The upcoming basketball season promises a slew of scoring, a plethora of points, an orgy of offense. Just ask all the thinkers and tinkerers enamored of the new truncated shot clock.
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We don’t believe the point problem is as serious as change advocates allege, or that the effects of the rules changes will be notable.
But here’s a bit of data that support contentions of sagging scoring: In 62 seasons so far, the ACC has been paced 52 times by a player scoring at least 20 points. Last season was one of the 10 exceptions (16 percent), recent events holding particular sway in popular estimation.
Olivier Hanlon’s 19.5 points per game last season matched the second-highest under-20 total in ACC history. The BC guard was just the fourth under-20 scorer to lead the conference since 1989.
Hanlon got the fewest votes of anyone on the 2015 All-ACC first team, but at least he was honored among the best. Clemson’s Terrell McIntyre in 1999 was one of three players who led the league in scoring, yet failed to make first team All-ACC. The others were Maryland’s Terrell Stoglin in 2012 and Clemson’s Butch Zatezalo, who led in both 1968 and 1969 without being chosen among the ACC’s top five players.
Five of the 10 under-20 scoring leaders were named the ACC player of the year that same season.
And, yes, while Michael Jordan paced league scorers in 1984 with a 19.6-point average, he also finished second in 1983 with 20.0.
A PAUCITY OF POINTS |
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Avg. | Player, School | Season |
19.5 | Olivier Hanlon, BC | 2015 |
19.7 | Al Thornton, FSU | 2007 |
19.5 | Josh Howard, WF | 2003* |
17.9 | Terrell McIntyre, C | 1999 |
19.1 | Danny Ferry, D | 1988* |
18.9 | Len Bias, M | 1985* |
19.6 | Michael Jordan, NC | 1984* |
18.5 | Gene Banks, D | 1981 |
18.2 | Lee Shaffer, NC | 1960* |
17.0 | John Richter, NCS | 1959 |
* ACC player of the year. |