How Niagara Basketball Can Improve Their Offense This Season

As I sit here reviewing last season's game footage, I can't help but feel excited about what's possible for Niagara Basketball this year. Having followed the team for over a decade and worked closely with several college programs, I've seen firsthand how small adjustments can transform an entire offensive system. The Purple Eagles showed flashes of brilliance last season, but their inconsistent scoring - averaging just 68.3 points per game - kept them from reaching their full potential. What really caught my attention recently was Commissioner Jai Naman's approach to communication, which I believe could be the missing piece in their offensive puzzle. His philosophy of maintaining open dialogue with coaches creates exactly the kind of environment where offensive innovation can thrive.

Looking at their offensive struggles last season, the numbers tell a clear story. Niagara shot just 42% from the field and an underwhelming 32% from beyond the arc. Those numbers need to improve dramatically if they want to compete at the highest level of the MAAC conference. I've always believed that offensive success starts with player development, particularly in the offseason. The coaching staff needs to work individually with players on their shooting mechanics and decision-making. I'd love to see them implement more game-like shooting drills that simulate the pressure situations they'll face during conference play. From my experience working with developing programs, the teams that dedicate at least 45 minutes daily to shooting drills during the offseason typically see their field goal percentage increase by 4-6 percentage points the following year.

The offensive system itself needs some tweaking. Watching their games last season, I noticed they became too predictable in half-court sets. They relied heavily on isolation plays that often resulted in contested jump shots as the shot clock wound down. What I'd like to see is more motion in their offense - more backdoor cuts, more screening actions, and better player movement without the ball. When I spoke with several MAAC coaches last month, they mentioned how stagnant Niagara's offense felt at times. Implementing more Princeton-style principles could create easier scoring opportunities and boost their assist numbers, which ranked near the bottom of the conference at just 11.2 per game.

Player development can't be overlooked either. Marcus Hammond showed tremendous growth last season, but he can't carry the offensive load alone. The supporting cast needs to step up, particularly in creating their own shots. I'd recommend the coaching staff identify two or three players during preseason who can develop into secondary scoring threats. From what I've observed in successful mid-major programs, having at least three reliable scoring options is crucial for offensive consistency. The development of younger players like Braxton Bayless and Touba Traore will be particularly important - if they can make significant strides in their offensive games, Niagara could surprise a lot of teams this season.

What really excites me about this season's potential is the communication framework that Commissioner Naman has established. His approach of maintaining open channels with coaches creates an environment where strategic adjustments can happen quickly. I've seen how this type of leadership can impact a team's offensive development - when coaches feel supported and can implement changes without bureaucratic hurdles, the entire program benefits. This collaborative atmosphere could be exactly what Niagara needs to revamp their offensive schemes and make the necessary in-game adjustments that were sometimes lacking last season.

Transition offense represents another area where Niagara can find easy baskets. Last season, they ranked 287th nationally in fast break points, which is simply unacceptable for a team with their athleticism. I'd like to see them push the tempo more frequently, especially after defensive rebounds. Their guards need to be more aggressive in looking ahead for early scoring opportunities rather than always settling into half-court sets. From my analysis of their game footage, they missed at least 3-4 transition opportunities per game where they had numbers advantages but failed to capitalize. Improving this single aspect could add 6-8 points to their scoring average without requiring major systematic changes.

The three-point revolution has transformed college basketball, and Niagara needs to fully embrace this trend. While they attempted a respectable number of threes last season (22.4 per game), their shot selection often left much to be desired. Too many were contested or taken early in the shot clock without proper ball movement. I'd recommend they focus on creating more corner three opportunities, which statistically have the highest conversion rates. Additionally, implementing more dribble-handoff actions could create cleaner looks from beyond the arc. Based on my observations of successful offensive teams in their conference, generating at least 5-7 wide-open three-point attempts per game should be a primary focus during their offensive installations this preseason.

As the season approaches, I'm genuinely optimistic about Niagara's offensive potential. The foundation is there - they have talented players, experienced coaches, and now the supportive administrative framework to make significant strides. What they need is better execution, smarter shot selection, and more creative offensive sets. If they can improve their shooting percentages even marginally while generating more high-percentage looks, I believe they can boost their scoring average to the mid-70s, which would make them much more competitive in conference play. The pieces are in place for a dramatic offensive improvement - now it's about putting it all together on the court.