I know everyone is busy today watching the Men's Tournament AND the Women tip-off today as well. Just wanted to write a few notes on the Tournament.
First, however, I wanted to get you my new video that I completed last night on shooting drills. This video is the second part of a three part series on shooting drills (the first part video will be at the end of this email as well).
Today in the video I wanted to focus on partner shooting drills which includes quite a few catch and shoot drills. As you might remember from my first video on shooting drills, I really believe it isn't always the drill that "makes the player" but it's what you do inside that drill that really matters (mechanics and form).
That being said, my shooting drills are not complicated. I just don't believe in dribbling through ten chairs to shoot a basketball OR dribbling a tennis ball with one hand and shooting with another. I believe a player need to shoot in a drill how he/she will shoot in a game.
Now lets talk about the Tournament. Why is there so much Madness this March? Why are there so many upsets and high seeds taking low seeds down to the wire?
Last week I was listening to Collin Cowheard on ESPN Radio and he predicted this. He said many of the big name schools struggle with shooting (Ohio State, Cincinnati, North Carolina) and that these teams would be out in the first or second round.because of their inability to shoot.
I have always said that shooting is the great equalizer. Twenty years ago we would see maybe one or two upsets in the first round but nothing like this!!!
I believe this really goes back to the three point line. We are now getting Mid-Major players that have grown up on the three and have used the art of shooting to help them get that coveted scholarship and stand out on their teams. We are also seeing Mid-Major coaches that know how to use this three weapon to take down Goliath.
We have also seen how important free throw shooting is at this year's tournament. North Carolina State couldn't hit their free throws and they are now at home. Stanford hit two big free throws late against New Mexico and they will play another game..
When I watch the tournament, I am always amazed at how the close games in the last two minutes come down to two areas--offensive rebounds and free throw shooting. How many times have we seen a team up by three and the other team comes down, misses the shot but gets the offensive rebound, kicks it out and now we have a tie game? I see it all the time.
The charity stripe is huge this time of year. Two games that are hard to forget in NCAA history is how Kansas couldn't buy a free throw against Syracuse in the 2003 Finals and seeing Memphis struggle five years later against Kansas in the 2008 Finals.
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