Finally got around to elaborating on those anonymous BEast coach's comments to Seth Davis. Let's just say, the numbers don't agree with him.
https://painttouches.com/2019/02/15/is-marquettes-defense-for-real/ (https://painttouches.com/2019/02/15/is-marquettes-defense-for-real/)
Thanks for this one. I agree that the slander on our defense is excessive. Sure, it's not elite. But I don't think I'd go out there and call players on the team a liability. Let em sleep on our defense.
Agree with the Wojo credit to understanding the personnel and making the system work to the strengths of the team.
If you told any of us that we'd have a top-40 defense according to Pomeroy, we'd all figure this was a top-10 team capable of winning the Big East.
Oh yeah...we are.
Quote from: brewcity77 on February 16, 2019, 01:36:34 PM
If you told any of us that we'd have a top-40 defense according to Pomeroy, we'd all figure this was a top-10 team capable of winning the Big East.
Oh yeah...we are.
You were the most optimistic pre-season and we thought you were crazy. Quite a make-over by Wojo and staff that I don't think I have ever seen.
I thought they would be a lot better.......but to me a lot better was between 75-100.
I will say once I saw the first few games I was convinced this wasn't going to be the same layup drill we saw the last 2 years......and with the exception of a couple of games it hasn't been.
Still don't have the personnel to force turnovers like you would want but Theo and Ed give us a level of toughness that has been lacking.......and Markus and Sam are playing much tougher on that end if the court as well.
Amazing how much smart Wojo got in just one year.
Great article. This team has really come together on D. Good length overall, smart defensive positioning, stay between your man and the basket, get a hand in the face of every shooter, don't give them any easy looks. It doesn't hurt when you've got Theo to back you up. Great energy off the bench from Ed, Brendan, Joseph and Jamal.
The help defense has easily been the best in recent memory. You can tell they're communicating better as a defensive unit. Plus, the times we switch from man to zone seem to help keep opposing offenses off balance.
Quote from: Dr. Blackheart on February 16, 2019, 01:41:09 PM
You were the most optimistic pre-season and we thought you were crazy. Quite a make-over by Wojo and staff that I don't think I have ever seen.
To be fair, I'm optimistic just about every preseason, and just because I was right this year doesn't mean I'm not still crazy.
Quote from: Dr. Blackheart on February 16, 2019, 01:41:09 PM
You were the most optimistic pre-season and we thought you were crazy. Quite a make-over by Wojo and staff that I don't think I have ever seen.
https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=56551.msg1039171#msg1039171
There were certainly signs, especially the Rowsey on/off metric that a few quoted. Brew certainly did good job in that thread getting me excited about where this defense could get to!
Quote from: Loose Cannon on February 16, 2019, 01:59:38 PM
Amazing how much smart Wojo got in just one year.
I gotcha fam. My dad put that poster on my basement wall as a kid too.
Quote from: Slim on February 17, 2019, 08:16:04 AM
I gotcha fam. My dad put that poster on my basement wall as a kid too.
Yeah, really amazing that a guy that been rubbing elbows with Coach K at Duke and the US Olympic BB team during 15 years has someone close to the program comment that Wojo is 500% improvement Coach this year than last.
I remember a somewhat famous coach saying, " If you want me to make the dinner then I have to buy the Groceries.".