Potential upgrades in scoring at the 1 and 4

[TomBigBeeHog]

as excited as I am about the potential upgrades in scoring at the 1 and 4, with Barford, Thomas and Cook, we are scoring at a pretty good clip currently. Right now we avg 79.3 pts which is 2nd in the SEC but only 42nd nationally. Oakland leads the way at 87.3 ppg.

I am taking it as a given that as a group Cook, Thomas and Barford will have greater offensive production than Durham, Miles, and Kouassi. I know Bell is taking his 16 a game with him but Macon might give us 10 to 12 pts a night.

So, how many more points per game next year could we score realistically? Will there be a marked increase in scoring or a marginal increase but just more efficient scoring, ie., fewer scoring droughts, higher quality shots?

[Hawg Red]

as excited as I am about the potential upgrades in scoring at the 1 and 4, with Barford, Thomas and Cook, we are scoring at a pretty good clip currently. Right now we avg 79.3 pts which is 2nd in the SEC but only 42nd nationally. Oakland leads the way at 87.3 ppg.

I am taking it as a given that as a group Cook, Thomas and Barford will have greater offensive production than Durham, Miles, and Kouassi. I know Bell is taking his 16 a game with him but Macon might give us 10 to 12 pts a night.

So, how many more points per game next year could we score realistically? Will there be a marked increase in scoring or a marginal increase but just more efficient scoring, ie., fewer scoring droughts, higher quality shots?

I think there will definitely be more efficient scoring and less droughts, like you said, but my first thought was that we'd get "back into the 80s like last season." Only I just checked and we are actually scoring more per game than we did last year. So, we're probably going to stay around the high 70s/low 80s.

[BRHogfan]

I think you're always going to have scoring droughts.  It happens.

I always worry about the second unit, but I think Mike will have enough options next season that he can keep 2-3 scorers on the court at all times and we won't have any Durham, Whitt, Watkins, Thompson, Kouassi type lineups that are a black hole on the offensive end.  Of course the other good thing is that Whitt and Thompson have both become better scorers as the season has gone on, so this lineup is much less of an offensive dead end than they were at the start of SEC play.

[TomBigBeeHog]

I think you're always going to have scoring droughts.  It happens.

I always worry about the second unit, but I think Mike will have enough options next season that he can keep 2-3 scorers on the court at all times and we won't have any Durham, Whitt, Watkins, Thompson, Kouassi type lineups that are a black hole on the offensive end.  Of course the other good thing is that Whitt and Thompson have both become better scorers as the season has gone on, so this lineup is much less of an offensive dead end than they were at the start of SEC play.

I can laugh about it now but that second lineup always made me clutch my beer a little tighter. I've played games of hot potato where the ball didn't whiz around so swiftly with no apparent goal other than "you take it! No, you take it!".

Then, finally as the shot clock grinds down and no lay up in sight, the last man with the ball (usually Durham) has to charge blindly in the lane and throw up an unanswered prayer as I loudly exhale when I realize that I've been holding my breath since the shot clock hit the 15 second mark.

[TomBigBeeHog]

I think there will definitely be more efficient scoring and less droughts, like you said, but my first thought was that we'd get "back into the 80s like last season." Only I just checked and we are actually scoring more per game than we did last year. So, we're probably going to stay around the high 70s/low 80s.

Doesn't always follow, right? That stat is amazing. Looking at it from that perspective, there is no telling which way this breaks. We might even score a little less which would be ok if we are a lot better defensively.

[labb]

Our problem is not scoring. We score enough points. Our problem is Defense. So my question would be is our defense going to be better.

[Atlhogfan1]

Shot clock change and perhaps rules emphasis by officials has affected possessions and scoring.  What changes will happen for next season?

More possessions per game this season.

Last season, we were in the top 10 at this time with fewer possessions per game.  Now we are 42nd. 

We were shooting a little higher % and had a higher offensive efficiency last season. 

[BRHogfan]

Our problem is not scoring. We score enough points. Our problem is Defense. So my question would be is our defense going to be better.

Read the thread title, if you want to talk defense, make your own topic.

[The_Iceman]

Our problem is not scoring. We score enough points. Our problem is Defense. So my question would be is our defense going to be better.

Should be.

[TomBigBeeHog]

Shot clock change and perhaps rules emphasis by officials has affected possessions and scoring.  What changes will happen for next season?

More possessions per game this season.

Last season, we were in the top 10 at this time with fewer possessions per game.  Now we are 42nd. 

We were shooting a little higher % and had a higher offensive efficiency last season.

You make 4 great points/observations. Looking at things from this perspective, I would anticipate seeing us be more proficient on offense if we combine more possessions with increased efficiency. Should translate into a more than modest scoring increase.

[gmarv]

I think we have the potential to be very good next year.my question is how much improvement can moses and dusty make in scoring next year, can they raise there scoring averages by a couple points each.nothing against our guys durham and miles i see no way we don,t get more scoring out of the one and four, most likely we get a lot more.

[Hawg Red]

I think we have the potential to be very good next year.my question is how much improvement can moses and dusty make in scoring next year, can they raise there scoring averages by a couple points each.nothing against our guys durham and miles i see no way we don,t get more scoring out of the one and four, most likely we get a lot more.

We don't need more scoring out of Dusty and Moses. In fact, I could see both averaging less points next year because we'll have guys like Barford, Thomas and Cook added to the roster giving us offensive options that we don't have currently. Whitt, Beard, and Trey will also be improved and add more scoring than they currently are. Macon won't make up for what we're losing with Bell but he'll be around double figures. We don't need Moses and Dusty to score more, we just need other players to be able to score more, and I think that happens next year. The fact that we have 3 players averaging 16 points this season and the #4 scorer only averaging 7 points illustrates this issue. I think Moses will probably stick around 16 points next year but I think Dusty will drop back to about 13-14 points a game. Macon will give us probably 10 or so. Barford I think will be around 12-14 points next season. And I think Whitt and Beard come in at or close to double figures. Trey, Arlando and Thomas are probably 6-8 point scorers. I think the scoring will be much more balanced.

[TomBigBeeHog]

We don't need more scoring out of Dusty and Moses. In fact, I could see both averaging less points next year because we'll have guys like Barford, Thomas and Cook added to the roster giving us offensive options that we don't have currently. Whitt, Beard, and Trey will also be improved and add more scoring than they currently are. Macon won't make up for what we're losing with Bell but he'll be around double figures. We don't need Moses and Dusty to score more, we just need other players to be able to score more, and I think that happens next year. The fact that we have 3 players averaging 16 points this season and the #4 scorer only averaging 7 points illustrates this issue. I think Moses will probably stick around 16 points next year but I think Dusty will drop back to about 13-14 points a game. Macon will give us probably 10 or so. Barford I think will be around 12-14 points next season. And I think Whitt and Beard come in at or close to double figures. Trey, Arlando and Thomas are probably 6-8 point scorers. I think the scoring will be much more balanced.

I think this will be the case. Helps to have more options to go to for points if one or two of your scorers go cold, especially on the road.

[Hawg Red]

I think this will be the case. Helps to have more options to go to for points if one or two of your scorers go cold, especially on the road.

It'll be nice to have 5, maybe 6 guys you can go to in those situations to keep the points coming. We're still going to have an All-SEC center and two knock-down shooters next year like we do this year, but we'll also have Barford, Whitt, and maybe Beard that came make something happen. Expecting a pretty decent jump for Jimmy Whitt.

[Danny J]

Our problem is not scoring. We score enough points. Our problem is Defense. So my question would be is our defense going to be better.

[Breems]

It'll be nice to have 5, maybe 6 guys you can go to in those situations to keep the points coming. We're still going to have an All-SEC center and two knock-down shooters next year like we do this year, but we'll also have Barford, Whitt, and maybe Beard that came make something happen. Expecting a pretty decent jump for Jimmy Whitt.

Who are the 2 knock-down shooters? Hannahs and?

[Hawg Red]

Who are the 2 knock-down shooters? Hannahs and?

Macon.

[nwahogfan1]

Our problem is not scoring. We score enough points. Our problem is Defense. So my question would be is our defense going to be better.

I agree. Even Coach acknowledged that in his press conference stating how we won those last games on the road.  This is the reason we need to get more athletic and longer.

But I agree with the original intent of the mod that we should be a better scoring team. 

[gmarv]

We don't need more scoring out of Dusty and Moses. In fact, I could see both averaging less points next year because we'll have guys like Barford, Thomas and Cook added to the roster giving us offensive options that we don't have currently. Whitt, Beard, and Trey will also be improved and add more scoring than they currently are. Macon won't make up for what we're losing with Bell but he'll be around double figures. We don't need Moses and Dusty to score more, we just need other players to be able to score more, and I think that happens next year. The fact that we have 3 players averaging 16 points this season and the #4 scorer only averaging 7 points illustrates this issue. I think Moses will probably stick around 16 points next year but I think Dusty will drop back to about 13-14 points a game. Macon will give us probably 10 or so. Barford I think will be around 12-14 points next season. And I think Whitt and Beard come in at or close to double figures. Trey, Arlando and Thomas are probably 6-8 point scorers. I think the scoring will be much more balanced.

you may very well be right because we are gonna have a lot of guys who can score points,but its also possible for dusty and moses to be much more efficient scorers to maintain or up their average on about the same amount of shots they are getting now.at least that's my hope.

[MGB1229]

Macon.

Barford is shooting at a higher % from three so he should be a knockdown shooter as well. Looks like it from the games that have been posted at least.

[Hawg Red]

Barford is shooting at a higher % from three so he should be a knockdown shooter as well. Looks like it from the games that have been posted at least.

Actually, Macon is shooting better. 37.6% to 35.5%, but Barford is shooting it pretty well. The reason why Barford isn't touted as a knockdown shooter is because his strength is having the ball in his hands and getting to the rim. Macon's game is shooting, like Hannahs.

http://stats.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2015-16/div1/players/darylmacon8la9

http://stats.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2015-16/div1/players/jaylenbarfordf5n6