That is a very fair criticism, the mid range shot in large is a bad shot. I think that with the way we offensive rebound, a chunk of the downside is mitigated. I’ve heard Shead or maybe Cryer during a post game talking about having an off night shooting and coach telling him, just keep shooting and we will get the offensive rebound. Almost like the missed shot is a set play.
While our shooting %s dont look great, we get so many second/third shots. We are 5th in the nation in offensive rebounds and offense rebound %.
Due to that, we also lead the nation in FG attempts against (49.1 pg), and are averaging 12.4 more FGA per game than our opponents. We have had 1 game all season where our opponent had more FGA than we did, the ISU game. ISU plays very similar to us.
Feels like we’ve been on the 1 line and at least ranked in the top 5 95% of the time since people made their preseason brackets for the start of last year and some are still trying to cling to the underdog role instead of embracing the increased expectations that comes with the spotlight being on us 24/7 lmao
I don’t really understand this take grey( not you personally).
Unless a team goes undefeated after reaching #1 does anyone really “handle being #1”?
Purdue and UCONN have both been number one and have lost since then….what’s the difference?
Virginia and Purdue have both lost to 16 seeds as #1’s so that’s not handling “pressure” of being on top well….but other than that I think it’s all something fans and media I guess just kind of make up….
I don’t think it bothers the team at all….the opposite actually……its more of puff the chest out and have some swagger deal….at least to me it is.
I think you missed my point. I was simply implying that I like the underdog role. Like when we beat #1 seed Arizona as a 5 seed. Before that it was Illinois because no ne thought we could match up with Cockburn.
Despite our current rank, just 4 days ago the guys on ESPN were going on and on about how Purdue and UCONN are on a different level than Houston and the rest of the teams. These are the same people that think we can’t win it all since we lack size.
Hell, we could lose tomorrow by 15 and drop out of the top 5. That won’t make us any less capable of winning it all. As I said, though, I don’t put much stock in the rankings.
I DO like the recognition. It is long overdue for Coach Sampson and his program. BUT I am old enough to remember 3 words: North Carolina State. You can understand a little caution, no?
The only thing that will make the 1983 game heal is winning a NC. As it is now, it’s a wound that heals over, then they show that ferret running around on the court and it rips the wound open again.
