Flip says part of Gophs success is lack of Ralph Sampson III

The media guide has the season-by-season scoring detail for everyone in the 1,000 point club.

When you look at most of them, you see, on average, a steady rise...and many have a very low-scoring freshman season (Dusty average 3.8 his freshman year...Lynch 3.7...Westbrook 3.6...Lockhart 2.2).

So Ralph comes in and averages 6.3 shooting 50% (and 76% free throws.) At that point, I'm thinking "Not too shabby for a freshman who needs work!"

Sophomore year, he ups his average to 8.2 still shooting 50%, but takes a big step back in FT% to 65%. This is where the dissatisfaction sets in. Most guys in this club take a HUGE jump in their 2nd year...but still, Ralph improved.

Junior year. Expecting big things. Ralph improves his average, but not by much (up to 10.2). FG% drops a bit to 47%...but mostly due to his new-found love for the 3-pointer (making 5 of 26 on the season). FT% back up to 74%. Disappointing. At this point, I say "Well, if he can do this next year, I guess that's not too bad"

Problem is, senior year he takes a step back. Scoring drops to 7.9ppg.
 

Ya, ya and ya. But winning basketball and individual statistics don't always line up very well. Think Humphries.
 

Of course he didn't achieve the lofty expectations placed on him at his arrival. But wow, some of the talk here like the dude was just a complete scrub or something, it's amazing. He was okay, and yes we wanted more, but hey, it wasn't in the cards for many different reasons. But he was a B1G caliber big, no way you can justifiably say he wasn't, he was just too productive.
 

Ya, ya and ya. But winning basketball and individual statistics don't always line up very well.


Flip is correct.

The team was better when he got hurt, the NIT run and success this season is all the proof I need.
 






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