Buzz Williams is our defensive coach

[Blackhat]

so in a way at least if we keep getting a 80- a hundo points put on us each week we don't have to be ambiguous about where the blame goes.   The defense has worried me all year and Buzz's rep coming from New Orleans was his team got tore up that year on defense.   He's proven to be poor at defensive development so far this year as our year long stats show a regression in defense.  He either needs to hire a "defensive coordinator" to his staff or he needs to get his resume folder ready.   

We should not have regressed to this point through the loss of Ousmane Barro. 

[nyg]

He really needs players that he is not scared to play or not developed yet to play.  Otule, Fulce, Cubillian and Hazel (10 minutes at Nova, yet nothing past two games) are nailed to the bench and are non-contributors.  Basically practice players and cheerleaders in time out huddles.  Something has got to change with these players. That leaves a 5ft 8 point guard and a 6ft 6 swingman to rest the starters.  With Burke picking up fouls like crazy, Buzz's options are extremely limited, especially on defense where the matchups are really poor.   

[Nukem2]

Actually, the defense has been good for the most part.  Foul trouble is the clinker in all of this.

[Blackhat]

Actually, the defense has been good for the most part.  Foul trouble is the clinker in all of this.

I don't want to be insulting and we have had a couple good defensive games but you guys need to open your eyes.   Are we watching the same games?   We're getting tore up for 50% or greater shooting against teams.   We were ranked around 10th in defense using objective stats and we're around 60th this year.   So no our defense has not been good this year.   

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Our defense is definitely overrated......have thought this for several games now.

What exactly constitutes "lockdown defender"?

We give up a TON of open looks.

The way we've been switching lately has been problematic.

[yellow chickens]

it makes is tough when lazar is guarding the 5. wes the 4. and jimmy the 3.

[MUBasketball]

it makes is tough when lazar is guarding the 5. wes the 4. and jimmy the 3.

Precisely, it's not difficult to understand. I'm not sure why people don't get that.

Watch this team play...they have to pack the paint on defense and sag off their guys to help in the post. Good teams can kick out and shoot, or kick out and reverse for an open shot.

It's extremely difficult to guard with an undersized team.

Let's see how Buzz's teams defend in a year or two when he has mostly his players on the team. He's recruiting big, long players. I think it'll be totally different.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I agree with the above post, but I think communication is a major problem.

The last several games there have been issues with screens. Too often we'll have 2 guys guarding the same player after a screen and that has absolutely nothing to do with size deficiency!

[ErickJD08]

This board can be so ridiculous some times.  MU is giving up 70 a game in BE play.  Villanova is giving up 74 a game.  You have to give our defense A TON of credit.  We are playing with no legit big.  I think our D is going to be as good as it can ever be without a big controlling the lane or sucking up defensive board.  You guys wine alot.

[Pardner]

Yes, I am still whining about our defense last night.  Why?  We shot well enough to have won that game.  Buzz's scheme was flawed last night.  While everyone remembers that Nova shot the lights out from Treyland, what has been overlooked is that they shot 62% from two.  In fact, 71% of their points from 2PFG's came in the paint.  We simply did not protect the pot of gold with his match-up scheme, rotation, and pace.  Small ball killed us.

Stone is right..our defense efficiency is worse (59th).  I was hoping it would continue to improve like it was over Break.  Since Buzz is a match-up coach (vs. a system coach like TC), our performance can vary game to game.  But, again, one glaring stat stands out, we are 219th in 2P% defense.  I guess we miss Ooze more than some thought (or he is sitting on the bench).

That said, I put some simple stats together to show all is not lost (in the attached--(click on the paper clip at the bottom of this post).  Generally, Buzz tries to limit our opponents to their average, relying on the Fan 4 to outscore them.  It sometimes gets away from him like last night.  To me, while Small Ball may be one rotation that works (UND), Tall Ball should be another--depending on the match-up.  Otule and Fulce may not be 100% ready, but they are better against some teams.  There are ways to protect these guys (hide them in a zone) and rest the Fan 4.  Over 100 points is just crazy.  No excuse for the coaches last night. 

[NavinRJohnson]

I would say the defense has been up and down. Early in the year, I thought it was pathetic. They definitely improved though to the point of being a very good defensive team for the last 4-6 weeks or so. Last night? Just plain terrible. They've shown they can be very good and very bad...we'll see where they go from here.

[bilsu]

At the same time some here complain about Buzz recruiting too many big players instead of recruiting guards. It seems to me Buzz is recruiting to fit the defense he wants to play. He is going after athletic shot blocking type players. While are defense has not been great, they are not the players Buzz recruited.

[Niv Berkowitz]

We can't have it both ways. If he's recruiting for the defense he wants to play, then he's doing a terrible job coaching them this year. He has to be smart enough then, you would think, to run a defense that WOULD work with this team.

DJ had been playing insane D until about three games ago. Since then, not as good. Jerel, I think, has been a little overrated defensively this year. That leave Hayward, Matthews and Burke. none of them are lock-down defenders, even at times.

I'll give matthews credit in that he's usally taking a charge or three every game. But the d this year has been anything but average.

[ecompt]

Opponents are only shooting 43 percent against us, but, man, it seems a lot higher. Providence and Nova simply torched us.

[77ncaachamps]

The only Warriors this team currently resembles is the one from Golden State: Not much team D, relying on outscoring the opponent.