So, Michigan has insanely good shot selection. The most obvious source of this is the 3-and-rim strategy that Michigan is good at running.
But I notice that good Michigan shooters have, from the Beilein days of Stauskas and Walton to the Howard team with guys like Livers, been willing to rise up off of a pick and take longer 2-point jump shots just underneath the top of the key. That is the definition of a long midrange jumper… but good Michigan shooters have taken them for years. There were a couple more against Wisconsin, as shown here: https://twitter.com/5th_Factor/status/1349435265832669187?s=20
Now, it’s good shooters that are generally taking them off of ballscreen action. So is there a general principle here that makes those better shots? Is it that a quality jump-shooter can make an open mid-range shot a quality shot, and that’s a good way to get them? is the positioning of the backboard important, increasing the possibility of a bounce-out that could result in an OREB?
I’d love to hear takes from people who have looked at this closer than I have.