Memphis' savior for 2009-10? The 3-pointer
Posted: Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:35 PM
Filed Under:
Conference USA
One of the best ways those scrappy underdogs pull off NCAA tournament upsets is to shoot a ton of 3-pointers and hit the boards. Then again, it’s a good way to avoid an upset, too.
Just ask Memphis. Roburt Sallie’s 3-point barrage in the tourney’s opening round last season saved the Tigers against Cal State Northridge.
And, in case you haven’t heard, Memphis lost most of its players and its coach from last season’s 33-4 squad. So what to do?
Mark Humphrey/AP |
Does Josh Pastner have the answer to Memphis' season?
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New coach Josh Pastner thinks he has the answer: 3-pointers.
Hey, why not? Pastner was on the sideline when Sallie went nuts. It may sound strange that a team that lost its top four scorers can actually be good at shooting, but Pastner likes what he sees.
"I don't like to live and die by the 3-point shot," Pastner told the Memphis Commericial Appeal. "But on our team, one of our strengths is our shooting ability. We're going to have to do that."
The 3-pointer has long been one of college hoops’ great equalizers. They’re a better option than mid-range shots and even when the line was extended last season, it didn’t affect teams too much.
Not that Pastner wants his team doing a Grinnell College and jack up a shot every 2.4 seconds. It’ll start with Sallie, and other guys like seniors Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp will have to improve. Neither shot better than 33 percent last season.
As a team, Memphis hasn’t shot better than 36.1 percent anytime this decade. But compare that to a team like Tennessee – which made less than 32 percent of its attempts beyond the arc – and 36 percent sounds like Larry Bird.
"We do have good shooters on the team," Pastner said. "I want to give these guys as much confidence as we can, and if they have an open shot I don't want them to think about it. Just let it fly. That doesn't mean come down and jack a three. It's starting inside-out, whether that's via the dribble or the pass to suck the defense in and kick it out for an open 3-point shot."
Besides, Memphis didn’t shoot the 3 that poorly against Conference-USA teams, which is a good sign for maintaining their status as league bullies. And really, that’s half the battle. Winning 30 games or more every season too much to ask of any program. Guys leave, players get hurt or you catch a few bad bounces.
But if the Tigers can maintain their NCAA tournament streak and maintain some national exposure by beating up on inferior conference teams (Gonzaga’s perfected it), then a potential re-building year is easier to accept.
And who knows? Maybe the 3 will keep the Tigers on a roll.
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