting the ball at a high level.  The college game is fun because of the 3 ball, but it isn't much fun when you don't have consistent threats from behind the arc

[ChicosBailBonds]

Which begs the question, do we have any shooters coming in next season?

[chapman]

Either someone steps up, or Buzz appoints a focused shooter.  Right now everyone wants to drive, nobody has the confidence to nail down an outside shot.  Maybe that's how Smith earns minutes instead of the head-scratching starts, maybe that gets one of the guys off the bench, maybe DJO just stops trying to drive for now unless it's a gimme.  Time to define some kind of roles; right now "switchable" means "confused".

[brewcity77]

As far as next year, tough to say. Jones is supposed to be a good shooter but hasn't had a chance to show it this year, Anderson can also knock them down a bit.

My issue today, however, was that we didn't shoot badly from outside. Yes, DJO continued to be off the mark. But we shot 44% from three. Hell, take DJO out of the mix and the rest of the team went 4-6 from beyond the arc. The problem was that we weren't even looking for the shot. Everyone wanted to drive, to go inside. We passed up numerous open looks. I know that Jimmy isn't a "three-point option first" kind of guy, but when you're open and we're down in the closing minutes, put it up. Crowder passed a few opportunities today as well. I mean, Bucky only shot 31.6% from three, but at least took chances, jacking up 19 of them. We need to attempt more than 9, especially when guys are hitting. No excuse for being afraid to shoot.

[ChicosBailBonds]

As far as next year, tough to say. Jones is supposed to be a good shooter but hasn't had a chance to show it this year, Anderson can also knock them down a bit.

My issue today, however, was that we didn't shoot badly from outside. Yes, DJO continued to be off the mark. But we shot 44% from three. Hell, take DJO out of the mix and the rest of the team went 4-6 from beyond the arc. The problem was that we weren't even looking for the shot. Everyone wanted to drive, to go inside. We passed up numerous open looks. I know that Jimmy isn't a "three-point option first" kind of guy, but when you're open and we're down in the closing minutes, put it up. Crowder passed a few opportunities today as well. I mean, Bucky only shot 31.6% from three, but at least took chances, jacking up 19 of them. We need to attempt more than 9, especially when guys are hitting. No excuse for being afraid to shoot.

Agree, we had a ton of outside opportunities but no one would pull the trigger. It was the same thing possession after possession.  Driving to the basket, but rarely a kickout to an open man.  All season long we have taken very few 3's...partly because we can't make many of them and partly because we have a bunch of slashers on this team that don't look for them.

[NCMUFan]

I think you still have to penetrate and if the drive is not there, kick it out for a 3 pointer.  However against Wisky, it was drive and if it is not there, miss, get it blocked or get an offensive foul.  If you drive and kick, at least you have someone in position to get an offensive rebound if the 3 pointer is a miss.  To totally give up on outisde shooting is crazy.  It makes you one dimensional.  Keep taking good 3s until they fall.  It seemed the last 5 minutes Buzz's game plan was "Jimmy win it for us"  Sorry, Jimmy is no Lebron James or Kobey Bryant or D Wade.  I think the "I" mentalisty was in full force today.  Nothing more obvious than the last 7 seconds where it looked like both Buycks and DJO wanted the ball.  Oh well, move on to the next game.

[Marqevans]

Agree, we had a ton of outside opportunities but no one would pull the trigger. It was the same thing possession after possession.  Driving to the basket, but rarely a kickout to an open man.  All season long we have taken very few 3's...partly because we can't make many of them and partly because we have a bunch of slashers on this team that don't look for them.

Hypothosis:

If switchables = slashers => ? = three point shooting

[StillWarriors]

We should have taken about 20 3s. The kick-out was there, but we don't have a confident shooter. As much as we all clamor for a big guy, I would argue you can get away without one much easier than going without one or 2 pure shooters.

[DaCoach]

So, despite our ability to hit 3s, many of you want us to continue throwing them up. Maybe that goes along with throwing a big man into the lineup despite his inability to score, play defense or rebound. Last year we had 3 seniors who took 60% of the team's 3s. Butler took less than one a game and Buycks only 1.5/game. The real problem is that DJO who was remarkable from long range last year is the only proven perimeter shooter and we all know how terrible his accuracy has been so far.

In many ways, shooting 3s is similar to free throw shooting. Most perimeter shots are uncontested. It's a mental process that often separates the good from the bad. This year's squad is much younger and deeper than last year's nucleus. Buzz is trying to replace 90 minutes court time from Zar, Acker and Cubes with players entirely dissimilar, with the possible exception of Crowder. We're still in the trial and error portion of our schedule and I hope we move more quickly to a consistent lineup.

With the athleticism of this team, Buzz seemed to believe that dribble penetration was our ace in the hole. However, as the games have shown, we need more balanced scoring to make the penetration effective. That and much less east west dribbling which allows the defense to adjust. We've seen very few skip passes and ball reversals this year and that has to change.

One last thing. Last year we were spoiled by Zar's leadership. I had hoped Butler would have replaced that edge that Hayward brought. So far, I've been disappointed. To a lesser degree, DJO hasn't filled the gap. Perhaps neither of them are built in that model but someone on this team needs to assume a leadership role.

Our two big guys lead the team in points per minute yet they combine for only 25 mpg. I'd like to see that number increase and, in fact, it might be interesting to see both of them on the court at the same time.

[VegasWarrior77]

I'm waiting for the next subject posted: Buzz Can't Recruit Shooters!

[Lennys Tap]

Which begs the question, do we have any shooters coming in next season?

Don't know if he's a pure shooter, but Juan Anderson was 7-9 on threes in a game last week.

[NavinRJohnson]

With the athleticism of this team, Buzz seemed to believe that dribble penetration was our ace in the hole. However, as the games have shown, we need more balanced scoring to make the penetration effective. That and much less east west dribbling which allows the defense to adjust. We've seen very few skip passes and ball reversals this year and that has to change.

You just nailed the primary issue. First, you can't make shots you don't take, and this year we are taking about 5 less 3's per game. Kicking the ball out to open shooters is what's missing. I think we have guys that can make shots, but before they can do that, they have to be open, they have to have the ball, and they have to take the shot. I think at the moment this is less about the shooters and more about the penetration. Too much putting their heads down and barreling to the basket, not enough looking to move the basketball. Especially against a team like Wisconsin, that is a recipe for failure.

For most of these new guys, it is something they have to learn to do. 

[brewcity77]

So, despite our ability to hit 3s, many of you want us to continue throwing them up.

But yesterday we were hitting them, outside of DJO. 44% as a team from deep, 66% if you discount the three misses by DJO. The problem was we only took 9 of them. If we hit at that clip and take twice as many, that's another four points. Maybe it doesn't completely breach the gap, but if it's that much closer in the final minute, it's a completely different ballgame. This year we're attempting 13.6 threes per game, whereas last year we attempted 19.5. We're scared to shoot. Feeding that fear by not pulling the trigger won't fix the problem.

[DaCoach]

But yesterday we were hitting them, outside of DJO. 44% as a team from deep, 66% if you discount the three misses by DJO. The problem was we only took 9 of them. If we hit at that clip and take twice as many, that's another four points. Maybe it doesn't completely breach the gap, but if it's that much closer in the final minute, it's a completely different ballgame. This year we're attempting 13.6 threes per game, whereas last year we attempted 19.5. We're scared to shoot. Feeding that fear by not pulling the trigger won't fix the problem.

Buzz apparently has set up the offense to key off of dribble penetration. That has seemed to impose a fear factor in our shooters who deviate from that game plan. I really don't know if we have quality 3 point shooters or not. I do know, however, that the penetrate and kick out offense from last year is not being used often this year. We have few uncontested 3 attempts. It seems to me that until we adjust our offensive game plan to accommodate more open looks, we will continue to struggle. 

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

Agree, we had a ton of outside opportunities but no one would pull the trigger. It was the same thing possession after possession.  Driving to the basket, but rarely a kickout to an open man.  All season long we have taken very few 3's...partly because we can't make many of them and partly because we have a bunch of slashers on this team that don't look for them.

As I said in another thread.  Shot selection for this team has been a problem all year.   They dont know what a good shot is.  Too many contested, circus type shots against a bigger defender.  No matter the player/shooter.  A wide open in balance shot is a better shot.