Tre Scott Season in Review

The Numbers

• 3.1 points per game (12.0 per 40 minutes)
• 2.6 rebounds per game (9.9 per 40 minutes)
• 0.6 assists per game (2.2 per 40 minutes)
• 0.5 steals per game (1.9 per 40 minutes)
• 0.4 blocks per game (1.7 per 40 minutes)
• .500/.333/.500 (Took a total of three three point attempts and 32 free throws)

For Tre Scott’s freshman year it was all about getting the big guy’s feet wet. Scott’s averages, as seen above, were nothing much, but considering he played in such short bursts, his additions to the team were useful, especially as Mick Cronin continues to develop the roster in preparation for a post-Gary Clark world.

Scott was not recruited to be an offensive threat, but he still managed to do his job when it came to putting the ball in the hoop. By making an even 50 percent of his field goal attempts (limited as they might have been), he proved to be an effective offensive threat near the glass, even if his game needs polish in that respect, especially considering the fairly pedestrian numbers he put up in true shooting and effective field goal percentage (.509 and .506, respectively).

A nice wrinkle Scott provided on the offensive end was his ability to move the ball. Obviously he was not running the show at the point by averaging 0.6 assists per game, but that expands to 2.2 per game when played out over 40 minutes, which is a solid number for a defensively focused player like Scott to have. Scott actually ranked sixth on the team in assist percentage (10.4), sitting above Kyle Washington and Kevin Johnson.

We’ve talked enough about offense though. Where Scott really shone was on defense. Of his 1.4 win shares, 0.9 came from the defensive end, where the 6’8” freshman posted a defensive rating of 89.3, the best mark among Cincinnati players who recorded at least 200 minutes. An ability to break up passes to the interior and to help on defense and stop shots as they were attempted made him an all-around solid defender and one that is only just getting started.

In addition to defense, Scott was a relatively strong rebounder. He ranked third on the team in rebounding percentage (14.4), averaged 9.9 rebounds per 40 minutes and had six games with at least five boards.

Now before we crown Scott the next great Cincinnati defender, it is worth mentioning that Nysier Brooks, another freshman frontcourt contributor, seemingly overtook Scott and was utilized more frequently in the second half of the year. Plus Scott still needs to be more effective at the free throw line, especially if the bulk of his shots are going to come so close to the basket.

Still, its tough to really complain all that much. Scott did what he does best (defend and rebound) when he was given the chance and the plan is that he’ll continue to take on a larger role in the years to come.

The Best of the Best

Sunday November 20, 2016 vs. Penn State

Not only did Scott reach double-digit minutes for the first time in his career, he also finished with 10 points, which was a career-high at the time, albeit only four games into the season.

Saturday November 26, 2016 vs. Lipscomb

In a season-high 29 minutes, Scott made the stat keepers busy, scoring nine points to go with as many rebounds, five assists and five blocks. It was in this blowout win that his full potential shown through.

Tuesday December 13, 2016 vs. Texas Southern

Scott once again flirted with a double-double, finishing with 11 points and seven rebounds while also handing out three assists.

Sunday January 1, 2017 vs. Tulane

Scott rang in the New Year with his first and only game of the season with double-digit rebounds (10).

Sunday January 29, 2017 vs. USF

Not only did Scott drill his one and only three-pointer of the season in this 94-53 rout, he also tallied nine points, seven boards and five steals, all in 17 minutes.

For Next Year

Scott will be in a pretty similar spot during the 2017-18 campaign. He’ll still be playing understudy to Clark and Washington and battling Brooks for the first big guy off the bench job. To ensure more playing time, he’ll need to keep defending as well as he has while making strides on the offensive end. That’s not to say he has to be as offensively dynamic as Washington, but being able to make his own offense on the block or hit mid-range jumpers consistently would go a long way.