The Three or The D?

by Agent Orange on Feb 6, 2012 2:04 PM EST

With each week that goes by in NCAA basketball, I find myself reading an editorial with yet another reason why the Syracuse Orange can't make it to the final four. First, it was the inability to play defense in the half-court. Then, it was the absence of Melo. Now, I'm hearing more and more about the problems for Syracuse to make 3-pointers.

I'm not blind or deaf to all-things negative about Syracuse, like some of the Orange fans I've come across. To think we are infallable is a fail in itself. However, I'm not sure the 3-point issue is as big as it's being made out to be. Are we bad from behind the arc as of late? Yes. Are there worse teams than SU from 3-point land? Absolutely. In fact, one of them (Ohio St.) is a strong contender for the Final Four as well. So...how is Syracuse winning games and staying in the top five, while continuing to miss baskets from outside? Perhaps it's because they aren't allowing anyone else to make 3-pointers either.

The Florida Gators are arguably the best 3-point shooting team in the NCAA. Averaging 40% from deep on the season, the Gators were held to 9-26 against the Orange (34%). The number of three's to go down were more than I would like, but the Gators made some wildly deep shots in that game. Why? Because those were the only buckets the Orange would give them.

The ability for Syracuse to flex the zone and close-out on guards is helping to combat their own shooting woes from deep. In addition, forcing the opponent into ill-advised 3-point attempts will continue to aid the fast break, allowing the Orange to do what they do best; run in transition and score before the opposing defense can set up.

Syracuse does have the talent to make the deep ball. They're going through a bit of a slump from long-range, but if a team can "slump" and still win by 25, then I'll take that "slump" any day of the week.

It's scary to think what the scores would look like, should the Orange get hot from beyond the arc. However, until then, if we can't make the 3-pointers, then neither will anyone else.

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The 3pt shot

Is essentialy to modern basketball. A team needs to be at least a threat from there in order to win. Syracuse is a threat. There are 7 guys (basically, everyone except Rak, Melo and BMK) on the squad that warrant a strong close out at the 3pt line. Most teams can’t say that. That being said, only Triche and Southie are what I would consider “good” three point shooters and the both of them are extremely streaky (we’ll see if MCW gets enough minutes going forward to fall into the “good shooter” category). So, like most things offense, it’s a matter of shot selection. I have no problem with any one of those guys letting an open 3pt fly in almost any situation; off a screen, off drive and kick, in transition, whatever. But none of them are good enough where I want them shooting pull up, fade away 3’s. I’ve been paying close attention to 3pt attempts the last few games. IMO, they’ve been shooting far too many. They should shoot 15 as a team at most. That is enough to cover the wide open scenarios I mentioned earlier plus whatever ones they have to toss up due to late shot clock situations or whatever. The Orange are an average 3pt shooting team at best (I’d go with sub-par, honestly), and can’t rely on jacking them up from range. They don’t shoot a high enough percentage, and that percentage is more likey to go down than up the more they shoot.

Now, does that doom their Final Four chances? Absolutely not. The 2003 title team only shot .34% from 3. The 2011-12 team is shooting….34%

"If I ain't gonna be part of the greatest, I gotta be the greatest myself." Busta Rhymes

by FeloniousPhunk on Feb 6, 2012 3:30 PM EST reply actions

This is really all that matters:

A team needs to be at least a threat from there in order to win.

With a team as balanced as SU actually shooting a high percentage of 3’s isn’t going to be crucial to winning. Being able to make 3’s is what matters. As long as our guys can hit open 3’s at a decent clip and the other team knows we have guys that can hit open 3’s, we should be fine not shooting a high percentage from 3. And we do have several guys that hit open 3’s fairly consistently: Southerland, Triche, Waiters, Scoop and Joseph can and will hit 3-pointers. They aren’t all great 3-pt shooters by any means, but they are all good enough to warrant paying attention to on the perimeter (and that’s all that matters with this particular team).

Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!

by NOLACuse on Feb 6, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Excellently written

You don’t have to be great at it, but if the D gives it to you, you got to be able to take it.

Go Orange(men)!

by SUmonkey on Feb 7, 2012 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

Nice write-up

I agree with you, the three-point slump has been a bit disconcerting but this team is so good from inside the arc and in transition that it’s not a huge concern. As long as Fab is in the lineup—I think his three-game absence cemented his place as this team’s most indispensable player—we can survive bad three point shooting.

If he’s OUT for some reason and we’re ice cold—Notre Dame, anyone?—we’d better knock a couple down or hopefully find some mismatch to exploit in the halfcourt because things could get ugly.

It's the most bullshit thing I've seen in thirty years.

by Girardi Party on Feb 7, 2012 9:33 AM EST reply actions