This IU team is about as modern as you can get on the basketball court.
In basketball as a whole, there has been a sabermetric groundswell to move away from long 2-pointers and take more 3-pointers and layups. It’s all about taking the most efficient shot to maximize your points.
And, oh my Lordy, IU is a 3-point shooting team this year.
The Hoosiers (3-0), knocked off No. 22 SMU (1-2) with a score of 74-68 Thursday night in a raucous Assembly Hall. And IU did it almost entirely because of two things: 3-point proficiency and lack of turnovers.
I’ll save the turnover issue for another column. For now let’s focus on how IU has apparently changed its entire philosophy during the offseason and become the Mike D’Antoni Phoenix Suns circa 2007.
The Hoosiers were 12 for 33 from behind the arc, good for 36 percent. SMU, who bullied the Hoosiers by jumping out to a 22-10 lead during the first 10 minutes, finished the game 5-for-14 from 3-point land, which is also 36 percent.
So even though IU and SMU shot the three at the same rate, IU just took a boatload more threes, which made it much more effective. IU got 21 more points from behind the arc than SMU did. That’s a huge advantage, obviously.
The problem with SMU on Thursday night wasn’t how well it shot the ball. The Mustangs shot 57 percent from the field. The problem with their offense was they turned it over 19 times, compared to just seven for IU.
So even though IU shot just 36 percent from the field, it got so many more possessions because it held onto the ball.
And when the Hoosiers shot it, they were taking the most efficient shot in basketball, other than the layup: the 3-pointer.
IU this year will live by the three and die by the three. Some, um, more traditional basketball fans might complain about the three, saying how low-percentage it is.
Well, duh.
You’re shooting the ball from 20 feet and 9 inches, so it’s not going to go in as much. But that’s not the point.
Do the math: hitting 60 percent of your twos is equal to hitting 40 percent of your threes. So it’s OK if you’re not hitting your 3-pointers at the same rate as your 2-pointers. The reward of the 3-point shot is so much higher than the 2-point shot.
That’s why this IU team is so much better than last year’s team. It isn’t afraid to jack it up from behind the arc.
With that facet, IU will never be out of a game. Plus, it is 10 times more fun to watch than last year’s team.
It’s a new season, a new philosophy and a new team.
Thursday night, IU lived by the three. Let’s see if it can keep a season thriving by continuing to do the same.
ehoopfer@indiana.edu
