She has only made 30 percent of her field goals. But the last thing Syracuse women’s basketball coach Keith Cieplicki – a former shooting guard – wants Amanda Adamson to do is stop shooting.

Adamson, a reserve guard for the Orange, will try to rectify a shooting funk a chance on Sunday against Louisville at noon at Freedom Hall. And if she needs any advice, she has Cieplicki offering first-hand experience.

‘I’m not going to tell anybody not to shoot the ball,’ Cieplicki said. ‘That’s never going to be a problem for me. I think that gives the players confidence more than anything else.’

Adamson averages 11.9 minutes fulfilling the role of shooter off the bench. She started three games this year and scored a season-high eight points against Seton Hall. With shooting guard Ashley McMilen likely out for the rest of the season due to a torn meniscus in her knee, Adamson has picked up more minutes than usual, but her shooting’s been as successful as the 9-13 Orange this season.

Adamson connected on at least one 3-pointer in three of SU’s last five games. But in those same games, she’s shot a combined 6-of-29 from the field. Facing the Hoyas Wednesday night, Adamson couldn’t sink a basket, shooting 0-for-4. To make it worse, she had trouble hitting the rim on a few shot.

Cieplicki’s solution is pretty simple: keep shooting. He said she needs to make the necessary adjustments – whatever they may be to increase its accuracy – but not to do so at the expense of passing on an open shot. Problem is, Cieplicki’s instruction isn’t working.

When Syracuse shoots efficiently, it translates into wins. It’s averaging 45.7 percent during wins this season. Any time it has lost, though, SU averaged a mere 37 percent. Cieplicki even admits that his players are apprehensive toward his shooting philosophy. It’s hard to blame them; it’s only human nature that when shots aren’t falling, a player may dish the ball instead of giving it another heave.

But Cieplicki thinks if the shot is there, his players should take it. He gripes about coaches who preach executing offensive sets, even if there is an opening in the perimeter or inside. He figures there is no need to run an offense if the opportunity is already there.

Cieplicki argues Adamson could be an important secondary option if she shoots more. If her percentage increased, it would lift a burden off top scorers Jenny Eckhart and Vaida Sipaviciute.

‘I’ve always grown up being unselfish and looking to pass a lot,’ Adamson said. ‘I’m getting it from all angles that I need to shoot more. So I’m really trying to improve that in my game.’

She credits Cieplicki not only for providing insight on the position, but for applying it first hand during practice. Due to team injuries, SU lacks enough players during practice. Cieplicki occasionally steps in and participates in scrimmages. Even though the head coach jokes he’s ‘played a long time ago when there were peach baskets,’ Adamson is particularly impressed with how well he still plays.

‘He’s amazing if you watch him with how he gets open,’ Adamson said. ‘I try to learn from him and his ability of getting open off screens. He just gets such wide-open shots when we’re playing him. It’s impossible to cover him.’

To combat her own shooting problem, Adamson performs the routine most players do. She arrives at the gym an hour before practice, shooting mid-range jumpers and moving behind the perimeter once she establishes a rhythm. Cieplicki said he doesn’t have a set routine for his shooters. He argues different routines work with different players, but he always emphasizes one thing – keep taking shots.

‘We just encourage people hard enough so that when they get on the court they believe they’ll make the shot,’ Cieplicki said. ‘Some spend an hour doing that, others only need to spend five minutes. We really leave that up to the players.’

Published on February 9, 2006 at 12:00 pm