Mid Major Teams and Layups

[plydogg]

Why can't mid major teams hit layups? I noticed this in the play-in game with Saint Bonaventure as well as in our conference tournament. Now in every single one of the games with a mid-major involved there has been at least one missed open layup where even the announcers comment on how open it is.

This has been a recurring joke among my friends and I in the A10 all year but now realizing it is actually true. Teams seem to be allergic to making all their open layups.

 

[spiderman]

Why can't mid major teams hit layups? I noticed this in the play-in game with Saint Bonaventure as well as in our conference tournament. Now in every single one of the games with a mid-major involved there has been at least one missed open layup where even the announcers comment on how open it is.

This has been a recurring joke among my friends and I in the A10 all year but now realizing it is actually true. Teams seem to be allergic to making all their open layups.

I can't comment without seeing said open layup. as a big guy who was yelled at to "make your layups!", I'd argue that most "open" layups are pretty contested. and even though the shots are from close range, you still have to hit your spot.

pet peeve of mine is when a former guard is coaching and yelling at a big for missing a "layup" with guys banging him and around his feet, but same coach has no issue with a guard missing a wide open 17 footer. what's the difference? and when the guard misses that open jumper, it's the big man's fault for not getting the rebound. smh

 

[plydogg]

I can't comment without seeing said open layup. as a big guy who was yelled at to "make your layups!", I'd argue that most "open" layups are pretty contested. and even though the shots are from close range, you still have to hit your spot.

pet peeve of mine is when a former guard is coaching and yelling at a big for missing a "layup" with guys banging him and around his feet, but same coach has no issue with a guard missing a wide open 17 footer. what's the difference? and when the guard misses that open jumper, it's the big man's fault for not getting the rebound. smh

Majority of the missed layups are by guards, not big men. I count an open layup as when there is nobody contending the player who is attempting the layup (there also have already been a half dozen missed dunks in the NCAA tourney and we aren't even through 8 full games).

 

[spiderman]

in that case, it's a focus thing. you feel you've made it before you actually do. gotta finish the shot, focused all the way.

 

[plydogg]

I don't think its a focus thing since it is only happening to mid-major teams and not power conference teams. I haven't seen a power conference team miss an open layup this tournament. Just in mid-major games South Dakota State has left 10 points on layups with nobody contesting. Sure they're jacking up a ton of 3s and look like a 16 seed, but they just can't hit easy open layups

 

[spiderman]

what can it be if it's not focus? the rims? mid major players aren't always as good as high major players. a lot of that's athleticism, part may be the ability to maintain focus.

 

[plydogg]

what can it be if it's not focus? the rims? mid major players aren't always as good as high major players. a lot of that's athleticism, part may be the ability to maintain focus.

These players just aren't good. That's all I can think of. They cannot consistently hit open layups. There's just no way every single power conference player has good focus and every mid-major player has bad focus. The players just aren't good enough. I'd say it is awareness more than anything else. These guys aren't even aware they have an open layup so they throw up a bad shot thinking they have to fight through contact when they don't have to.

But I think the biggest thing is just consistency. When I play with friends we don't hit every single open layup because we aren't amazing players. But we don't start missing until there are really tired legs. I'd expect D1 basketball players (that have anywhere from 2 to 11 inches on us) to have a lot easier time hitting those open layups. This post was mostly meant as a joke but I realized how true it actually is from losing track. My old roomates and I made a NCAA tournament drinking game this year. Missed layups was one. I'd be passed out in the street if I had adhered to it.

 

[spiderman]

lol. have fun.
maybe nerves are part of it. it's a really big stage today. I hope it's not a huge percentage being missed. but guys are going to miss shots from all ranges.

 

[fan2011]

Layup and dunk percentage as a whole is lower in college basketball than most people think it "should" be. You can check the dunk and layup percentage here (https://hoop-math.com/leader_o2018.php) under the "FG% at-rim" column. Richmond has been in the top 50 in each of the past 4 years, and was as high as 5th in the country in our first-four-out year, right between Kentucky and Purdue.

 

[plydogg]

Layup and dunk percentage as a whole is lower in college basketball than most people think it "should" be. You can check the dunk and layup percentage here (https://hoop-math.com/leader_o2018.php) under the "FG% at-rim" column. Richmond has been in the top 50 in each of the past 4 years, and was as high as 5th in the country in our first-four-out year, right between Kentucky and Purdue.

Oh wow this is way more insight than I expected. I was just expecting a "yeah these teams can't make layups they suck" but this is actually really interesting.

 

[I-M-UR]

Seems like there have been a lot and I mean A LOT of missed fairly open layups. I assume it's adrenaline; players too pumped up.

 

[MrTbone]

Seems like there have been a lot and I mean A LOT of missed fairly open layups. I assume it's adrenaline; players too pumped up.

...or the synthetic rubber backboards.

 

[Eight Legger]

Mods, this thread appears to have nothing to do with firing Mooney. Please have it removed at once.

 

[plydogg]

Mods, this thread appears to have nothing to do with firing Mooney. Please have it removed at once.

I wanted to see how long a thread could go without bringing up Mooney! Isn't it his fault Loyola missed 3 open layups against Miami!

 

[ur2K]

There was that time we blew a lead against Miami at home in the NIT.

 

[plydogg]

There was that time we blew a lead against Miami at home in the NIT.

Yeah, I remember that one. First time in NCAA history a coach had ever blown a lead at home! Surprised Mooney wasn't fired on the spot!

 

[spiderman]

and now plydogg includes "Mooney" and "fired" in a thread about layups.