Back in the old days, before the 3-pointer and hurrying shot clock were instituted, you’d expect team field goal percentages were generally higher than they are now. You know, all that working the ball inside for high percentage shots, passing up the good shot for the better shot, focused inside out. No special reward for long-distance field goal tries.
Well, history says otherwise.
In fact, in the ACC’s early years it was not unusual to have one or several teams make under 40 percent of their attempts from the floor. Twice the preponderance of ACC squads shot that poorly overall — 6 of 8 in 1955 and again in 1959.