Analytics? Steph Curry? Where was Johnson going with this?
On Saturday night, Villanova (-7.5 favorites) won the Men’s Big East title, beating Creighton 54-48. It’s the Wildcats’ fifth conference title in the last seven seasons as Jay Wright’s crew continues to establish itself as a vaunted blue-blood. But listen to legendary play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson, you’d almost have thought they didn’t deserve it.
You see, for most of the contest, Villanova (and Creighton) were abysmal from behind the arc. That’s not a significant development, but it’s also unsurprising. It’s the college game, after all. Not everyone’s going to be a lights-out three-point shooter the way seemingly every NBA team rosters at least two trey magicians. Factor in the big finale of a conference tourney, and the pressure only tightens such a flaw.
At one point, the two teams were a combined 4-of-38 from three (Villanova finished 8-of-32, Creighton finished 3-of-29). It is here where Johnson had enough and decided to voice his fervent displeasure on air.
For a conference tournament game that most would probably like to forget– even Villanova–I’d say we have a strange rant on our hands.
First, we have Johnson invoking “analytics,” as if the Creighton and Villanova men’s basketball programs employ dedicated, well-compensated teams of data scientists like they’re professional teams.
Then, Johnson decries a future Basketball Hall of Famer, most famous for prolific three-point shooting: Steph Curry.
“Steph Curry is ruining the game of basketball,” Johnson said. “He’s a phenomenon and everyone thinks they can be Steph Curry and it just doesn’t make any sense.”
I don’t know what Curry has to do with a bunch of decidedly not professional college kids deciding to jack up a lot of shots while having an off-day, but alright. I wasn’t aware poor three-point shooting only started in basketball games after Curry became a national phenomenon. Before Curry’s Cinderalla run with Davidson in 2009, everyone, for decades, not only consistently made incredible decisions from behind the arc–they also basically made every shot. We all know that. We were there.
March is only beginning. Johnson will have to get accustomed to amateur players occasionally shooting into what feels like a closed rim over the next few weeks. It might be even worse if it’s in the clutch. It’s that simple.
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