Gambling on Defense

[NotAnAlum]

A few weeks ago Cracked Sidewalks (Dr Blackheart) had a great analysis of MU’s defensive scheme.  I’ve watched this carefully over the last couple games and its very evident that this is what the players are trying to execute (pressure the ball, force passes to the wings, double on post ups).  On paper it seems like a sound plan.  At the same time for some reason it seems like the in half court MU gives up an unbelievable number of uncontested slams and layups.  This has been going on pretty much all season but it was particularly evident in the loss to UCONN.  Its hard to believe UCONN’s shooting percentage wasn’t a lot higher given the number of uncontested slams they got.  And this is not on offensive rebounds which I could understand (although not excuse). 
So my question is this.  What causes these players to be left wide open close to the hoop?  Is this type of defense fundamentally flawed?  Is the defensive scheme ok but these players aren’t doing it right too often?  Is it that they haven’t played together enough as a unit?  Are we missing some piece, like a shot blocking center, that you must have to depend on this scheme?
To me these are critical questions.  I don’t buy into the idea that Buzz doesn’t care about defense.  Its clear that a guys defensive effort effects his playing time much more than his offense.  However if the scheme can’t be played without giving up way to many easy point relative to the stops or turn overs it creates its not worth doing

[Nukem2]

The problem is that the guards are not recovering fast enough while doubling down or pressuring.  In the past two years, the guards were very good at this.  Not so this year, leading to those wide open treys and the easy layups.  Jeremy Lamb was wide open tuesday nite due to slow recovery time.  Chalk it up to experience.

[tower912]

Vander, in particular, is slow/hesitant on his double teams.   If anything, it seems like we double the post more than we really need to.   With slow, hesitant double teams and slow, hesitant rotations.    I thought against UConn that we kept doubling the post when it wasn't the post guy catching the pass that was hurting us.      The dunks came almost invariably after a catch in the low post, a double, and a cut to the basket from the weak side that no one picked up.    I cannot imagine that the scheme omits covering a cutter from the weakside, ergo, somebody isn't rotating like they should. 

[Pakuni]

The problem is that the guards are not recovering fast enough while doubling down or pressuring.  In the past two years, the guards were very good at this.  Not so this year, leading to those wide open treys and the easy layups.  Jeremy Lamb was wide open tuesday nite due to slow recovery time.  Chalk it up to experience.

Exactly.
The problem isn't inherent in the defense. The problem is one of poor execution.
Cadougan the worst offender by far, but the entire team has been slow to recover and/or rotate defensively, thus the many open looks.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure what defensive options there are. Going to a zone would seem to take away the one thing they're good at defensively - creating turnovers with on-ball pressure - and would likely make their rebounding even worse. And we're simply too small in the post - except when Otule is playing - not to double down frequently.

[Rubie Q]

Vander, in particular, is slow/hesitant on his double teams.   If anything, it seems like we double the post more than we really need to.   With slow, hesitant double teams and slow, hesitant rotations.    I thought against UConn that we kept doubling the post when it wasn't the post guy catching the pass that was hurting us.      The dunks came almost invariably after a catch in the low post, a double, and a cut to the basket from the weak side that no one picked up.    I cannot imagine that the scheme omits covering a cutter from the weakside, ergo, somebody isn't rotating like they should. 

Did it seem to anyone else that we changed the way were were doubling the post vs. UConn?  What I mean is: in previous games, the help has come from the perimeter, with a wing or Junior coming down to the paint.  Against UConn, it seemed that the double was sometimes coming from Jimmy or Jae, which left another post player open.  I imagine this was to prevent an open look for Kemba, but our guys didn't seem ready for UConn's reaction to the double: a pass to the help defender's man, who was usually in or around the post.

[Dr. Blackheart]

To me it is personnel and specifically experience. JUCO's play zone and loose man. High school players play zone. EWill was stuck in the back of the zone as the fly swatter. Gardner was hidden in a zone. Blue could dominate with his athleticism. The BE is a different level of play...and playing great team defense is harder to play for 40 than most people realize. Our talent is more geared to man, but our experience is more geared to zone.

[NotAnAlum]

If that's the case then there is hope for the future.  Blue, Gardner and the other young guys have time to get better.  Wilson will come in with 2 years in high D1 (counting the red shirt).  We should be athletic enough to rotate and recover.  We just may have to face the fact this is a transition year.