Hardaway unsure how to fix offensive problems
TULSA, Okla. — Penny Hardaway can see it just like everyone else, clear as day.
He sees the Memphis basketball team shooting 3-pointers worse than 81% of Division I teams and converting free throw attempts worse than all but a dozen programs. He sees its recklessness (15.5 turnovers a game) and how it further cripples the offense by eliminating valuable scoring opportunities. He sees the Tigers averaging 62.3 points in games against teams ranked in the top 100 by Kenpom.com this season.
Eleven games into the season, these are not new problems. So, what is the third-year coach's plan to fix what is so obviously broken?
“Man, I wish I knew,” Hardaway said Sunday after he thought about the question for a few seconds.
The Tigers (6-5, 2-2 AAC) had just lost to Tulsa 58-57 for the second time this season. It was the third loss in five games and the Tigers had failed to score more than 58 points for the third straight time.
There was time to prepare for Tulsa's zone defense. Memphis' last game was Dec. 29 after three straight games were postponed do its opponents' issues with COVID-19.
“The time we had off was well spent,” Hardaway said.
And, it showed. Sort of. The Tigers were almost as good as they've been all season on field goal attempts inside the 3-point line. Memphis was 18-of-31 within the arc, the only better clip (31 for 51) coming against winless Mississippi Valley State.
But the Tigers attempted 15 3-pointers, hitting only four – including just two out of their final 12 tries – dropping the 3-point field goal percentage to 30.2. What's worse, the Tigers' opponents actually aren't the biggest reason why they have so much trouble making 3-pointers, according to Hardaway.
“We talked about this the other day with (assistant coach) Cody Toppert,” he said. “They have a stat, the projected numbers that you're supposed to make because of the higher percentage shots you get. We're getting high, high, high percentage shots. More than anybody in the country. I think it's us and maybe (No. 1) Gonzaga or somebody that's really high. But we're not making the shots. Every time I look at the stat sheet, we're shooting poorly from the free throw line and we're shooting poorly from three. None of those shots are even contested.
“We've got to be conscious of understanding our shooters have to make those shots. We just haven't made them. It has been a problem all year.” Hardaway continued, exasperated. “We don't even ever have to run a set and just do dribble penetration, and
these guys are getting wide open looks,” he said. “The pressure is on these guys to make shots.”
Making a frustrating situation even more so for Hardaway is the fact that he believes if the Tigers – most of whom were recruited for their ability to score points – could do just that, it would reverse their misfortune.
After all, Memphis is 13th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, fourth in block percentage, 15th in steal percentage and in the top 40 in rebounding margin.
That sentiment, however, hasn't quite reached the players yet.
“It's a 40-minute game, so we might get down (and) that's the test right there for us, our most advanced test right there: when we get down, staying together,” sophomore center Malcolm Dandridge said.
“Playing together consistently. Doing the small things, like rebounding and boxing out.
“That's what we definitely need to work on advancing.”
While Hardaway couldn't identify a way to overcome the Tigers' ineffectiveness on offense – save being even better than they've been at offensive rebounding, where they're a top 20 team – he's sure there's only one thing to salvage the season.
“It is what it is,” he said. “If you're a shooter, you have to knock those down.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.