We Need to Press USU & Run @ Every Opportunity

[BaltimoreMC]

Just reading what USU's strengths are and knowing what MU is good at, we need to try as hard as we can to force the pace of play way up.  Sounds like USU is a ball control, low turnover, take good shots in a half court offense.  We need to press and take USU out of their half court offense as much as possable, even if it means we give away some bunnies.  The turnovers and rushed shots from getting into their offense later in the shot clock will more than make up for any easy buckets they may get from breaking the press.  Just a thought.  GO MU!!!

[MU_Warrior44]

We certainly need to push the tempo and run, but I disagree with pressing. I like the idea in theory, but our bench is too thin to do a real press. That weird semi-press/trap thing that MU does from time to time is about as much full-court defense as they'll probably use. Although, I'd be all for pressing for a few possessions at a time, just to mix things up.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Have you watched any of our games this year??? Our press is horrible. The opposing team gets a wide open shot everytime. The 1-3-1 is also garbage. So is the trap. Anytime we get out of man it seems like the other team totally picks us apart. We are good at man-to-man and bad at everything else........we need to stick with what we're good at.

[Henry Sugar]

We certainly need to push the tempo and run, but I disagree with pressing. I like the idea in theory, but our bench is too thin to do a real press. That weird semi-press/trap thing that MU does from time to time is about as much full-court defense as they'll probably use.

I like the notion of that semi-press / trap thing to up the tempo and make USU uncomfortable.  Whatever defense is used, we need to force USU into a lot of turnovers.

[lab_warrior]

No way on the full court pressing, that gets us shredded...I don't mind that mini half court press that we use, but I would just like to see us play lockdown, half court D the whole game, they have no one that can beat us off the dribble. 
And I know somebody has posted this before, but I would make that middle-aged PF Wilkinson beat us...don't leave the 3pt shooters.  Another thing...REBOUND!  One shot, and that's it on defense.

[Big Papi]

We do need to quicken the pace but that can come naturally if we are able to do a few other things effectively.  That being (1) play good pressure half court defense that forces Utah St. into less then ideal shots, (2) rebound well and (3) attack the paint on offense.

With Utah State relying on their extensive playbook, I don't mind using the 1-3-1 conservatively to actually slow down their attack before falling into a man-to-man pressure defense that pushes their offense out farther then they are used to.  Force them into bad shots, rebound and then run.  If easy buckets are available great, if not fall into our offense where we attack the paint.  Tai Wesley seems to foul a lot so attack the paint and get Utah State to foul.  Get them into foul trouble, get easy points off the line and slowly build a lead while forcing them into a more uptempo game that favors us. 

[BaltimoreMC]

I should have identified what type of press I'd like to see...

Not a Louisville-like, full court press, but our softer press that may turn 'em over here or there, but will force USU to get into its 1/2 court offense later in the shot clock and will force them to operate a little more quickly than they'd like. 

[strotty]

Have you watched any of our games this year??? Our press is horrible. The opposing team gets a wide open shot everytime. The 1-3-1 is also garbage. So is the trap. Anytime we get out of man it seems like the other team totally picks us apart. We are good at man-to-man and bad at everything else........we need to stick with what we're good at.

I actually have really enjoyed our 1-3-1 this year, granted it was much better with Dominic running the baseline because he was able to contest low post shots, but still.  Acker does a fine job and McNeal is a force at the top that allows little to no penetration to the middle in the 1-3-1, which is the most important factor.  We did it a few times vs. Louisville I believe and it really worked nicely.  Now, against a big, slow-paced team like USU the 1-3-1 is not as important, but I could see the 3/4 court trap working nicely, where we just double-team the first pass and then fall back. Why? Because USU loves to use the shotclock and this could easily take a good 3-4  extra seconds off the clock, and we all know that the Tourney is a matter of seconds.

[downtown85]

Have you watched any of our games this year??? Our press is horrible. The opposing team gets a wide open shot everytime. The 1-3-1 is also garbage. So is the trap. Anytime we get out of man it seems like the other team totally picks us apart. We are good at man-to-man and bad at everything else........we need to stick with what we're good at.

+1
I think the 1-3-1 is garbage without james.  Also, it requires Jerel to run about 10x as much as our normal defense.  A tired jerel in the 4th quarter will be a team liability.  We should stick to man and some 2-3 zone. 

I think USU coach will draw up a couple of plays for the moment when Buzz calls the 1-3-1 and they will lead to easy baskets over Acker on the baseline.  I am not saying he will get teabagged by some mormon dude for a dunk but he won't be able to stop the layup.