MU's defense....

[ATWizJr]

how would you characterize it?   I don't think it is strictly man to man because our weakside defender is sagging into the middle.  Is it a combo defense?

[willie warrior]

It is pretty much double and triple down low on the big man/men, and hope that the big men do not kick it out to the open man/men.

[HoopsMalone]

The defense has gotten better on the perimeter since the first Nova game.  It's a man-to-man where switching is more acceptable than usual, but with everyone being a 1, 2, or 3 pretty much, you can justify it.  I like the zone every once in a while too, and hope that Yous gets back for a little 1-3-1 with him at the FT line!


I wonder if we will see a press next year.  We will have tons of guards.  Jimmy, Fulce, and Crowder will be at the 4 and they can all run. 

[GGGG]

how would you characterize it?   I don't think it is strictly man to man because our weakside defender is sagging into the middle.  Is it a combo defense?

It is a basic helpside, in-the-gaps man-to-man defense.  Players two or more passes away, sag to the strong side.

[MR.HAYWARD]

correct actually it is not a whole lot different than what most teams do.  we are playing redline,basketline or whatever you wnat to call it helpside defense.  defenders on each side of the ball are looking to help and weakside is on the redline.   we double team with a hard hedge  ball screens and double down alot but we dont do anything really different than most man to mans...except for giving up typically a terrible shooting percentage and way too many offensive rebounds. 

Buzz has said it few times but has not harped on it that we are basically a terrible team defensively.  we are size deficient and strenght deficiant at every position Butler, and acker are terrible defenders, Djo is getting better and cubi tries real hard.  Zar is actually a realy good defender but on a whole we probably deserve a C- for the year on defense.   terrible size and strentgh relative to the guys they are guarding overcome by toughness, gamplanning and taking it posession by possesion and typically having fewer bad mental possesions than our opponents on both ends

[GGGG]

Hayward, you pretty much nailed it.  Not only is size a problem, but length is as well.  That should also improve quite a bit in the future.  Mentally they are very tough though...sign of very good coaching.