Something to Keep in Mind about Last Night's Defense

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think people are overlooking how good of an offense Belmont is.

Here are their offensive stats from 2014-2015

top 50 in 3P%
top 40 in offensive efficiency
top 30 in points per game
top 25 in shooting %
top 15 in true shooting %
top 5 in 3PM
top 5 in 3PT Rate
top 5 in effective FG%

That's out of all 351 D1 teams.

It is a new year, but they only lost one starter from that squad....and he was one of the worst shooters on the team (though their top assistman). By all accounts, this year's Belmont team should be an even better offensive unit than last year's.

So before we start declaring that we can't play defense, let's keep in mind that this is one of the best offenses we will see all season.

[AZWarrior]

Thx.  I do feel better.   

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Good post. I will say, although the defense wasn't spectacular, I thought Marquette looked borderline really good against an excellent team.

[WarriorInNYC]

I think people are overlooking how good of an offense Belmont is.

Here are their offensive stats from 2014-2015

top 50 in 3P%
top 40 in offensive efficiency
top 30 in points per game
top 25 in shooting %
top 15 in true shooting %
top 5 in 3PM
top 5 in 3PT Rate
top 5 in effective FG%

That's out of all 351 D1 teams.

It is a new year, but they only lost one starter from that squad....and he was one of the worst shooters on the team (though their top assistman). By all accounts, this year's Belmont team should be an even better offensive unit than last year's.

So before we start declaring that we can't play defense, let's keep in mind that this is one of the best offenses we will see all season.

This.  And the fact that Wojo showed us last year he is willing to adjust the defense to the team he has.  Remember that this is a young team learning to play with each other, and on the same point, Wojo is learning what works best with them.  He'll make the necessary adjustments he needs to.

Onward and upward.

[Herman Cain]

I think people are overlooking how good of an offense Belmont is.

Here are their offensive stats from 2014-2015

top 50 in 3P%
top 40 in offensive efficiency
top 30 in points per game
top 25 in shooting %
top 15 in true shooting %
top 5 in 3PM
top 5 in 3PT Rate
top 5 in effective FG%

That's out of all 351 D1 teams.

It is a new year, but they only lost one starter from that squad....and he was one of the worst shooters on the team (though their top assistman). By all accounts, this year's Belmont team should be an even better offensive unit than last year's.

So before we start declaring that we can't play defense, let's keep in mind that this is one of the best offenses we will see all season.

Belmont is a good offense team with real weapons and a coach that has won over 700 games.

We worked hard on defense and considering the new rules we did fine. We just made a lot of very bad decisions down the stretch and  we also did not make the most of the runs we did have.

[MU82]

It was one loss and not even a particularly horrible one.

I'm already thinking about IUPUI. I hope the lads are, too.

[Litehouse]

It wasn't like they were blowing past us on O.  Our guys were just flat out losing their man and we had a hard time dealing with their spacing.  Hopefully that's correctable.

[PGsHeroes32]

Even though it could make our match up with ASU even worse(if we do play them)

I'd love to see Belmont paste them. Make me feel better. ASU already lost to Sacramento state lol

[axaguy]

Worst thing about the loss is other teams are going to see the tape. If we don't get smart quick and think and help out out there we will be killed. My issue with the defense last night wasn't that we got beat a couple of times it was we got beat REPEATEDLY and never reacted any differently on the floor. Where is/was the basketball IQ of the guys on the floor???? This will certainly be a practice item but where we the floor leaders? Who's going to step up? We can't let that happen again without responding differently.

2nd. Though a high level blue-chipper, Henry has to learn to tone it down just a bit.... Play under control and not try to overplay.  Let the game come to him and remember there are four other guys out there, as well.

Some other very nice developments. Amin was very good and others played well.......but their team and individual defense NEEDS to improve quickly.....

[GGGG]

Other teams aren't going to shoot as well as Belmont can from the outside.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Other teams aren't going to shoot as well as Belmont can from the outside.

Yea, their number 23 was ridiculous. Hitting bank 3s and shooting off 1 foot 6 feet behind the 3 point line. Btw, his reactions and constant complaining were so annoying.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yea, their number 23 was ridiculous. Hitting bank 3s and shooting off 1 foot 6 feet behind the 3 point line. Btw, his reactions and constant complaining were so annoying.

Craig Bradshaw, scored 18 points a game last season with 44% 3pt shooting. Probably the best deep threat we'll see all season

[WarriorFan]

I'm putting Belmont in my Elite 8.  I don't think we'll see many teams that good all season.  Nice combination of shooting, excellent coaching, teamwork, and hoops IQ.  They were fun to watch as well. 

Their team defense wasn't bad, either.  Lots of doubles on HE, but still clogged the middle and fronted the shooters available from the first pass.  Unfortunately MU never challenged their ability to rotate by making the 2nd pass to the open weak side corner shooter quickly enough. 

[GGGG]

Well I'm not saying their E8.  They will be lucky to win a game in the NCAA if they win the OVC.

But in the first game of the year, an experienced team that plays like that is tough to beat.  I would expect that if MU played them again in February that Marquette would win.

[Brewtown Andy]

Well I'm not saying their E8.  They will be lucky to win a game in the NCAA if they win the OVC.

Yeah, I don't know how they end up any higher than a 12 seed, ultimately.

Things to keep in mind about MU's defense: In the first half, Belmont scored 1.24 points per possession.

After the half? 0.97.

[Herman Cain]

Worst thing about the loss is other teams are going to see the tape. If we don't get smart quick and think and help out out there we will be killed. My issue with the defense last night wasn't that we got beat a couple of times it was we got beat REPEATEDLY and never reacted any differently on the floor. Where is/was the basketball IQ of the guys on the floor???? This will certainly be a practice item but where we the floor leaders? Who's going to step up? We can't let that happen again without responding differently.

2nd. Though a high level blue-chipper, Henry has to learn to tone it down just a bit.... Play under control and not try to overplay.  Let the game come to him and remember there are four other guys out there, as well.

Some other very nice developments. Amin was very good and others played well.......but their team and individual defense NEEDS to improve quickly.....

I agree with your analysis on Henry. Can't just be all about him.

[WarriorInNYC]

Worst thing about the loss is other teams are going to see the tape. If we don't get smart quick and think and help out out there we will be killed. My issue with the defense last night wasn't that we got beat a couple of times it was we got beat REPEATEDLY and never reacted any differently on the floor. Where is/was the basketball IQ of the guys on the floor???? This will certainly be a practice item but where we the floor leaders? Who's going to step up? We can't let that happen again without responding differently.

2nd. Though a high level blue-chipper, Henry has to learn to tone it down just a bit.... Play under control and not try to overplay.  Let the game come to him and remember there are four other guys out there, as well.

Some other very nice developments. Amin was very good and others played well.......but their team and individual defense NEEDS to improve quickly.....

The tape would have been there whether or not we execute offensively at the end of the game and won.

[brewcity77]

Worst thing about the loss is other teams are going to see the tape. If we don't get smart quick and think and help out out there we will be killed.

I would actually disagree with this. The tape will probably be more beneficial to us than to other teams. First, very few teams can put up the kind of offensive efficiency Belmont is capable of. They have experienced shooters and know how to play together. That does not describe the bulk of our opponents this non-conference, including Wisconsin and LSU.

We should be able to learn from this, but considering how young our team is and how little they've played together, I don't think this will be the blueprint that gets us beat all season long. If anything, it will be harder to beat us the way Belmont did because now we'll be able to prepare for it and frankly, few teams have a Craig Bradshaw level shooter.