MBB: Louisiana vs South Alabama

[Turbine]

This is not true. NBA players shoot 40-45% from midrange. I don't have the stats for NCAA but it is probably safe to assume they are in the 35-40% range. But even at 40% you aren't making enough shots to justify taking a midrange over a 3pt shot. Again, it comes down to points per shot. If you are a good college midrange shooter you'll
shoot 40% from midrange which gives you 0.8pps. Meanwhile even the very worst 3pt shooting teams are still shooting 30% from 3 which adds up to 0.9pps. The bad 3pt shooters are still scoring more points than the good midrange shooters.

This article is well worth a read: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features.ed-it-forever/

One of the reasons for low mid range percentages is off balance rebound throw backs. Very low percentage.

A set offense designed to create midrange shots produces much higher percentages.

They should be counted separately.

[ZoomZoom]

Fans can be fickle sooner or later people have enough of the same old same old. I truly hope for turn around in all our sports. Poor attendance in one hurts the rest

Ah the silver lining of disgruntled fans is an opportunity to upgrade seat locations. BT, DT.

If the baseball keeps imitating Shocking Blue, Steam and the like, sure it will happen there.

[CajunVic]

Thanks for the compliment. Note I am not certain next year will be successful. I do believe it is a possibility. Also, I don't go to all the baseball games but I follow just about every one. I do believe nothing in sports causes fans not to pay attention more than a baseball team weak at the plate. In the previous few seasons the bats eventually come around. Let's hope that happens again or you will see crowds diminish rapidly in that sport.

Baseball’s actual attendance (butts in the seats) is already starting to immulate it’s batting average.

[zephyr]

I’ve seen you rant about this for years but it is just simple math.

We currently shoot 32% from 3. This adds up to 0.96 pts. per shot.

In order to get the same points per shot from a midrange shot we’d have to shoot 48% from midrange. We are currently shooting 47% inside the arc, but I promise you our midrange shot percentage is much much lower than 47%. Statistically, midrange shots are nearly as hard to make as 3pt shots.

When you actually break down the numbers it’s not even close. Even on a bad 3pt shooting team, shooting threes is always the best option.

Your midrange percentage goes up when its an open shot. I'm not anti-3 point shot. I'm anti bad shot. It's not that hard. You talk about statistically but you aren't looking at shot selection. An open 15 foot jumper is much easier to hit and rebound than a contested 3. UNC has won 3 national championships in the last 15 years without ever being a premier 3 point shooting team. They score inside and in transition and then they out rebound you. In the NBA, ALL of the best players in the league are also the best players in the midrange and use it often, especially in playoff time.

[zephyr]

This is not true. NBA players shoot 40-45% from midrange. I don't have the stats for NCAA but it is probably safe to assume they are in the 35-40% range. But even at 40% you aren't making enough shots to justify taking a midrange over a 3pt shot. Again, it comes down to points per shot. If you are a good college midrange shooter you'll
shoot 40% from midrange which gives you 0.8pps. Meanwhile even the very worst 3pt shooting teams are still shooting 30% from 3 which adds up to 0.9pps. The bad 3pt shooters are still scoring more points than the good midrange shooters.

This article is well worth a read: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features.ed-it-forever/

So using your reasoning, why don't we just put up 60 3's per game?

[zephyr]

Everybody needs to face it - there is no money to handle MBB - that is why nothing will happen. Everything else you mention are regular AD type concerns. Right now he has two money issues - MBB coach and Cajun Filed renovations.

The unfortunate thing is that this decision has nothing to do about money.

[CajunVic]

The unfortunate thing is that this decision has nothing to do about money.

Wrong, again.

[Cajunsmike]

I may be mistaken but I feel that this was your same message last season as well.

The message being that we should all stop asking for a better product on the court and support the crap that is being force fed to us fans because the decision has already been made to keep Marlin around.

So sit down, shut up, and give me your money.ok, I think I got it.

Obviously you don’t have to do any of those things. You can stand, shout as loud as you wish, post as much as you like here, and put your money where you prefer including your pocket. That does not change the likelihood Coach Marlin won’t return and I had nothing to do with that decision. Administration is making that decision.

[Cajunsmike]

Your midrange percentage goes up when its an open shot. I'm not anti-3 point shot. I'm anti bad shot. It's not that hard. You talk about statistically but you aren't looking at shot selection. An open 15 foot jumper is much easier to hit and rebound than a contested 3. UNC has won 3 national championships in the last 15 years without ever being a premier 3 point shooting team. They score inside and in transition and then they out rebound you. In the NBA, ALL of the best players in the league are also the best players in the midrange and use it often, especially in playoff time.

Very good point here. Too often teams (Cajuns included and perhaps more so than most) shoot contested three pointers (a 20 percent shot at best) and don't work for open mid range shots. That can be a 40 percent shot if executed properly. That is 80 points in a 100 possessions vs 60 on contested threes. Defenses want to run you off the three point line and contest the basket. That means mid range is open. You just have to recognize that and practice it more for success. Of course transition changes everything and you can get open threes off your defense. Frank Bartley was the Louisiana player of the year based upon his ability to get open in that situation. Bottom line is the open shot is the best shot.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Very good point here. Too often teams (Cajuns included and perhaps more so than most) shoot contested three pointers (a 20 percent shot at best) and don't work for open mid range shots. That can be a 40 percent shot if executed properly. That is 80 points in a 100 possessions vs 60 on contested threes. Defenses want to run you off the three point line and contest the basket. That means mid range is open. You just have to recognize that and practice it more for success. Of course transition changes everything and you can get open threes off your defense. Frank Bartley was the Louisiana player of the year based upon his ability to get open in that situation. Bottom line is the open shot is the best shot.

I can’t tell you how many 95% shots(uncontested layups)are passed up, and instead the ball is passed to an open 3. Most of those are made, but 95% I’d take every play.

[Hatch]

Very good point here. Too often teams (Cajuns included and perhaps more so than most) shoot contested three pointers (a 20 percent shot at best) and don't work for open mid range shots. That can be a 40 percent shot if executed properly. That is 80 points in a 100 possessions vs 60 on contested threes. Defenses want to run you off the three point line and contest the basket. That means mid range is open. You just have to recognize that and practice it more for success. Of course transition changes everything and you can get open threes off your defense. Frank Bartley was the Louisiana player of the year based upon his ability to get open in that situation. Bottom line is the open shot is the best shot.

I agree, the open shot is the best shot, no matter where it is on the floor. I was just looking at some stats for Jalen Johnson. His 3pt shooting% has dropped from 39% as a sophomore at St. Louis to 27% this season. Now the 3pt line has been pushed back in that time but that is a pretty significant drop. He is also not “jacking up” more 3pt shots here, it has actually slightly dropped from 5.7 attempts per 40 at St. Louis to 5.4 this year. It would lead me to believe he had more open and clean looks in that offense than what he has had here.

[CajunRebel]

Your midrange percentage goes up when its an open shot. I'm not anti-3 point shot. I'm anti bad shot. It's not that hard. You talk about statistically but you aren't looking at shot selection. An open 15 foot jumper is much easier to hit and rebound than a contested 3. UNC has won 3 national championships in the last 15 years without ever being a premier 3 point shooting team. They score inside and in transition and then they out rebound you. In the NBA, ALL of the best players in the league are also the best players in the midrange and use it often, especially in playoff time.

Of course midrange shooting goes up when you’re open. And guess what? 3pt shooting percentage also goes up when you’re open.

An open look from 15ft is only slightly easier to hit than an open look from 3 which is why you try to take the open 3 when you can.

Obviously nobody has a strategy to take contested shots from any spot on the court. Sometimes the midrange shot is the best available option so you take it, but I promise you almost nobody is game planning to create midrange shots.

[CajunRebel]

So using your reasoning, why don't we just put up 60 3's per game?

Because the highest pps shots come within <5ft of the basket, not the 3pt line.

[Esqueleto]

Of course midrange shooting goes up when you’re open. And guess what? 3pt shooting percentage also goes up when you’re open.

An open look from 15ft is only slightly easier to hit than an open look from 3 which is why you try to take the open 3 when you can.

Obviously nobody has a strategy to take contested shots from any spot on the court. Sometimes the midrange shot is the best available option so you take it, but I promise you almost nobody is game planning to create midrange shots.

Which is why a lot of people are losing interest in the game. Who want to watch a team pass the ball around the perimeter 3/4 time and then jack up a 25 footer. It not at all entertaining. I wish the 3 pt. Shot would be banned, so we could go back to the way basketball was meant to be played.

[Turbine]

. I promise you almost nobody is game planning to create midrange shots.

If they were, I suspect it would create more open 3's