There was a lot coach Travis Ford didn’t like about ºüÀêÊÓƵ University’s win over Dartmouth, and a review of the game film only served to emphasize his biggest complaint.
By his count, the Billikens missed 15 of what Ford called “point-blank layups,†a problem that helped give the Big Green a chance to win on their last possession.
It is a growing problem that is largely responsible for SLU ranking 342nd in the country in 2-point field goal percentage entering Tuesday night’s home game against Utah State.
“We chart it and showed it to our guys. We just have to be stronger and finish around the basket better,†Ford said. “We need to play off two feet more. It gives you more options to pass or score. We were getting to the rim but were off balance a lot. Two feet give you better balance. I’m not saying they were wide open, but they were at the rim, laying it in.â€
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The layup issue has grown in the past three games since Sincere Parker was sidelined with a broken foot. In stats kept by official scorers, the Billikens have been credited with making 29 of 66 layups (44%) in the past three games.
Layups are a subjective category that can include anything from a breakaway, uncontested basket to a double-teamed driving fade-away.
Ford said the issue is addressed in individual film sessions with players in hope that the Billikens can produce more points than the sub-70 games in three straight outings.
“We have to take our time and finish off two feet,†forward Tim Dalger said. “Whether we’re drawing a foul or getting an and-1, we have to be efficient. For me personally, it’s about going up stronger and taking time and getting the shot I want to take. I feel I’ve been rushing too much, and I think you’ll see me clean it up in the near future.â€
Kellen Thames ranks 31st in the country in 2-pointer percentage with an extremely small sample size. Parker was developing into a dangerous scorer at the rim, and Terrence Hargrove Jr. has been solid.
Otherwise, Dalger, Gibson Jimerson, Larry Hughes II and Mike Meadows are making less than half of their shots inside the arc.
“I think we’ve struggled just making shots in general,†Meadows said. “Especially for me, the emphasis has been playing off two feet, either finishing at the rim or finding guys using my pivots and being more patient.â€
The misses against Dartmouth were especially frustrating because the Billikens had success driving the ball, which they wanted to do against a front line with little rim protection. But the payoff didn’t come.
There were signs of a possible problem in this area in the season opener against Southern Indiana, when SLU was listed as missing 18 layups.
The misses are magnified when some opponents have been able to drive for layups without a lot of resistance.
“How many layups we hold opponents to is one of our stats,†Ford said. “We have not been reaching our goal at all. The last game we gave up 30 points off layups. That’s way too many to survive. We want to give up 16 points or less on point-blank layups.â€
Generally speaking, Ford has not been happy with the team’s shot selection recently. The Billikens have shot below 42% in each of their past three games, and they are about to face a team that has held opponents to 38.5%.
“We’ve preached to guys where they need to get shots and who needs to get them where,†Ford said. “I’ve given guys a lot of freedom, but I told them I’ve probably given them too much freedom because they’re taking low-percentage shots.â€