Question on a Murphy 3

[gary2]

I was only able to follow half the game on the radio. In the second half Pitt had a steal.

According to Hillgove, Murphy may have had a chance to take the ball all the way to the goal for a layup, but instead pulled up for a three. I believe Aiken said he liked that. No one would have a problem with it.

Is that an accurate description?

 

[JD1976]

I was only able to follow half the game on the radio. In the second half Pitt had a steal.

According to Hillgove, Murphy may have had a chance to take the ball all the way to the goal for a layup, but instead pulled up for a three. I believe Aiken said he liked that. No one would have a problem with it.

Is that an accurate description?

I forgot about that play. Personally, I thought it was a terrible decision especially in a game that was unfolding the way it was. He definitely had a chance to get to the rim and make a layup, but opted to pull up on a 2-on-1 and take a three. I didn't like it in that situation, but do love his shooter's mentality in general.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I was only able to follow half the game on the radio. In the second half Pitt had a steal.

According to Hillgove, Murphy may have had a chance to take the ball all the way to the goal for a layup, but instead pulled up for a three. I believe Aiken said he liked that. No one would have a problem with it.

Is that an accurate description?

Yes. And it was the right thing to do given Murphy’s 3-ball skills and the possibility he could have been blocked from behind if he took it all the way given his average height, hops and only average foot speed. I am sure Capel approved as would have Coach K.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

He wouldn't have been able to make it to the rim but he could have took it to the lane drew the defender and dished it as it was a 2 on 1 or 3 on 1. It seemed like a bad decision but if he's a 40% 30 point shooter its really not that bad of a decision as it was no guarantee we would have gotten 2.

 

[below0w]

If it's the play I'm thinking of, then it was 100% the right decision given the circumstances and Murphy's skill set. He's far more active around the rim than you'd expect, but his close finishing leaves a lot to be desired. The defender closed well on him and there wasn't an obvious passing lane even though we had numbers. I'd blame the poor spacing on the break more than anything Murphy did.

 

[DT_PITT]

I was only able to follow half the game on the radio. In the second half Pitt had a steal.

According to Hillgove, Murphy may have had a chance to take the ball all the way to the goal for a layup, but instead pulled up for a three. I believe Aiken said he liked that. No one would have a problem with it.

Is that an accurate description?

I can’t say how I felt about this decision.

I don’t think he had an easy layup but a fundamental 2-1 was there.

Having said this, this play surely fits his skill set. And if he hits it, he brings the house down.

On the whole, I guess I like it.

 

[gary2]

I can’t say how I felt about this decision.

I don’t think he had an easy layup but a fundamental 2-1 was there.

Having said this, this play surely fits his skill set. And if he hits it, he brings the house down.

On the whole, I guess I like it.

I thought that play, the two missed free throws by Murphy and the Brown miss on the and one were all momentum breakers.

Johnson's 2 consecutive turnovers were the killing blows.

How does Toney have the ball on our last real possession?

 

[Chescat]

There are times to shoot the three on a fast break, and times not to.
If you're open and it's a two on one, or three on two, and you're the
shooter that Murphy is, I say take it. The reason is you have a chance
to rebound the miss. It also depends who it is...Murphy probably has a
green light. Toney?...never in that situation.
If you're alone one on one, or one on two, I say no because a miss
is going back the other way. If I remember that play correctly,
Murphy had no other Pitt down court with him, but I'm not sure.
My guess is he saw an opportunity to get some momentum
going, and was looking to turn the game around with a big play.
We also have no idea how Capel deals with this situation in
practice. I'm sure he goes over these scenarios.
What really bothered me was the open three that Toney took in
the first half. He had yet to score this year. Guess why he was
wide open in the corner....the opposition obviously WANTS him
to shoot it. IMO he should only be shooting put backs and layups
until he proves he can hit an outside jumper.

 

[WCDOC]

I questioned the move at the time, but i got it... the 3 is his thing.

 

[JRPITT]

I was only able to follow half the game on the radio. In the second half Pitt had a steal.

According to Hillgove, Murphy may have had a chance to take the ball all the way to the goal for a layup, but instead pulled up for a three. I believe Aiken said he liked that. No one would have a problem with it.

Is that an accurate description?

The description is accurate. I didn't like that decision or a similar one by McGowen later in the game. My philosophy is that if you run any good half court offense you can get an open jump shot but not always get to the rim. Make the referee make a call by going to the basket. The game is won by getting to the paint; whether by dribble/drive, post, kick outs, or foul line.

 

[gary2]

The description is accurate. I didn't like that decision or a similar one by McGowen later in the game. My philosophy is that if you run any good half court offense you can get an open jump shot but not always get to the rim. Make the referee make a call by going to the basket. The game is won by getting to the paint; whether by dribble/drive, post, kick outs, or foul line.

Agree

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It was a dumb decision. We needed points and he passed up what should have been a layup had he played it correctly for a running three. There are times when the three could be the right play, but that wasn't one of them.

 

[Bethlehemjohn]

I thought that play, the two missed free throws by Murphy and the Brown miss on the and one were all momentum breakers.

Johnson's 2 consecutive turnovers were the killing blows.

How does Toney have the ball on our last real possession?

We had about 20 momentum breakers in the 2nd half alone. Make an extra free throw here or there or get a block out late in the game when they had about 3 changes before they finally put in a follow to go back up by 3 and we win. Or if anyone other than Murphy could even get close on a 3.

 

[gary2]

We had about 20 momentum breakers in the 2nd half alone. Make an extra free throw here or there or get a block out late in the game when they had about 3 changes before they finally put in a follow to go back up by 3 and we win. Or if anyone other than Murphy could even get close on a 3.

There was a play late, where Pitt had several chances to get the ball. The clock was running down and the ball went out of bounds. It was not under two minutes. Curtis felt it hit their player in the head. There were 3 seconds on the clock. They got it in and hit a three. That play gave them the breathing room to hold on.

 

[lilspainishflea]

I didn't love the decision but it's unlikely he would have had a layup either. The defender was closing on him and he lacks XJ and McGowens speed....plus he is not an above the rim finisher.

So your choices there were:

1) wide open 3 by a good shooter;
2) contested take to the hoop by a guy who is not very athletic

a) block/miss/turnover
b) foul shot
​

He did the best he could. If it was XJ or Trey, take it to the hoop and draw contact. With Murph...the choice was far less clear.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I didn't love the decision but it's unlikely he would have had a layup either. The defender was closing on him and he lacks XJ and McGowens speed....plus he is not an above the rim finisher.

So your choices there were:

1) wide open 3 by a good shooter;
2) contested take to the hoop by a guy who is not very athletic

a) block/miss/turnover
b) foul shot
​

He did the best he could. If it was XJ or Trey, take it to the hoop and draw contact. With Murph...the choice was far less clear.

That is exactly how I saw it unfold. A much more athletic defender with hops was closing so it was best to pull up, let the defender go by and shoot the 3-ball.

 

[lilspainishflea]

That is exactly how I saw it unfold. A much more athletic defender with hops was closing so it was best to pull up, let the defender go by and shoot the 3-ball.

I went from very excited to "ok well this was just a free possession" extremely fast