My, my I wish I had been far more engaged with college basketball that 1986-1987 season!!
I recall Pitino doing a lot of full court press and huge volume of 3's at Providence the first year of the 3-point shot being adopted. Interestingly enough, it was only in 1986-1987 season that the NCAA adopted the 3-point line shot across all conferences, and Pitino jumped on it (his tenure at Providence was 1985-1987). The initial 3-point line distance was 19 feet, 9 inches (1986-2008). They moved it to 20 feet, 9 inches in 2008, and weary of high scoring I guess, moved it to 22-feet, 1 3/4 inches in 2019 where it has remained. And interestingly, each time NCAA extends the 3-point arc, the % shooting drops for ONE season, and then returns right back to about the same shooting %. Repetition, baby.
Bet y'all had forgotten that during their magical 1986-1987 season - first season of the 3-point shot - Rick Pitino ran the Providence Friars all the way to the Final Four! Their 3-point shot wizard was Ernie "Pop" Lewis, who was encouraged by Pitino to let 'em fly from outside the arc. The Friars also had backcourt mates Billy Donovan (hey-oh) and Delray Brooks, and electrified fans with 3-point shooting.
As a senior, Lewis connected on 95 of 220 3-point shots (43.2%). The shot from outside the arc had arrived.
Sonny's Auburn team would be selected an 8-seed and sent to Indianapolis, where they beat San Diego in a round one nailbiter, 62-61, before running into a 1-seed Indiana buzz saw, losing 107-90. LSU would give the Hoosiers all they wanted, but Indiana pulled off a 77-76 win.
Providence would first knock off UAB in BIRMINGHAM, 90-68, in March Madness round one, followed by a 90-87 nailbiter over Austin Peay to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.
You'll be thrilled to recall that Pitino's 6-seed Friars then knocked off Wimp Sanderson's 2-seed Alabama 103-82 to advance to the Elite 8 to face Georgetown, whom they knocked off 88-73, on to the Final Four. Billy Donovan absolutely TORCHED bammer from the 3-point arc, scoring 26 points with 10 assists in the win. That Wimp team sported Derrick McKey, Michael Ansley, Mark Gottfried, and Keith Askins, and went 28-5 on the year.
Providence would fall to Syracuse in the Final Four Semi in New Orleans, 77-63. But Pitino had gotten the attention of traditionalist coaches that the 3-point shot would HAVE to be part of their arsenal. It has become the great "equalizer" and is why we regularly see some massive upsets in March Madness.
I recall Pitino doing a lot of full court press and huge volume of 3's at Providence the first year of the 3-point shot being adopted. Interestingly enough, it was only in 1986-1987 season that the NCAA adopted the 3-point line shot across all conferences, and Pitino jumped on it (his tenure at Providence was 1985-1987). The initial 3-point line distance was 19 feet, 9 inches (1986-2008). They moved it to 20 feet, 9 inches in 2008, and weary of high scoring I guess, moved it to 22-feet, 1 3/4 inches in 2019 where it has remained. And interestingly, each time NCAA extends the 3-point arc, the % shooting drops for ONE season, and then returns right back to about the same shooting %. Repetition, baby.
Bet y'all had forgotten that during their magical 1986-1987 season - first season of the 3-point shot - Rick Pitino ran the Providence Friars all the way to the Final Four! Their 3-point shot wizard was Ernie "Pop" Lewis, who was encouraged by Pitino to let 'em fly from outside the arc. The Friars also had backcourt mates Billy Donovan (hey-oh) and Delray Brooks, and electrified fans with 3-point shooting.
As a senior, Lewis connected on 95 of 220 3-point shots (43.2%). The shot from outside the arc had arrived.
Sonny's Auburn team would be selected an 8-seed and sent to Indianapolis, where they beat San Diego in a round one nailbiter, 62-61, before running into a 1-seed Indiana buzz saw, losing 107-90. LSU would give the Hoosiers all they wanted, but Indiana pulled off a 77-76 win.
Providence would first knock off UAB in BIRMINGHAM, 90-68, in March Madness round one, followed by a 90-87 nailbiter over Austin Peay to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.
You'll be thrilled to recall that Pitino's 6-seed Friars then knocked off Wimp Sanderson's 2-seed Alabama 103-82 to advance to the Elite 8 to face Georgetown, whom they knocked off 88-73, on to the Final Four. Billy Donovan absolutely TORCHED bammer from the 3-point arc, scoring 26 points with 10 assists in the win. That Wimp team sported Derrick McKey, Michael Ansley, Mark Gottfried, and Keith Askins, and went 28-5 on the year.
Providence would fall to Syracuse in the Final Four Semi in New Orleans, 77-63. But Pitino had gotten the attention of traditionalist coaches that the 3-point shot would HAVE to be part of their arsenal. It has become the great "equalizer" and is why we regularly see some massive upsets in March Madness.
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