Shooting woes

[jackmd]

The women's team shot 30% - 35% - 39% respectively in the 3 games down south. Yet, they won 1 and had a shot in the last game. Outrebounded each team and did a marginal job from the freethrow line.

The men shot 34% against UIC and 35% against Butler.

Is this related to improved defense at the DI level, nervousness, a lack of conditioning or discipline? I suspect it is a combination of these. My hope is the Jacks athletes will gain confidence and stamina as the early season progresses and correct these shooting woes. When you can't make a shot you find yourself in a big hole early and its hard to come back on the road against quality opponents. Found this out last year against Metro St.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Shooting woes

My guess knowing the makeup of the Men's team and comments by the coaching staff it's predominately nervousness. The competition level has certainly stepped up but it's not like we are playing in front of big unruly crowds. We are currently playing in front of smaller crowds than we did in the NCC. I think our guards are finding it difficult to create easy shots for the bigmen and themselves. The women shot pretty well from the line but sometimes tend to get out of control and take early (shot clock) and bad shots. Both teams need to come out stronger in the first half and not create such deep holes and large margins to overcome in the second half.

[jackmd]

Re: Shooting woes

I agree, nervousness plays some role. However, I would not sell the level of defensive intensity and increased athleticism at the DI level short. When you have a talented team with a deep bench (relatively speaking) it easy to increase your defensive pressure both from a full and half-court perspective. For example, the women hung with Rutgers until the Scarlet Knights came out in a press. Completely wore our girls out and blew the game open.

All of the men's games against DI teams have begun with big runs primarily keyed by the oppositions defense. Sure, Manhatten had one hot player, they still shut us down. I look for Holdren and Loney to be more assertive early in games as they gain confidence. This should rub off on Beran, Casey, and Green (if he picks up his intensity) and lead to better starts.

Simple fact, we may be the least talented team on the court when playing another DI game (men's) the rest of this year. Sure, their may be an exception or two, but not many.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Shooting woes

One thing that I have seen in recent years from the Jacks is a lack for being able to defend the 3 point shot. We have had some good athletes in recent years and I don't understand how or why we give up so many wide open 3 point shots especially since we have played predominately man to man. Has anyone else felt this way and do you have an opinion why we give up so many 3's.

[jackmd]

Re: Shooting woes

I have always scolded Nagy's teams for not defending the 3. It was the only reason Mayville St. hung around in the first half on Wednesday.

Perhaps this all stems from the Northern St., Ryan Miller debacle in the region championship in Brookings in 98'. I would have knocked Miller on his rear after about the 6th three and not let him have the ball again. The same scenario unfolded against Metro in 2002, again at Frost arena. It happens time-after-time and I have not found an explanation.

Playing more zone this year will only lead to more open looks from outside and likely a disadvantage on the boards. My opinion, make them put it on the floor. The current 3-point line makes an open shot from there relatively high percentage. I'd rather take my chances on help defense and force a pass or a tough shot in traffic. In other words I fully agree, we need to defend the 3-point line better.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Shooting woes

Oh, no... don't remind me of that Northern game! I listened to it on the Internet in my rat-infested basement apartment in Iowa City. That game killed me. Let us not speak of it again.

Has anybody here ever asked Nagy about the shaky 3-point defense? I'd be interested to hear what he has had to say about it.

[jack100]

Re: Shooting woes

was at both of those games. in SDSU's defense - miller and the australian guy were on fire - just could not miss. it didn't matter if we had guys all over them or not - both players were hot and making everything. Actually, I thought more of their misses (not many) came on shots where they had good looks.

[Jacks99]

Re: Shooting woes

I agree they were all over Miller but it didn't matter.

[JackJD]

Re: Shooting woes

I, too, saw both the Northern and Metro games. Miller put on an exhibition and wasn't to be denied...it was his night and that happens. Those who were present will recall his lightning fast release of the ball...most couldn't be touched.

The Aussie from Metro was in the zone. He was unconscious. I remember Steve Brown back when there wasn't a three-pointer and I swear there were a couple of games in which Steve could have thrown the ball in the wrong direction and it would go in the right hoop.

When you're hot, you're hot.

I wouldn't dare ask Coach Nagy about defending three-point shots...Nagy has more basketball knowledge in his big toe then all of us posters.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Shooting woes

I agree Nagy knows what he's doing. I just thought some of those Jackrabbit luncheon folks might have heard him address it.

[filbert]

Re: Shooting woes

I think Nagy was on record (in the D-II days when we could play man with anyone) that he'd take good inside play over defending the 3 . . . on average, you'll beat a team if you're better inside than they are, or something like that.

Not sure if that's still true in these D-I, match-up zone days.

[jackmd]

Re: Shooting woes

I attended both of the games discussed above. Ryan Miller and Luke Kendall were hot and we let them beat us when tomorrow depended on a win. Maybe its just coincidence that it happened twice to Nagy coached teams or maybe he didn't adjust his defense. Yes, I am questioning Coach Nagy, a man for whom I have the utmost respect.

[jack100]

Re: Shooting woes

I attended both of the games discussed above. Ryan Miller and Luke Kendall were hot and we let them beat us when tomorrow depended on a win. Maybe its just coincidence that it happened twice to Nagy coached teams or maybe he didn't adjust his defense. Yes, I am questioning Coach Nagy, a man for whom I have the utmost respect.

This time you are wrong. Those guys were hitting fall away jumpers, running shots in the lane, and 3 pointers. Kendall's winning bucket was a running 12 footer (falling out of bounds) on the baseline. The only way you can defend shots like these is to deny them the ball for the entire length of the court. SDSU defenders were almost always all over them. Miller and Kendall were just hot those 2 nights - SDSU just ran into them on the wrong night. Those 2 guys probably have never played as well. Just an unlucky break for SDSU.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Shooting woes

I was not referring to the Millers and Kendalls of the world who clearly had unconscious nights. I'm speaking in general we have not defended the 3 well in the last few years. It is not a critisism of Nagy as I think he might agree.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Shooting woes

In defense (no pun intended) we haven't been much of a defense orientated team the last few years. Much of Nagy's time it seems the teams have had the philosophy that we were going to out score the opponent and we were going to do it with good offensive players and players who could rebound the s**t out of the ball. That formula seems to work the majority of the time. The defense in recent years has been good, but definately not the strongest aspect of any of the teams.