Winning at the Free Throw Line

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

We should just do what the F4 team did to avoid rebounding. Make the three’s. I know that’s a bold strategy.

 

[RowdyPkunk]

the owls shot more threes than VCU and killed us on the boards

Yup.... they were clearly the hungrier team & were the better team for prob the first 30-35 mins of the game...

The last 5 mins or so they started missing shots, and turning the ball over & we started capitalizing on their mistakes.

 

[AlienAiden]

Yup.... they were clearly the hungrier team & were the better team for prob the first 30-35 mins of the game...

The last 5 mins or so they started missing shots, and turning the ball over & we started capitalizing on their mistakes.

I am sure it has been mentioned or at least in the thread while the game was going on live but I have to mention that blocked shot by Johns. That was a huge defensive play.

 

[RowdyPkunk]

I am sure it has been mentioned or at least in the thread while the game was going on live but I have to mention that blocked shot by Johns. That was a huge defensive play.

yeah I think Deloach had one with like 4-5 mins to go & then the Johns one with like 2-3 mins to go were both big time blocks.

 

[RamJamFan]

I was anticipating our collective freshmen class to somewhat improve our rebounding but not the case, at least not yet. It won’t happen until they get more PT, which their D is limiting.

 

[RamJamFan]

Shriver is a better rebounder than I expected, but his D and shooting slump is limiting his PT. Kern and Watkins should be getting more boards too IMHO.

 

[duncanlamb]

Direct From my Stats thread.... https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/2022-23-statistics.19774/

Free Throws
20+ Attempts: 4-0
Under 20 Attempts: 0-2
Under 50 %: 0-0
50-59%: 2-0
60-69%: 0-1
70-79%: 2-0
80% or better: 0-1

So here's my thing and why I find stats so interesting....

If you look at my stat from my stats thread it would clearly favor those who say about winning at the FT line.... and the 4-0 stat when taking 20+ FT's, 0-2 when taking less than 20 FT's... would back that up....

HOWEVER, we've won 2 games where we shot under 60% at the FT line. We also lost a game by 4 where we took 18 FT's, made 17 of them (94.4%- Ariziona State).... and we lost a game by 15 points where our opponents & our FTs were exactly identical (9-13, 69.2%- Memphis).... that would go against the theory of FT's being the reason we are struggling.

I'll be honest FT's (while a problem for VCU... seemingly always has been, and probably will continue to be) are not the reason VCU is winning/losing games at the moment.


Let's look at some other stats shall we-
Scoring
Under 60: 0-2
60-69: 2-0
70-79: 2-0
80-89: 0-0
90+: 0-0

Opponents Scoring
Under 60: 2-0
60-69: 2-2

Turnovers (Opponents)
Under 10: 0-0
10-14: 0-1
15-19: 2-1
20 +: 2-0

Turnovers (VCU)
Under 10: 0-0
10-14: 2-0
15-19: 1-2
20+: 1-0
Winning Turnover Battle: 3-0
Tied Turnover Battle- 0-1

Rebounding
Win the Rebounding Battle: 2-0
Losing the Rebounding Battle: 2-2
Tied The Rebounding Battle: 0-0

FG %
Under 30% from Field: 0-1
30-39%: 0-1
40-49%: 3-0
50% or better: 1-0

3pt FG %
20+ Attempts- 1-2
Under 20 Attempts- 3-0
Shoot 35% + from 3pt: 1-0
Under 35% from 3 pt: 3-2

Fouls (Opponents)
Commit 20+ fouls: 4-1
Under 20 Fouls: 0-1

Assists
10+ assists: 3-0
Under 10 Assists: 1-2

Our problem is scoring in general... whether inside the Arc, outside the Arc or at the FT line.

Ultimately our biggest problem is attacking the basket & taking HIGH PERCENTAGE looks... attacking the basket & going up strong.

Don't go up like a wussy only trying to draw a foul... Go to the basket STRONG.... LIKE A MAN! Maybe you'll get the basket & the foul.

Clearly this team is not a 3 point shooting team.... do we have players who can hit 3's? Sure, but right now, no ones hitting consistently. We don't have a Troy Daniels, Brandon Rozzell, Bones Hyland, or any consistent 3 pt shooters on the team.... if we do, they sure haven't hit their stride yet.

In our 2 losses, Shriver went 2-7 from 3 & 0-7 from 3. In the loss to Memphis, Zeb Jackson also went 1-6 from 3. When you are not hitting 3's... you gotta find another way to score.

We gotta stop forcing terrible looks, move the ball on offense with a plan... not just passing the ball around the perimeter aimlessly. RUN ACTUAL OFFENSE.... get others involved.

The other issue is.... REBOUNDING THE BALL. Every game this year except for Manhattan we have given up double digit offensive rebounds to our opponent. Manhattan had 1 offensive Rebound the entire game against us.... every other team has out rebounded us on the offensive glass. That is a MAJOR PROBLEM.

 

[RowdyPkunk]

@duncanlamb did I leave you speechless in your reply?

 

[VCU85]

Removed my post because it was kind of dumb.

darn, at least you recognize yours. I let far too many slip thru.

 

[duncanlamb]

@duncanlamb did I leave you speechless in your reply?

I was going to say something but then my wife said "Get off the phone and go to the store!" and then I butt posted......I've asked her to monitor my forum activity and hit me over the head with a bat if I am viewing more than 3 minutes..

Only 4 posts in 2 weeks. So far so good.

 

[TampaKAP]

One thing I have noticed is offensive rebounding is weak. Not many guys inside trying to get second chance points.

This is a fact, If our backcourt doesn’t rebound we don’t rebound. And its not a situation like when Mo use to block out so guards could get the ball

 

[mrgeode]

This is a fact, If our backcourt doesn’t rebound we don’t rebound. And its not a situation like when Mo use to block out so guards could get the ball

There was some yelling about box outs at my in-laws' place Saturday afternoon for sure

 

[duncanlamb]

The developing theme for this year's team is getting and making more FTs than the opponent.

Opponent Ft/Fta differential

Manhattan. W +10/+19
Morgan st. W +7/+14
ASU L +1/-3
Pitt. W +12/+14
Memphis L 0/0
Kennesaw St. W +15/+15
Vanderbilt. W +10/+17

Record When VCU gets and makes more FTs than opponent (5-0)
Record VCU gets and makes fewer Fts than opponent (0-2)

 

[Valley drop step]

37 free throw attempts VS Vandy. That has to be a VCU record.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

37 free throw attempts VS Vandy. That has to be a VCU record.

Not even close, the record is 56 in a game against Richmond in 1979. We made 34 of them.