Its all about Triche, stupid

[Dmcnabbrules]

It is not really fair to place everything on one player, many different factors affect a season, but this this season seems to hinge on Triche and his shooting. I know its not Triche's fault that the big men can't score or finish around the rim. It is also not his fault that he and Southerland are the only three point shooters, but this season Triche seems to be the factor that determines if this team can make a run. Everyone talks about this but I went to the stats to verify it.
Starting with the loss at Nova, which begins a 5-6 streak, Triche is shooting 19.6% 11-56 from three. Take away his worst shooting game (0-7 vs Uconn) and his best (4-7 Hall) during the streak and the percentage falls to 16%.
If this team is going to make a run he has to hit around 35%. All the faults of this years team don't land on Brandon Triche, but if he could start hitting a reasonable percentage the Cuse could make a good run in the tournament, IMO.

 

[LennX6]

Sometimes basketball is as simple as saying all offense is getting good looks. If you are hot, you will hit those good looks and win, if you are cold you won't. That being said, this years team, I feel , has bee very successful in getting open looks, be it 3's layups, fastbreaks etc. BUT they have missed more than what I would feel would be an acceptable level of those "good looks". Brandon is a perfect microcosm of this. During the "Brandon doesn't know how good he can be" timeframe he was hitting his open looks. His confidence was up and the dribbling the ball off shin plays didn't happen. Whe misses his open 3's then he blows layups then fumbles the ball repeatedly.

 

[Townie72]

It is not really fair to place everything on one player, many different factors affect a season, but this this season seems to hinge on Triche and his shooting. I know its not Triche's fault that the big men can't score or finish around the rim. It is also not his fault that he and Southerland are the only three point shooters, but this season Triche seems to be the factor that determines if this team can make a run. Everyone talks about this but I went to the stats to verify it.
Starting with the loss at Nova, which begins a 5-6 streak, Triche is shooting 19.6% 11-56 from three. Take away his worst shooting game (0-7 vs Uconn) and his best (4-7 Hall) during the streak and the percentage falls to 16%.
If this team is going to make a run he has to hit around 35%. All the faults of this years team don't land on Brandon Triche, but if he could start hitting a reasonable percentage the Cuse could make a good run in the tournament, IMO.

If it depends on Triche's outside shooting, we are in for a long, painful afternoon.

He's in a terrible slump (11 for 56) as you put forward so clearly. If there were some more gimme games where he could work himself out of this slump, that would be one thing. But this is a big game for all sorts of reasons.

If he starts bombing from outside, the throw pillows in the den are going to get a real workout.

Hoping for Triche to shoot 35% isn't a plan.

Drive the lane, Brendan. Dump the ball off or kick the ball back to someone who actually can shoot.

(BTW, I am impressed with your quantitative skills)

 

[br801]

It is not really fair to place everything on one player, many different factors affect a season, but this this season seems to hinge on Triche and his shooting. I know its not Triche's fault that the big men can't score or finish around the rim. It is also not his fault that he and Southerland are the only three point shooters, but this season Triche seems to be the factor that determines if this team can make a run. Everyone talks about this but I went to the stats to verify it.
Starting with the loss at Nova, which begins a 5-6 streak, Triche is shooting 19.6% 11-56 from three. Take away his worst shooting game (0-7 vs Uconn) and his best (4-7 Hall) during the streak and the percentage falls to 16%.
If this team is going to make a run he has to hit around 35%. All the faults of this years team don't land on Brandon Triche, but if he could start hitting a reasonable percentage the Cuse could make a good run in the tournament, IMO.

Coming into this season, Triche was a career .354 3-point shooter (124-350), and through 20 games this season (the Villanova loss), he was shooting .341 from deep (31-91).

I'm not sure how to explain what has happened in the 10 games since (8-48 .167), but it's certainly not unreasonable to believe he can regain his stroke and once again become a threat. However, even if that doesn't happen, all is not lost provided Southerland provides efficient 3-point shooting and we can get the occasional long ball from MCW or Fair. If Triche feels his shot isn't there, I'd much rather see him focus on shorter jumpers and penatration to get his points, as I believe his strenghs as an offensive player really lie there.

 

[Madbiker]

BT is a complimentary role player. It's a mistake to keep asking the guy to be a go-to scorer, leader. It's not what he is. It is not a role he can succeed in. Instead of sinking with BT in that miscast role, MCW should be encouraged to step up...not do less. He is the player with the highest ceiling. He has to take charge. We need a break out game from MCW. And CJ has to be given more shots too. This team will go as far as MCW and CJ take it and let the others be role players and not try to be the stars.

 

[senorpalmer]

BT is a complimentary role player. It's a mistake to keep asking the guy to be a go-to scorer, leader. It's not what he is. It is not a role he can succeed in. Instead of sinking with BT in that miscast role, MCW should be encouraged to step up...not do less. He is the player with the highest ceiling. He has to take charge. We need a break out game from MCW. And CJ has to be given more shots too. This team will go as far as MCW and CJ take it and let the others be role players and not try to be the stars.

Triche does not have to be "the man", but he does need to be productive. As for C-W, for him "stepping up" needs to be more about getting others involved and less about him taking shots. We do not want to see him putting up 16-17 shots.