What the has happened to offense in college basketball?

[Knicks411]

Kenpom has effective FG% going back to 2002. Here are the national averages, plus 2 point %, and 3 point %
2002: 49.1%, 47.8%, 34.5%
2003: 49.4%, 48.1%, 34.7%
2004: 49.2%, 48%, 34.4%
2005: 49.3%, 48%, 34.6%
2006: 49.5%, 48.1%, 34.8%
2007: 49.9%, 48.7%, 34.9%
2008: 49.8%, 48.4%, 35.1%
2009: 49.1%, 48%, 34.2%
2010: 48.8%, 47.7%, 34.2%
2011: 49.1%, 47.8%, 34.4%
2012: 49%, 47.8%, 34.3%
2013: 49.6%, 47.5%, 33.9%
2014: 49.6%, 48.5%, 34.5%

God bless if you can find any change in effective FG% over the last 12 years.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

the old college model was recruit your players, have them spend 1-3 years as understudies/role players, then they emerge as your stars as juniors and seniors. A lot of coaches are still using that model. The problem is that almost anyone good enough to be a star is gone before they are upperclassmen, so JB is trying to recreate his "star system" around guys like Kris Joseph & CJ Fair who really weren't cut out for it. The model is on its head (with the rare exceptions like Rakeem Christmas noted, of course). Now, your upperclassmen are just role players and program guys who can mentor the kids, who have to be your stars. You have to embrace that and understand they are going to make a lot of mistakes. And it means giving up a lot of control. Calipari has embraced it to obvious effect.

Great take. I think this describes the broader issues perfectly.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Kids aren't as skilled as they were. I feel like we see more kids worry about trying to be good/great at one thing, more than being a well-rounded player. Maybe that's from watching too much SU, but there seem to be fewer kids who can "do it all".

I think allowing more physical play is really hurting scoring. Too many teams are allowed to play like Pitt and muddy up the game (probably why Pitt has slipped since they get a taste of their own medicine ). I also think there has been such a focus on efficiency, whether it's getting the perfect shot, having a great A/TO ratio or whatever. Let the kids just play the game.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Too much turnover with players. Too much one and done.

But is it that much worse than, say, 10-15 years ago when HS kids were going pro, along with 1 and done's? It's definitely a lot more than kids going pro early...

 

[Francis03]

AAU basketball!!!! It's all about 1 on 1 and not team ball. Its look at me, and trying to get hyped up. Then it's go to college for a year, show you belong and then leave after a year and go pro. It's a broken system all thanks to AAU ball.

As someone that has watched plenty of HS/AAU ball for a long time now, I can guarantee you AAU is far from the problem. Maybe in terms of recruiting and behind the scenes shenanigans yes, but if you watched the Peach Jam which was televised on ESPNU this summer, you would've saw highly competitive games that were nowhere close to what you described being played. Trust me a lot of craziness and drama goes on regular HS teams as well. It's weird though because I find myself enjoying a lot of games and players on the HS level, but for some reason the College game always looks sloppy in comparison as of late.

 

[NYCSUGrad]

Interesting discussion. I find I have college ball on most of the time but kind of as background. Perhaps the glut of games makes it less appealing too.

Otoh just watched SU take three or four shots around the basket and they couldn't sink one. Not enthralling.

 

[OrangeDW]

Shot clock HAS to be reduced.

One and done gives teams zero cohesion and creates a sport where, by the time a big time player becomes big time, they're off to the NBA.

CBB is borderline unwatchable with all the whistles and teams dribbling the air out of the ball. If I wasn't a Syracuse fan I wouldn't watch the sport at all aside from the NCAA Tournament.

Yup. This is basically where I've been for a few years now. I watch Cuse(and usually don't enjoy it all that much) and nobody else. Something has to change.

 

[anomander]

College hoops is definitely on the decline. Some of these games are unwatchable. I think part of the problem is there is so much fluidity from year to year. Teams no longer get 3 or 4 years to learn to play with one another. Plus with all the early entries a lot of the guys getting playing time are 18 and 19 year old kids, who still have a long way to go with the development of their game.

The best thing JB ever did was to switch completely to the zone.

 

[jgeorge322]

The short 3 pt line is ruining the game. Its all about chucking 3s