Slow Pace of College Basketball

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska isn't unique in terms of watching slow, ugly basketball...it's happening everywhere.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/01/19/slow-paced-low-scoring-season-bodes-badly-for-college-hoops-watchability/21959099/

 

An excerpt 

 

 

But for now, coaches know how the game is officiated and what their players can get away with.

 

"I think in some ways, coaches are very crafty in terms of taking advantage of how much contact is allowed," Pomeroy said. "If officials are going to allow more contact over time, that's an advantage for the defense. All those things kind of come together to create this situation."

 

Pomeroy said there's also more incentive to play zone or a pack-line defense, at least with the rules the way they are. Those types of defenses typically lengthen possessions, which slows down the game and limits scoring opportunities. At the same time, teams are forgoing offensive rebounds to get back in transition. The days of running and gunning are a quaint memory.

 

 

Some coaches say incoming players have a different skill set than they have had in the past in general, with grassroots basketball emphasizing ball handling and creating shots, as opposed to pure perimeter shooting.

 

Others point to the post. In recent years, teams have given up a traditional low-post threat for more of a pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop type of player. Instead of a consistent post game, featuring a go-to scorer and high-percentage shots, teams are now more affected by hot and cold shooting nights.

 

Pack defense...getting back on transition....pick and pop player?  The rules are skewing success towards those types of teams and that is a big part of why we do what we do.

 

The question is will there be any sort of adjustment again like we saw two years ago, when will it be made, and will the type of team we're currently building with recruiting be successful? 

[hhctony]

It's an interesting conundrum for sure. The days of spreading the floor and scoring in transition seem to be over (unless you are Iowa State who scored 31 transition points in 24 possession against Kansas). I'm still at a loss for why motion with screening, passing and cutting can't work. And, I really don't know what I'm missing. It's seems clear to me the dribble-drive motion that is so popular is easy to guard because the ball doesn't move as fast. When the ball doesn't most fast, its easier to play defense. It doesn't make the defense better.

[Huskerpapa]

Is it easier for a fast team to play slow or a slow team to play fast?  In a battle of pace, who wins?

[Norm Peterson]

Well, the rules haven't changed, except to try to make it easier on the offense.  So, declining scoring must be coming from somewhere other than the rules, which is why looking at rules changes to fix the problem might not work too well.

 

I'm going to blame AAU ball. 

 

Just because they seem to be shadowy and evil like the Bilderberg Group or the Luminati.  And they have more to do with basketball, too.  I guess I could blame the Rand Corporation.

[bleujay]

AAU is everyone's scapegoat for declining quality of college ball. May or may not be true, I just find it funny that that's what a lot of people point to first

[Norm Peterson]

AAU is everyone's scapegoat for declining quality of college ball. May or may not be true, I just find it funny that that's what a lot of people point to first

I was going to blame the Bilderbergs but I just couldn't figure out a way to connect the dots.

 

Keeping the conspiracy hidden is part of why their dastardly scheme is so effective.

[49r]

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

[Norm Peterson]

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

Last year, when this came up, I found a website that sells shot clocks.  Pretty reasonable.  And easy enough to use a cheerleader could do it.

[Huskerpapa]

AAU is everyone's scapegoat for declining quality of college ball. May or may not be true, I just find it funny that that's what a lot of people point to first

Perhaps not all AAU ball...but many, many of the elite teams focus on nuances of the game that do not include fundamentals and basketball IQ. 

[hhctony]

This is two years old: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130123/PC20/130129750

[hhctony]

This is probably required reading on the subject as well. Vance Walberg introduced a pretty darn good offense. But, few teams have the horses to run it. And, when you don't have the players to run it, well, you are easy to guard.

 

http://www.si.com/more-sports/2008/02/12/memphis0218

[NUdiehard]

Well, the rules haven't changed, except to try to make it easier on the offense.  So, declining scoring must be coming from somewhere other than the rules, which is why looking at rules changes to fix the problem might not work too well.

 

I'm going to blame AAU ball. 

 

Just because they seem to be shadowy and evil like the Bilderberg Group or the Luminati.  And they have more to do with basketball, too.  I guess I could blame the Rand Corporation.

The rules were slightly changed last year (with most emphasis on block/charge and a little emphasis on hand-checking).  However, the new rules were somewhat enforced early in the season and then basically were disregarded during conf. play.  Do you remember last year in non-conf when NU was fouling at a ridiculous rate?  And scores were much higher during many of their non-conf games.  However, coaches and fans bitched and moaned and ultimately won the day and by the time conf play rolled around, the officiating went back to its regular ways (at least regular as of the past 5-10 years, the period of the decline of scoring and pleasing basketball). 

 

This year, the new block/charge rule was eliminated and we are now playing under the old rule again.  So that experiment only last one year (and really only 1/2 a year b/c it wasn't properly implemented in conf play last year). 

 

This issue was addressed on College Gameday this past Saturday morning.  Jay Bilas was absolutely adamant that the current state of college basketball, with slow play and low scoring games, is because of the officiating in college basketball.  He said that the officials this year are right back to where they were before last season began and the game is more physical than ever.  He challenged anyone to go back and watch games from the mid 80s, even the title games involving so-called physical teams like Georgetown, and he said they look like "ballet" compared to today's games.  He said that the game has changed in many ways over the years and various rules have been changed (ie, 3 point shot, shot clock, etc.) and scoring has changed over the years, but the one thing that has remained the same year after year after year is the average number of fouls called per season.  He said that number has remained flat (on average) for the past 30+ years.  Knowing this, coaches are not dumb.  If refs are only going to call X number of fouls each game, what is the obvious way to get an advantage for my team?  Easy!  Foul the crap out of the opponent knowing the refs will not call close to every foul.  In the end, the the number of foul called will average out the same even though the teams are fouling at a much higher clip.  Bilas talked at length about "freedom of movement".  You wonder why teams can't run Motion offense.  Well, if the player off the ball is getting hand check and body checked every other step, then it is hard to get to the next spot.  Motion is about crisp and hard cuts and getting to the next point.  If the defender hand-checks. grabs, pulls, tugs, bumps, elbows, pushes, etc. that player on his way to the next spot, everything is going to get mucked up.  It is no different than a receiver in FB who gets crabbed, pushed, pulled, etc. 

 

Ironically, the NBA has cleaned up much of this issue by simply enforcing the rules as they should be called.  Even in college, they don't really need to "change the rules".  The refs simply need to call all fouls when they see them rather than "letting it go" b/c they don't want to slow down the game.

 

We talked about this issue at length early on last season and this was all discussed at length.  The problem is that as soon as refs start calling a lot of fouls, coaches whine, bitch and moan along with most fans.  I remember many people on this board complaining early last year about the fouls and how it ruined the game, etc.  Of course having a bunch of fouls called makes the game less appealing.  But the alternative is to simply let the play continue to get more and more and more physical until it really isn't basketball.  There is no freedom of movement, no incentive to try and implement a true "motion" offense b/c players will just get held and grabbed, etc and it just won't work.  If we truly want the game cleaned up, then refs need to be told to call ALL fouls and continue to call them until players and coaches adjust.  That could take 2 or 3 seasons.  And yes, that would be a brutal 2-3 seasons, but after we got thru it, and coaches and players finally realized refs are going to continue to call it correctly, then they would adjust, players would quit fouling so much, and college basketball would come out as a much better sport and have much more entertainment value.

[hhctony]

NU -- While I agree with the general sentiment of your post and Bilas' opinion is spot on, I'd argue one small point. If one guy knew how to set a screen and the other guy knew how to set up his man and read the screen, all the grabbing and hand checking wouldn't matter. Because if I set a good screen for you, I'll make damn sure that guy guarding you isn't hand checking you. Screening is a lost art in basketball. That makes it easier to play defense, too.

[roscoe]

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

Last year, when this came up, I found a website that sells shot clocks.  Pretty reasonable.  And easy enough to use a cheerleader could do it.

Adding a shot clock to high school basketball may and does sound like a good idea but will only add more for officials to keep track. You can see timing issues at almost any game so you would need a qualified operator and not to mention that person knowing/seeing the ball hit the rim and when to reset. Heck, the refs in college games now even have to stop play for resetting or adjusting it and they have video to aid them. That video help probably won't be available at most high school games.

[trickey]

 

 

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

Last year, when this came up, I found a website that sells shot clocks.  Pretty reasonable.  And easy enough to use a cheerleader could do it.

 

Adding a shot clock to high school basketball may and does sound like a good idea but will only add more for officials to keep track. You can see timing issues at almost any game so you would need a qualified operator and not to mention that person knowing/seeing the ball hit the rim and when to reset. Heck, the refs in college games now even have to stop play for resetting or adjusting it and they have video to aid them. That video help probably won't be available at most high school games.

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

•  

 

I'd rather have an errant shot clock...

than leaving balls under key and lock.

[colhusker]

Well, the rules haven't changed, except to try to make it easier on the offense.  So, declining scoring must be coming from somewhere other than the rules, which is why looking at rules changes to fix the problem might not work too well.

 

I'm going to blame AAU ball. 

 

Just because they seem to be shadowy and evil like the Bilderberg Group or the Luminati.  And they have more to do with basketball, too.  I guess I could blame the Rand Corporation.

I'm going to blame ESPN and adjustable baskets.  Kids today see nothing but dunks as highlights from ESPN. To me, big deal a 6'5 kid can dunk.  So given said highlights what do kids do, move adjustable baskets down so they can mimic what they see.  A nice 10-15 foot jump shoot isn't sexy enough for most kids today.  It has to be a dunk or a 3.  Watching the kids at the recreational center I go to while walking I never just see a kid shooting a jump shot or a free throw. 

[colhusker]

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

Please NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[roscoe]

We need to implement the shot clock in HS ball.

 

 

 

(another pretty common scapegoat, just thought I'd inject that into the conversation here)  

Last year, when this came up, I found a website that sells shot clocks.  Pretty reasonable.  And easy enough to use a cheerleader could do it.

Adding a shot clock to high school basketball may and does sound like a good idea but will only add more for officials to keep track. You can see timing issues at almost any game so you would need a qualified operator and not to mention that person knowing/seeing the ball hit the rim and when to reset. Heck, the refs in college games now even have to stop play for resetting or adjusting it and they have video to aid them. That video help probably won't be available at most high school games.

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

 

I'd rather have an errant shot clock...

than leaving balls under key and lock.

It would all be fine until there is a controversy. And from watching high school basketball I see no teams stalling, just lots of grabbing and holding and impeding of offensive players. Reffing at the high school level is similar to that in college in that they call very little. I've watched at least 30 high school games this year and can recall only maybe 1 or 2 players fouling out.

[arliepro]

Men's college shot clock ought to be shortened to 30, like for college women. Watch some women's games if you don't believe me. This change alone wouldn't solve all issues above, but would help a lot.

[Huskerpapa]

Umm, tonight!

[Dean Smith]

Men's college shot clock ought to be shortened to 30, like for college women. Watch some women's games if you don't believe me. This change alone wouldn't solve all issues above, but would help a lot.

The length of the or existance of a shot clock has no effect whatsoever on the fundamental ability of the players on the court.

[atskooc]

When the shot clock was at :45 teams were scoring a heck of a lot more points than they are now.

Shot clock isn't the issue.

[Dean Smith]

Now a shot clock can affect poor fundamentally sound players because there is nothing uglier than bad players trying to play fast.

[colhusker]

 

Men's college shot clock ought to be shortened to 30, like for college women. Watch some women's games if you don't believe me. This change alone wouldn't solve all issues above, but would help a lot.

The length of the or existance of a shot clock has no effect whatsoever on the fundamental ability of the players on the court.

 

This