How bad was the defense last night?

[GGGG]

According to Pomeroy, Seton Hall had the least efficient offense in the BE and was shooting 29% from three going into last night's game.  And we allowed them to shoot 49% from 2 and *57%* from three.

Our perimeter defense is absolutely putrid and has been all year.

[wyzgy]

that was the toughest game to watch; close second-st. jonny's at home

[96warrior]

According to Pomeroy, Seton Hall had the least efficient offense in the BE and was shooting 29% from three going into last night's game.  And we allowed them to shoot 49% from 2 and *57%* from three.

Our perimeter defense is absolutely putrid and has been all year.

SH shot something like 65% from 3 point land against SJU on Thurs night. I was hoping it was a fluke of a hot shooting night but go figure they learn how to hit the 3 this week. They finished conference play playing their best ball. Wish we could have done the same but it didn't happen that way. So now on to the BEast tourney - sure hope we can prove we are worth a bid.

[BCHoopster]

Defense starts with the point guards, dribble drive penetration.  Acker and James could stop that, bucyks and
Cadougan can not.  So when that happens, everything else breaks down.  Open threes, lay-ups.  I do not see
changes in the basic structure of the D then.  It has gone on all year.  So why guard 30 feet from the basket so
tightly?  It makes no sense.  The fouls on Otule or Gardner 30 feet from the basket are even more ridiculous.  Chipping
is fine, but the fouls?  Buzz should take a D lesson from Bo.  They play fundamentally solid D, with a bunch of slow
non-athletic players.  What could Bo do with a quick athletic team?  Changes have to be made.

[NickelDimer]

^^Correct BC.  Our perimeter defenders literally just turn their hips as soon as the guy they're defending starts to dribble drive.  They don't even attempt to move laterally.  Then Jae, Butler or Otule are forced to help while their man rotates out for a wide open J.  It happens over and over and over.

Worst defense I've seen in a really long time, and it starts with very lazy G defense.  Buycks is the worst of the bunch.

[Blackhat]

Considering how Jerel Mcneal went from all-world defender with crean to just another guy defender with Buzz, points to being a systemic problem. 

Our d went from 10th with crean to 51st the next year with Buzz.  Gotten progressively worse since then.

[BCHoopster]

Recruiting Juco's is the inherent problem.  They play no D in high school, then they go to Junior College,
then to the Big East.  Talk about a difference in play.  They have to many faults to correct in a year or
two.  A four player has a chance to learn.  Butler was here three years, the first year, he had no idea
how to defend.  You can see the improvement.

[wildbill sb]

Recruiting Juco's is the inherent problem.  They play no D in high school, then they go to Junior College,
then to the Big East.  Talk about a difference in play.  They have to many faults to correct in a year or
two.  A four player has a chance to learn.  Butler was here three years, the first year, he had no idea
how to defend.  You can see the improvement.

Provocative talk, mister!  Lest you forget,.......in Buzz we trust!!   

[GGGG]

Cmon...what defense is so complex that it takes this long to figure out?  Seriously, it shouldn't be this hard.

[NavinRJohnson]

Cmon...what defense is so complex that it takes this long to figure out?  Seriously, it shouldn't be this hard.

Watching last night, I just got to thinking that they are simply sagging off too far, getting too deep on the weak side, and leaving too much ground to cover on the rotations, and most of them are simply not able to cover it. That is an admittedly simplistic observation from the couch in my living room, but with a couple of exceptions (Blue...that's about it), we don't have the quickness or athleticism on the floor to consistently play that style of defense, which is probably why we have seen so much zone this year.

[tower912]

Again, I lay it on the player's feet.   Defense starts with attitude.   You can have all the cool schemes in the world, but if the players don't start with the attitude that their guy isn't going to beat them and they are letting the team down if it happens, then the defense is going to be poor.  

[Henry Sugar]

According to Pomeroy, Seton Hall had the least efficient offense in the BE and was shooting 29% from three going into last night's game.  And we allowed them to shoot 49% from 2 and *57%* from three.

Our perimeter defense is absolutely putrid and has been all year.

Before yesterday, Seton Hall had the worst offense in the conference.  In conference play, they were averaging 0.94 ppp and an eFG% of 45%.

In the first half, Seton scored 1.52 points per possession and had an eFG% of 70%.  They also only had a turnover rate of 6%.  2H defense wasn't bad.  SHU only had 1.00 ppp, but the game average was 1.20 ppp.

To answer another question, SHU was even more on fire against St. Johns.  They scored 1.20 ppp while shooting 78% on eFG%.  Part of last night is just them being hot.  Except that Marquette's defense is horrid.

[NavinRJohnson]

Again, I lay it on the player's feet.   Defense starts with attitude.   You can have all the cool schemes in the world, but if the players don't start with the attitude that their guy isn't going to beat them and they are letting the team down if it happens, then the defense is going to be poor.  

This is my general attitude as well. Offense will come and go, but anyone can play defense, any time. However, I do believe that what position teh scheme puts you in, also has an impact.

[tower912]

You can win with zones (Syracuse, Louisville), you can win with man (Duke, IU under Knight), you can win pressing (Arkansas under Richardson, UNLV under Tark), you can win with amoebas and 1-3-1's (Dale Brown at LSU, Beilein at WVU).    You have to have the right scheme for the players and the players have to commit to playing defense.    I am reluctant to pass judgement on scheme because I have not seen the commitment by the players.    All year.   Next question, is that on Buzz or the guys on the floor?    Another Rohrshach question.   Which way does the causality go?    Izzo, of all people, has a team that can't guard anyone and particularly the 3.   Izzo or the players' fault?    According to my eyeballs, this year's defensive deficiency still reverts to a lack of leadership on the floor.   

[Blackhat]

Coaches get fired, not players.  So ultimately it lies at the feet of the coach, if Buzz can't get guys to commit on D then it will  be his problem. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

Honestly, for Buzz's scheme which relies on three-quarters pressure on the PG, we miss Reggie.  He was quick, athletic, and could pressure the ball full-court like Cubes could without fouling. Our current personnel is more suited to a zone...and we have played our best defensive games when we have. It is uncanny how teams have "hot" shooting games against MU because of the late rotations. It is obvious to me it is both the scheme and the personnel as our roster has not been built for quickness.  

[tower912]

I agree somewhat that this team would have been better in a zone this year.    It probably would have meant more time for DG and EWill, two young men who have some offensive ability but clearly struggle in man defense.  I can also see doing it like Louisville does, pressing and then falling back to a zone.   I also agree that Reggie was better pressuring the ball than either Buycks or Cadougan.     Buzz has played more zone as the year has gone on, but probably not enough.    Moving forward, what kind of defense will he play next year?    Will the players develop as they need to to play an aggressive man defense or will Buzz play zone as his base d next year?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Considering how Jerel Mcneal went from all-world defender with crean to just another guy defender with Buzz, points to being a systemic problem. 

Our d went from 10th with crean to 51st the next year with Buzz.  Gotten progressively worse since then.

Yes, it is interesting.