Defense

[CountryRoads]

So embarrassing

[BM1090]

We’ve been as bad or worse than a typical Wojo team on defense the last six games

[Newsdreams]

Slip sliding away.

Not traveling

[rocky_warrior]

I worried about this exact type of breakdown after the Badger game.  Hopefully the guys can rally for the tournament, or at least get the offense clicking again.

No, that was just bad defense.

I'm concerned MU will play worse defense as the season progresses because the guys will be worn down, hurt, or fatigued.

I understand why fans find Shaka's style exciting - and it can be when it works. But working or not, it requires a lot of effort every game to sustain. It's not a physically efficient defense.

[BM1090]

I worried about this exact type of breakdown after the Badger game.  Hopefully the guys can rally for the tournament, or at least get the offense clicking again.

Seems less like fatigue and more that other teams figured out how to attack it and MU hasn’t adjusted.

[CTWarrior]

The things that continuously annoy me on the offensive end are:

1.  Early shot clock 3s and jumpers, particularly off runouts.  We are much more effective attacking the paint.  How many momentum killing missed threes are we going to see off of turnovers/runouts before we realize that we should attack the glass and draw fouls?
2.  Kolek's drives at the rim are really backfiring because he can't finish, Oso and Kuath generally can't catch the dump off pass unless they see it coming a mile away, and our opponents are wise to his long kickout passes, so they lead to turnovers, blocked shots and transition offense for our opponents.

What does work is Morsell, Lewis and to a lesser extent O-Max getting into the lane with the ball.  Those guys can rise and score and demand help defense, which opens up the floor.  They all need to be more willing passers when they get there.  And for goodness sake, make the simple pass.  Don't need style points.

Our opponents are just running Jones and Elliott off the three point line and daring them to put the ball on the floor.  They are letting Kolek shoot and not doubling him when he drives and leading him to the shot blocker.  They don't worry about doubling our post guys. 

I know we want to play fast but this team is better playing slow.  Move the ball get into the paint with the guys that can do damage.  Work inside out.  Get back in transition.  Get Lewis in the low post sometimes.

[cheebs09]

I agree. When things were going well, we were getting to the basket fairly easily.

[Big Papi]

The things that continuously annoy me on the offensive end are:

1.  Early shot clock 3s and jumpers, particularly off runouts.  We are much more effective attacking the paint.  How many momentum killing missed threes are we going to see off of turnovers/runouts before we realize that we should attack the glass and draw fouls?
2.  Kolek's drives at the rim are really backfiring because he can't finish, Oso and Kuath generally can't catch the dump off pass unless they see it coming a mile away, and our opponents are wise to his long kickout passes, so they lead to turnovers, blocked shots and transition offense for our opponents.

What does work is Morsell, Lewis and to a lesser extent O-Max getting into the lane with the ball.  Those guys can rise and score and demand help defense, which opens up the floor.  They all need to be more willing passers when they get there.  And for goodness sake, make the simple pass.  Don't need style points.

Our opponents are just running Jones and Elliott off the three point line and daring them to put the ball on the floor.  They are letting Kolek shoot and not doubling him when he drives and leading him to the shot blocker.  They don't worry about doubling our post guys. 

I know we want to play fast but this team is better playing slow.  Move the ball get into the paint with the guys that can do damage.  Work inside out.  Get back in transition.  Get Lewis in the low post sometimes.

Absolutely spot on.  Our offensive issues are causing some of our defensive issues.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The things that continuously annoy me on the offensive end are:

1.  Early shot clock 3s and jumpers, particularly off runouts.  We are much more effective attacking the paint.  How many momentum killing missed threes are we going to see off of turnovers/runouts before we realize that we should attack the glass and draw fouls?
2.  Kolek's drives at the rim are really backfiring because he can't finish, Oso and Kuath generally can't catch the dump off pass unless they see it coming a mile away, and our opponents are wise to his long kickout passes, so they lead to turnovers, blocked shots and transition offense for our opponents.

What does work is Morsell, Lewis and to a lesser extent O-Max getting into the lane with the ball.  Those guys can rise and score and demand help defense, which opens up the floor.  They all need to be more willing passers when they get there.  And for goodness sake, make the simple pass.  Don't need style points.

Our opponents are just running Jones and Elliott off the three point line and daring them to put the ball on the floor.  They are letting Kolek shoot and not doubling him when he drives and leading him to the shot blocker.  They don't worry about doubling our post guys. 

I know we want to play fast but this team is better playing slow.  Move the ball get into the paint with the guys that can do damage.  Work inside out.  Get back in transition.  Get Lewis in the low post sometimes.

We should have been way up by more than 4 at the end of the first half.  I kept yelling at the TV screen.  We'd make a great defensive play then rush down the court and make some unnecessary rushed awkward shot for no reason.  Take the time and make a better choice shot.

[StillWarriors]

The things that continuously annoy me on the offensive end are:

1.  Early shot clock 3s and jumpers, particularly off runouts.  We are much more effective attacking the paint.  How many momentum killing missed threes are we going to see off of turnovers/runouts before we realize that we should attack the glass and draw fouls?
2.  Kolek's drives at the rim are really backfiring because he can't finish, Oso and Kuath generally can't catch the dump off pass unless they see it coming a mile away, and our opponents are wise to his long kickout passes, so they lead to turnovers, blocked shots and transition offense for our opponents.

What does work is Morsell, Lewis and to a lesser extent O-Max getting into the lane with the ball.  Those guys can rise and score and demand help defense, which opens up the floor.  They all need to be more willing passers when they get there.  And for goodness sake, make the simple pass.  Don't need style points.

Our opponents are just running Jones and Elliott off the three point line and daring them to put the ball on the floor.  They are letting Kolek shoot and not doubling him when he drives and leading him to the shot blocker.  They don't worry about doubling our post guys. 

I know we want to play fast but this team is better playing slow.  Move the ball get into the paint with the guys that can do damage.  Work inside out.  Get back in transition.  Get Lewis in the low post sometimes.

Great post. The live ball turnovers really hurt us last night. Twice Kolek started their fast break with poor inside out passes, and Jones had at least one as well. I'm sure there were several others, but those really stood out. What a strange season this has been in terms of extreme high and low quality of play on more than an isolated game basis. Unfortunately we are pretty low at the wrong time.

[cheebs09]

It seems like we try to go for the kill shot too often. We just need to keep running good offense and extend the lead.

Too often we try plays like the missed oop to Kuath or Jones taking a bomb three.

[Big Papi]

I had the opportunity to listen to a part of last night's Marquette radio show and to hear Shaka talk.  I am so thrilled that we have him instead of Wojo.  I loved the way he broke down and described dot hand contesting as it relates to 3-point defending.  It harkens back to when we had Buzz and his ability to tell you and describe to you what he wants.  Wojo, not at all.  Shaka has a plan and I think our defense will only get better over the years.

To briefly summarize the segment, he was not happy with the defending last night.  They had a conversation about it right after the game and the next day.  He thought the defending was good in the first half but awful in the second half.  Didn't get back on defense to build a wall, didn't have a hand up, were not in good defensive positions and didn't make good offensive decisions with quick shots on offense.  Didn't play as a team at all in the second half.  All reasons why they gave up 58 points.  Talked about 3-point defending and dot hand contest.  Wants the opposite hand of the shooter's dominant shooting hand up.  Talked about how shooting is very visual so important to have that hand up blocking the view of the basket.  So, with a right-handed shooter, he wants to defend with our left hand up.  He said if they do it properly, the percentage made for a 3-point shot drops down to 10-20%.  If the hand is not up, that percentage made goes to 40-70%.  He said Morsell is not good at it.  At Maryland, they didn't work on that and he struggles with it.  Makes sense as he is only around for less than 1 year.  Singled out Stevie as someone who is getting a lot better at it and will continue to improve on it during the next few years.  That is why I am so upbeat after the debacle at Depaul.  We have a plan that is statistically based and a coach who I believe is able to teach them his players what he wants out of them.

Yesterday was the last radio show of the season, but I will definitely plan on listening to them more next year.