How did the offense perform vs. your expectations?

[panda2.0]

We were 51st in the country (86th percentile) for 2P%. We really didn't have that many empty possessions inside the arc. Our issue on offense was 38th in the country for 3Ps taken but 236th in 3P%.

The 2p numbers drop against top 50 opponents and would be even worse without Kam doing Kam things at the rim. We just didn't have the guys this year to score at the rim with the amount of traffic inside of the lane because teams packed inside with our poor outside shooting.

[#UnleashSean]

The 2p numbers drop against top 50 opponents and would be even worse without Kam doing Kam things at the rim. We just didn't have the guys this year to score at the rim with the amount of traffic inside of the lane because teams packed inside with our poor outside shooting.

I feel like we could say that about literally any team? I'm sure a large majority of teams 2p% goes down when you put them against the top 50 teams in the country, as well as removing said teams best player.

[#UnleashSean]

Goose was big on the Gold-will-be-an-NBA-guy thesis. I said back then it was possible but unlikely ... and now, after 3 full seasons, I think it's even less likely.

Gold is slight like Novak. And like Novak, he plays smaller than his height. He would be a defensive liability whether matched up with a 5, 4 or 3 at the next level.

So Gold's only chance is if he proves he can be an ELITE shooter of the NBA-distance 3 - like Novak. Ben certainly hasn't shown that yet.

And I say this all as a guy believes Gold has had value as a college player. And also as a guy who won a bet that Sam Hauser would have an NBA career.

Hey, maybe we'll see Ben become very good next season. That would be fan-freakin-tastic!

If we could start with Ben shooting the ball more then zero times and collecting zero rebounds in a game.... I'd be pretty happy.

A stretch big who spaces the floor is pretty ineffective.... If he doesn't do the one thing hes supposed to do.

[panda2.0]

I feel like we could say that about literally any team? I'm sure a large majority of teams 2p% goes down when you put them against the top 50 teams in the country, as well as removing said teams best player.

Some teams go up and some teams go down. We went down against better teams. Facts are facts. Kam also helps our numbers a ton. Jop, Stevie and Chase are all around 50% which absolutely will not cut it when the team shoots as poorly as they did from behind the arc.

[wadesworld]

Some teams go up and some teams go down. We went down against better teams. Facts are facts. Kam also helps our numbers a ton. Jop, Stevie and Chase are all around 50% which absolutely will not cut it when the team shoots as poorly as they did from behind the arc.

Care to site these numbers for teams that go up against better teams and that Marquette went down?

[panda2.0]

Care to site these numbers for teams that go up against better teams and that Marquette went down?

Torvik. Start with the landing page and then filter vs. top 50 teams.

SJU went up. Marquette went down. I'm sure there's more examples of both.

[wadesworld]

Torvik. Start with the landing page and then filter vs. top 50 teams.

SJU went up. Texas Tech went up. Marquette went down. I'm sure there's more examples of both.

Fell all the way from 51st in the country in 2 point percentage in all games to 62nd overall against top 50 opponents in 2 point percentage  .  And that includes 20 low major teams being ahead of us against top 50 opponents that had a 1 game sample size and 12 more that had a 2 or 3 game sample sizes.

[panda2.0]

Fell all the way from 51st in the country in 2 point percentage in all games to 62nd overall against top 50 opponents in 2 point percentage  .  And that includes 20 low major teams being ahead of us against top 50 opponents that had a 1 game sample size and 12 more that had a 2 game sample size.

Lol - Change the sample size

[wadesworld]

Lol - Change the sample size

...those teams only played 1 total game against top 50 teams all year (or 2 or 3 games for the teams that only had 2 or 3 games against top 50 opponents).  That's the point.  It's a tiny sample size that probably doesn't reflect what they would do against top 50 competition if they played 16 games against top 50 opponents like Marquette did.

[panda2.0]

...those teams only played 1 total game against top 50 teams all year (or 2 or 3 games for the teams that only had 2 or 3 games against top 50 opponents).  That's the point.  It's a tiny sample size that probably doesn't reflect what they would do against top 50 competition if they played 16 games against top 50 opponents like Marquette did.

Buddy - Change the min. games so it compares high major teams against high major teams. I'm not using Cornell as an example.

[wadesworld]

Buddy - Change the min. games so it compares high major teams against high major teams. I'm not using Cornell as an example.

Okay, if we're completely changing what TAMU's claim was I'll do that.

We go from 23rd best P5 team in 2 point percentage in all games to 21st best P5 team in 2 point percentage against top 50 opponents.  So, moved up.  Like common sense would tell you, most teams will perform worse against better competition.

[panda2.0]

Okay, if we're completely changing what TAMU's claim was I'll do that.

We go from 23rd best P5 team in 2 point percentage in all games to 21st best P5 team in 2 point percentage against top 50 opponents.  So, moved up.  Like common sense would tell you, most teams will perform worse against better competition.

You may have bested me this time Wade's. But this doesnt take away from the fact most of the players on our team were average to below average finishing at the rim. And I believe a lot of that has to do with how our opponents schemed against us because we don't move the ball well and don't shoot the three well.

[MU82]

Take away Jordan and Pippen, and the '90s Bulls weren't very good, especially against the best dozen teams in the NBA.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

You may have bested me this time Wade's. But this doesnt take away from the fact most of the players on our team were average to below average finishing at the rim. And I believe a lot of that has to do with how our opponents schemed against us because we don't move the ball well and don't shoot the three well.

Re-read the original post - specifically the section on eFG%. The answers are right there.

[panda2.0]

Re-read the original post - specifically the section on eFG%. The answers are right there.

If the answers are right there, why did we only beat one top 50 torvik team from 2/1 through the end of the season?

unfortunately, shooting as many threes and high efficiency shots as possible is not the panacea some here make it out to be. 

[MuMark]

If the answers are right there, why did we only beat one top 50 torvik team from 2/1 through the end of the season?

unfortunately, shooting as many threes and high efficiency shots as possible is not the panacea some here make it out to be. 

So shooting poor efficiency shots is your solution? lol

[panda2.0]

So shooting poor efficiency shots is your solution? lol

No - but occasionally taking shots at different spots inside the perimeter forces teams to guard you differently than  if you only shoot 3's (poorly) and shots at the rim.

[jesmu84]

No - but occasionally taking shots at different spots inside the perimeter forces teams to guard you differently than  if you only shoot 3's (poorly) and shots at the rim.

Your assumption is that a team wouldn't shoot those shots poorly too.

Flawed

[panda2.0]

Your assumption is that a team wouldn't shoot those shots poorly too.

Flawed

It's a huge hypothetical simply because it's been completely coached out of them. I can't say one way or another if any of them would have that skill 2-3 years into their college careers.

However, I do believe our personnel this year was woefully unfit for the system Shaka employs. I hope he's more flexible next year as I don't see much of an improvement from behind the arc.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You may have bested me this time Wade's. But this doesnt take away from the fact most of the players on our team were average to below average finishing at the rim.

Every rotation player on our team other than Caedin and Damarius shot 50% or higher on 2P FGs. We were plenty good at finishing at the rim. You are simply incorrect.

Our offensive problem was very simple. We took a ton of threes but weren't very good at making them. Given that the primary driver of that was Kam and Joplin shooting under 32% prior to the tournament, I don't think Shaka was unreasonable in thinking this offensive system would work. If Joplin and Kam shoot their career averages, we would have be a top 10 offense.

It's a huge hypothetical simply because it's been completely coached out of them. I can't say one way or another if any of them would have that skill 2-3 years into their college careers.

However, I do believe our personnel this year was woefully unfit for the system Shaka employs. I hope he's more flexible next year as I don't see much of an improvement from behind the arc.

Backup QB syndrome

[Vander Blue Man Group]

No - but occasionally taking shots at different spots inside the perimeter forces teams to guard you differently than  if you only shoot 3's (poorly) and shots at the rim.

No, it wouldn't.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

One thing not mentioned, our offense didn't have nearly as many dunks this year as it had the previous two years.

2023
131 made dunks (95.6%)

2024
110 made dunks (89.4%)

2025
53 made dunks (88.3%)

Oso alone had 64 and 62 made dunks the previous two seasons. Marquette only had 60 dunk attempts total this year.

That's something this offense needs going forward. Someone to roll to the rim, catch lobs, or occupy the dunker spot. Turn some of those contested guard layup attempts into easy points.

[Nukem2]

One thing not mentioned, our offense didn't have nearly as many dunks this year as it had the previous two years.

2023
131 made dunks (95.6%)

2024
110 made dunks (89.4%)

2025
53 made dunks (88.3%)

Oso alone had 64 and 62 made dunks the previous two seasons. Marquette only had 60 dunk attempts total this year.

That's something this offense needs going forward. Someone to roll to the rim, catch lobs, or occupy the dunker spot. Turn some of those contested guard layup attempts into easy points.

Josh Clark is probably a big hope in this regard. Obviously Ben is not in the same camp with Oso and Kur for dunks.

[tower912]

Josh Clark is probably a big hope in this regard. Obviously Ben is not in the same camp with Oso and Kur for dunks.

But Oso and Kur weren't in his class from 3.

[panda2.0]

No, it wouldn't.

Yes it would