Justin Orr has been here before.
After averaging double figures in non-conference play, Orr's numbers have tailed off in Mid-American Conference play.
Just like last year.
I'm definitely practicing it
Orr said of his slump. Coach and my teammates have encouraged me to keep shooting the ball. It will come around.
Coach John Groce is hoping it will come around as well. Although Orr has struggled, Groce said he will keep him in the starting lineup.
I've got no problem with the shots that he's taken Groce said. I thought he took one bad one out of the 11 he took on Saturday. The rest were wide-open. I think the biggest thing with him at this point is that he continues to work himself through it.
Orr has averaged seven points per game after he averaged 11.6 points in non-conference play. His shooting percentage has dipped over that time as well. After he shot 43 percent to start the season, he has shot just 24 percent since.
I'm shooting more Orr said of trying to get out of his slump. The season is long and I'm not worried about it - less so than last year.
Around this time last year, Orr experienced similar shooting struggles. After he averaged 10 points per game in non-conference play, those numbers sunk well below that in MAC play, posting just 4.7 points per game.
Last season, Orr saw his playing time cut as he continued to struggle.
Last year when I got my slump
I wasn't playing as much as I am now
Orr said. I'm still getting to play because I'm doing other things productively.
Indeed, Orr has continued to be productive, especially on the boards, where he is grabbing close to five rebounds per game in conference play. Those rebound numbers are up from non-conference play when he grabbed 3.6 per game.
When he struggled last season, Orr worked with coach Bacari Alexander to help him through his struggles. He finally broke out of the extended slump against Miami in the MAC tournament where he scored 12 points.
You talk to coaches and stuff and you have to get out of it in the best way you can
Orr said. Everybody has different ways.
One way he will try is through more penetration. Orr said he will drive toward the basket more after he has settled for outside shots. He is 4-24 from 3-point range in conference play.
It's important because I can find a man that's open when the defense is collapsing on me
Orr said. When I was shooting well
I was doing what I was doing best. But now it's time to find other things to further my game.
Groce hopes Orr's shooting slump doesn't continue any longer. For a team that doesn't have a steady backup scorer to forward Jerome Tillman, the need for Orr to get back to scoring is critical if Ohio (10-8, 3-2 MAC) wants to win the MAC.
I know that he knows that I have a lot of confidence in him
Groce said. I think he had as good of a day shooting the ball in practice yesterday that he's had in a while so hopefully that's a sign of things to come.
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