Texas Postgame

[Dcuse]

A reporter asked Adrian Autry last night if they were going to change the three-point shooting philosophy because they weren’t shooting very well, and Autry said something like that’s what we do. We’re going to continue to do it, blah blah blah.

Ok, after four games this team is the worst free throw shooting team AND The worst three-point shooting team in the power five. You can look it up.. when it comes to two point field goals they are ranked number 80, that’s what they do well.

That’s why it’s frustrating as a fan to watch what the three-point field goal has done to college sports. However, if you look at the free throw shooting percentages, why should you go inside to shoot to point field goals when you can’t shoot free throw throws?

So you're saying our path to victory is just don't shoot at all?

 

[CuseMan4]

I'd like to see that lineup also but don't think we will. I'm ok starting Bell, if he's on a short lease. In his head, he thinks he's a great 3 point shooter. However, we know his struggles.

Davis deserves to start, but it can't be in place of Freeman. Donnie needs a chance to develop, otherwise he will just be a kid who wore a Cuse jersey that in five or ten years, we will ask why didn't he play more at Syracuse. At least Donnie has shown he can shoot the three, but he needs to develop his all around game.

Agreed. I really think Lampkin and Davis are a hell of a combo in the paint. They BULLIED a good P4 team in the paint yesterday. Truth be told our offense NEEDS to run through Lampkin and Davis. They can pass really well for bigs too. Starling is our best bet at PG, he’s not going to be your typical PG or have great assist numbers but he can attack the basket well and is a serviceable 3 point shooter. Freeman and Moore need to play because they give us the most potential for a strong starting line up by seasons end. Whatever we did on defense in the second half we need to do that again. I think Taylor is a perfect player off the bench for us. He’s not going to kill it on offense but he has real potential to be a defensive stopper

 

[OttoinGrotto]

A reporter asked Adrian Autry last night if they were going to change the three-point shooting philosophy because they weren’t shooting very well, and Autry said something like that’s what we do. We’re going to continue to do it, blah blah blah.

Ok, after four games this team is the worst free throw shooting team AND The worst three-point shooting team in the power five. You can look it up.. when it comes to two point field goals they are ranked number 80, that’s what they do well.

That’s why it’s frustrating as a fan to watch what the three-point field goal has done to college sports. However, if you look at the free throw shooting percentages, why should you go inside to shoot to point field goals when you can’t shoot free throw throws?

I guess the counter argument is we've had 4 games of cold shooting, so the hot shooting games are coming to balance it out.

I don't think as a team we're a 25% three point shooting team. That's really hard to do.

 

[CuseMan4]

A reporter asked Adrian Autry last night if they were going to change the three-point shooting philosophy because they weren’t shooting very well, and Autry said something like that’s what we do. We’re going to continue to do it, blah blah blah.

Ok, after four games this team is the worst free throw shooting team AND The worst three-point shooting team in the power five. You can look it up.. when it comes to two point field goals they are ranked number 80, that’s what they do well.

That’s why it’s frustrating as a fan to watch what the three-point field goal has done to college sports. However, if you look at the free throw shooting percentages, why should you go inside to shoot to point field goals when you can’t shoot free throw throws?

This offense needs to run through Lampkin and Davis. I think it’s pretty clear at this point

 

[Lukeyloo]

Oh, don't be so sure. We've had some really bad ones over the years.

shooting 61% on FTs as a team so far this year. Id be surprised if we've done much worse than that.

 

[Sherman20]

Red seems to have absorbed two of his old boss's worst interrelated traits and put them on full display:
1) trusting his chosen guys in close games, IE forgetting that he has a bench
2) allowing his chosen ones to get away with absolutely everything

At least he doesn't doghouse certain players, so that's something I guess.

A lot of posters have been arguing on here all week that Red needs to SHORTEN the rotation until we start playing better, and I think last night proved that point. When we went with the best 6-7 guys, that’s when the comeback happened. The argument is that guys get used to playing with each other, develop better chemistry and understand their role. Once you get guys like Davis, Freeman and Bell becoming more consistent, then you can expand. One of the guards of Moore, Taylor and Carlos needs to emerge as the reliable guy. If Taylor can start cooking a little bit on offense (he’s capable but has no confidence), I think he can be it. Or if Moore improves his defense, he might be the answer since he gives us a much needed shooting threat

 

[jr4750]

Agreed. I really think Lampkin and Davis are a hell of a combo in the paint. They BULLIED a good P4 team in the paint yesterday. Truth be told our offense NEEDS to run through Lampkin and Davis. They can pass really well for bigs too. Starling is our best bet at PG, he’s not going to be your typical PG or have great assist numbers but he can attack the basket well and is a serviceable 3 point shooter. Freeman and Moore need to play because they give us the most potential for a strong starting line up by seasons end. Whatever we did on defense in the second half we need to do that again. I think Taylor is a perfect player off the bench for us. He’s not going to kill it on offense but he has real potential to be a defensive stopper

That’s your rotation. Bell gets run when hot.

 

[rocklloyd]

shooting 61% on FTs as a team so far this year. Id be surprised if we've done much worse than that.

Feels like 1988 all over again. Chewing my finger nails off hoping stevie makes one at a critical time.

 

[Sherman20]

Excellent summary. Every combination Autry could throw out there
presents significant issues. This dilemma is there for most every program
unless you are one of the few elite (which we are not). Red can cover up
some the negatives with better team chemistry and 100% effort. Lampkin
was the catalyst in the second half with his effort, but you just can't live
and die with that during the course of the whole season.

Offensively Bell is obviously the key if they have to be perimeter orientated.
Not sure if Donnie has the physicality to allow them to work more inside.
Davis is an effort guy, but does he bring enough to the table to give him
big minutes? There just isn't an obvious solution at this point, but maybe it
will evolve as the season goes on.

It all comes down to coaching decisions to put 5 guys out there who
give you the best chance to win, or at least be competitive. Good luck
Red! The honeymoon seems to be over and reality is setting in.

These posts are so bizarre. We nearly beat a top 30 KenPom program on a neutral court (we would’ve won if it weren’t for horrendous free throw shooting) and showed obvious improvement on defense. This team is a work in progress and should play a lot better once Bell gets going, one of the three guards (besides JJ) steps up and separates himself from the pack, and we continue to improve on defense. I think the offense and shooting will get a lot better as the season goes on.

 

[OptimusOtto]

SU's overall record at the Barclays Center has to be one of the worst at any arena where we play on any kind of regular basis.

Went to the game with a buddy and on the way in I said I have no good memories here. The only positive I can remember is a blowout win vs WF in a first round ACC tourney game.

 

[OptimusOtto]

St. Joseph's won. Texas Tech tomorrow...

IMO this is better. Yes we have a better shot at beating St. Joe's, but if we can bank a big neutral court win over a strong team we can really start building some positive momentum.

 

[McCuse]

FREE Throws! Come on.

 

[MikeSU02]

I guess the counter argument is we've had 4 games of cold shooting, so the hot shooting games are coming to balance it out.

I don't think as a team we're a 25% three point shooting team. That's really hard to do.

I think a bigger concern is that even if it goes up (I think most rational people would assume Chris Bell is not going to stay at 25% 3PT% no matter how bad things are), can it go up enough to make a difference? Especially if our FT% stays flat (and assuming our 2PT% stays where it is and doesn't go down).

The other point, is how long do we take on water with bad 3PT% while waiting for the switch to turn? I want to be clear - I am not disagreeing with you. It's a long season and it's easy to just assume that the season will play out like the first four games when, in reality, it can flip. But, how long is too long? Chris Bell has a real talent in shooting, but we aren't waiting for Steph Curry, ya know?

I'm not saying I have the answer, but I think those two questions are real concerns.

 

[OrangeinDC]

These posts are so bizarre. We nearly beat a top 30 KenPom program on a neutral court (we would’ve won if it weren’t for horrendous free throw shooting) and showed obvious improvement on defense. This team is a work in progress and should play a lot better once Bell gets going, one of the three guards (besides JJ) steps up and separates himself from the pack, and we continue to improve on defense. I think the offense and shooting will get a lot better as the season goes on.

Wow!! Some sanity, good post.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think a bigger concern is that even if it goes up (I think most rational people would assume Chris Bell is not going to stay at 25% 3PT% no matter how bad things are), can it go up enough to make a difference? Especially if our FT% stays flat (and assuming our 2PT% stays where it is and doesn't go down).

The other point, is how long do we take on water with bad 3PT% while waiting for the switch to turn? I want to be clear - I am not disagreeing with you. It's a long season and it's easy to just assume that the season will play out like the first four games when, in reality, it can flip. But, how long is too long? Chris Bell has a real talent in shooting, but we aren't waiting for Steph Curry, ya know?

I'm not saying I have the answer, but I think those two questions are real concerns.

They're definitely legitimate concerns.

I do think our 3 point and free throw percentages are outliers though, and while it sounds frustrating to fans, I do think Red's right that we want those shots and they just aren't dropping.

That said, I do also agree that we should be working inside out. Between Lampkin, Davis and Freeman we can get points inside to make the outside shots easier. Instead we seem to start from outside.

It's backwards. We fix that, and there are probably a few less threes going up, a few more shots in the paint going up, and a big uptick in 3 point shooting percentage.

 

[Oakland]

I’ll take the moral victory. Looked like we were going to get demolished and if we make free throws, we win.

Looks like the fire was lit today.

That is correct, you can't have a moral victory if you win.

 

[Oakland]

He did have a couple of blocks, I guess that's two good things he did.

He was also our % leader in FTs and 3pters, and he played most of the second half which was +7 for the team.

 

[rrlbees]

With Kline I know they use metrics but I don’t know if they use +/- at all but Donnie had by far our worse at -10. I still would have played him a bit more in the 2nd half for various reasons.

 

[Oakland]

We’re now 22 for 88 from three.

I don’t know what’s worse, that we’re shooting so terribly or that we’re taking 22 threes a game.

We need to work the O inside-out. Chucking 3s is such a loser for us.

Remember when Red said this was a great 3pt shooting team.

 

[DomeHolmes]

FWIW, the defense was better for the last 15 minutes. Prior to that is was awful. Let’s not presume that was solved.

I thought the first ten minutes were really bad. Then the Zone was ok except for Davis, who obviously was not used to that role (covering baseline). But that stretch did not help us as a result.

After that I saw good MTM and good help from almost everyone consistently. I thought we looked nothing like the first games for most of the last 25 minutes. I won’t say it’s solved but if we play D like that every game we will win 20.

There were a few deceiving things I thought in the first half. First, I counted FIVE blatant travels the refs let go that resulted in 6 points. Second, Texas had 8 points on shots that could only be described as “chucks”. Texas was fortunate to get to 41 with the way they actually played. Our D forced the chucks, but they went in.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I really think Starling need to be running point. Does he have the greatest handle…no but it’s serviceable and he can get into the lane and attack the rim. I know this will not happen. Because of the love affair with Bell. But I think I want a lineup of

Starling
Moore
Davis
Freeman
Lampkin

It’s is going to be very hard to keep Davis and Lampkin off the floor. They are extremely active and they can body people and control the paint. Starling is a good player and when he can defend he is a huge asset to the team. Freeman needs more run, especially over Bell as of right now. Bell is not doing anything. Moore give you that 3 point threat, second ball handler and he at least gives you effort on offense and defense. I think Moore is more than capable to at least hold his own.

Bring Bell and Taylor off the Bench
Carlos spot minutes at point and nothing more
McLeod spot minutes depending on the matchup

I think this is how Autry needs to roll. Moore and Freeman will only get better the more they play. This will only help us more by the end of the season. And Freeman has the potential to be a force. I think a three headed front court of Freeman, Lampkin and Davis can be the best in the country by the end of the season if they let freeman get more run and find his feet. The potential is so obviously clear.

With that being said. This will probably take Autry another 20 games to figure out because he does not have much of a clue on how to coach or work rotations lmao

There just needs to be a solid ballhandler next to JJ for it to work. Yes, I hope it's Moore, but he's not there yet. He's got the most talent, good size, good athleticism. Is it just me, or does he look a bit like Judah? (And I mean that in a good way ...)

If we're actually going to run, and with that front line (no Bell), we should control our defensive boards, then Cuffe could work here, too.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Agreed. I really think Lampkin and Davis are a hell of a combo in the paint. They BULLIED a good P4 team in the paint yesterday. Truth be told our offense NEEDS to run through Lampkin and Davis. They can pass really well for bigs too. Starling is our best bet at PG, he’s not going to be your typical PG or have great assist numbers but he can attack the basket well and is a serviceable 3 point shooter. Freeman and Moore need to play because they give us the most potential for a strong starting line up by seasons end. Whatever we did on defense in the second half we need to do that again. I think Taylor is a perfect player off the bench for us. He’s not going to kill it on offense but he has real potential to be a defensive stopper

And if Donnie and the guards can make a passable percentage from three, then that's the best lineup.

 

[JonB]

So you're saying our path to victory is just don't shoot at all?

No shooting at all!

 

[JonB]

I guess the counter argument is we've had 4 games of cold shooting, so the hot shooting games are coming to balance it out.

I don't think as a team we're a 25% three point shooting team. That's really hard to do.

I agree, there’s no way that Chris Bell is going to be that cold for this long. I don’t really think that Starling should be shooting eight threes though, especially if he’s gonna be playing the guard position. He’s really good at getting in the lane and getting by people..

 

[IthacaMatt]

shooting 61% on FTs as a team so far this year. Id be surprised if we've done much worse than that.

Yeah, but we don't have the kind of guys we had in the past, where you wondered if they were going to even hit rim. Yes, we suck right now, but Carlos and Starling should be in the 75-80% range, and right now they are at 64 and 50%, after hitting 71% and 89% last year. So they should get better, just by the law of averages / regression to the norm.

As for Big Eddie and Jyare Davis, they are shooting only 43 and 56% from the line, respectively. Last year, they shot 66 and 81%. So, again, I see regression to the mean, and clear improvement coming in time. They've played about 10% of their games. If we're still this bad at the turn of the year, I'll be surprised.