Defense

[Dr. Blackheart]

Worst Pomeroy defensive performance in MU's modern day history with a Drate at 143.6. With Dean-o and Kevin, pretty sure this is the worst defensive ass whoopin' in many generations. Last two games before Nova gave me hope the boys were being coached up. But the virus returned.

Even with Nova holding off in garbage time, the 79.6 eFG% is astounding.  Defense starts with effort and I saw three underclassmen showing it tonight.

[wadesworld]

It was terrible defense.

But it was also an offense that made top 10 teams look like an absolute joke for the entire NCAA Tournament last year.  Their offense reminded me so much of last year's Tournament run.  Great ball movement, great ball fakes, open shots (some having to do with poor defense, others with great offense).

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

This is where Luke hurts u the most.  Look at how many drives Luke is standing cemented footed n completely out of position.  He may be the worst defensive player i have ever seen at Marquette

[MerrittsMustache]

This is where Luke hurts u the most.  Look at how many drives Luke is standing cemented footed n completely out of position.  He may be the worst defensive player i have ever seen at Marquette

Watch closer. He's not even all that close to being the worst defensive player currently on the roster.

[WarriorFan]

Sorry, but he is... other guys are trying to close out open shots created because Luke is miles out of position.

[GGGG]

The defense's problem is on the perimeter.  JJJ is OK, but takes too many risks.  Duane is hurt and when JJJ got in foul trouble, they had to put both Howard and Rowsey on the floor at the same time.  Not good.

Someone said it earlier (wades?), but this is a game where we could have used Traci or Sandy on the perimeter.

[forgetful]

There are two things that really bother me about our defense and both relate to very very simple fundamentals.

1.  Defensive stance.  Our players (and JJJ is the worst) are rarely in a proper defensive stance.  Look at a Nova' player on D (stance wise) compared to our guys.  Their players have proper stance and because of that, they can keep their man in front of them and make penetration difficult.  Our guys, are on their heels (not on their toes) and often are leaning forward awkwardly by bending at the back and refusing to bend the knees.  Balance wise you have no way to have any lateral quickness in their position...its the stance you see out of shape old men use at the gym, because they are tired.

2.  Help positioning/defense.  There is a simple premise of keeping yourself between the ball, your man and the basket, where you sag into the middle to make penetration difficult.  Key to this is knowing where your guy is and how quickly you can get back to them.  Our guys either are not in the proper help position, lose track of their guy by watching the ball, or sag so far off they can never recover giving an open 3 if the ball swings...sometimes they are guilty of all three. 

The reason these bother me so much is they are things you learn before you are old enough to get the ball over the rim of a 10-foot hoop, but it seems like our guys have never heard of these concepts.

[Dr. Blackheart]

The defense's problem is on the perimeter.  JJJ is OK, but takes too many risks.  Duane is hurt and when JJJ got in foul trouble, they had to put both Howard and Rowsey on the floor at the same time.  Not good.

Someone said it earlier (wades?), but this is a game where we could have used Traci or Sandy on the perimeter.

I disagree and BeeJay laid out these stats earlier in the season.  MU was again eviscerated in the paint where Wright went right at us, and broke us down with spacing and movement from there.  With Luke and his lack of athletic ability, this is a zone team like Wojo's first year (and his best defensive season).  We were hammered in the paint tonight.  Defenses are built from the inside out, especially in college.  Nova was 17-23 in the paint tonight, with an additional 15 free throws made.

Why Luke is chasing Brunson is beyond me.

[GGGG]

I disagree and BeeJay laid out these stats earlier in the season.  MU was again eviscerated in the paint where Wright went right at us, and broke us down with spacing and movement from there.  With Luke and his lack of athletic ability, this is a zone team like Wojo's first year (and his best defensive season).  We were hammered in the paint tonight.  Defenses are built from the inside out, especially in college.  Nova was 17-23 in the paint tonight, with an additional 15 free throws made.

Why Luke is chasing Brunson is beyond me.

But the breakdown usually starts on the perimeter.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

But the breakdown usually starts on the perimeter.

So if they were taller this would stop?

[GGGG]

So if they were taller this would stop?

Yes.

[Dr. Blackheart]

But the breakdown usually starts on the perimeter.

Nova started by attacking the paint all game, then the kick out and ball rotations.

[ecompt]

Luke has won the Mannequin Challenge in five games this year. Cannot guard anyone under the age of 80.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Wojo agrees...calls out team as "non-competitive"...per Matty V.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2017/01/07/villanova-93-mu-81-defense-no-show/96181250/

[GGGG]

Nova started by attacking the paint all game, then the kick out and ball rotations.

Usually when it broke down on the perimeter first.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think there are problems inside and outside. Our guards are not great at on ball containment. Luke has no lateral quickness or toughness. Not a good combo. Cheatham is an above average defender. Howard and Hauser look like they might develop into above average defenders. Others...not so much.

[murphmurphy]

This is where Luke hurts u the most.  Look at how many drives Luke is standing cemented footed n completely out of position.  He may be the worst defensive player i have ever seen at Marquette

You are correct sir.  In addition, when Luke is out of position others have to sag & help which leaves opponents wide open at the 3 pt line.  When your center and rim protector repeatedly leaves his man and is chasing guards from the top of the key to the base line time after time, game after game, nothing good is going to happen. 

[mileskishnish72]

We lost a game at home last year or the year before (I think maybe Creighton or X) when Luke was chasing a guard down the lane to a game-winning layup.

[tower912]

DePaul.   Garrett driving the length of the floor, pick, Luke ended up guarding him poorly and fouling him.     

[mileskishnish72]

Correct. Thanks, Tower.

For years I've been thinking "Geez, I wish we could make 3's like these other guys." Now we can, and I still get left with the feeling I had watching UNC-Ky (and last night) that we are so, so far away from what a really good team is.

[Let's Go Warriors]

There are two things that really bother me about our defense and both relate to very very simple fundamentals.

1.  Defensive stance.  Our players (and JJJ is the worst) are rarely in a proper defensive stance.  Look at a Nova' player on D (stance wise) compared to our guys.  Their players have proper stance and because of that, they can keep their man in front of them and make penetration difficult.  Our guys, are on their heels (not on their toes) and often are leaning forward awkwardly by bending at the back and refusing to bend the knees.  Balance wise you have no way to have any lateral quickness in their position...its the stance you see out of shape old men use at the gym, because they are tired.

2.  Help positioning/defense.  There is a simple premise of keeping yourself between the ball, your man and the basket, where you sag into the middle to make penetration difficult.  Key to this is knowing where your guy is and how quickly you can get back to them.  Our guys either are not in the proper help position, lose track of their guy by watching the ball, or sag so far off they can never recover giving an open 3 if the ball swings...sometimes they are guilty of all three. 

The reason these bother me so much is they are things you learn before you are old enough to get the ball over the rim of a 10-foot hoop, but it seems like our guys have never heard of these concepts.

Amen brother. I have been seeing this for 2 years. Their closeouts are nowhere near the college level either. Not saying luke is a great defender but he is far from the worst and is not the cause of most of the problems.

The cause of the symptoms that you describe is what's so disturbing to me...

[mileskishnish72]

Terrible D? Poor stance? Improper positioning?

We should get a coach that was the defensive player of the year when he played!

[GGGG]

I think there are problems inside and outside. Our guards are not great at on ball containment. Luke has no lateral quickness or toughness. Not a good combo. Cheatham is an above average defender. Howard and Hauser look like they might develop into above average defenders. Others...not so much.

Yeah I think this is a very good summary.  The guards don't rotate or close out well, and when JJJ goes out and Duane is injured, we lose so much length. 

Not that it would have mattered in terms of a win or loss, but this game was the first time I felt that our lack of depth really hurt us.  It would have been nice to put Traci or Sandy on the perimeter when JJJ went out with foul trouble. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

I think there are problems inside and outside. Our guards are not great at on ball containment. Luke has no lateral quickness or toughness. Not a good combo. Cheatham is an above average defender. Howard and Hauser look like they might develop into above average defenders. Others...not so much.

+1.  Simply put, the talent screams zone against a team like Nova. I keep hearing "but the opponents will be open for treys and we will give up rebounds in a zone". Guess what?  We get broken down badly in man so our opponents hit treys and rebound any way...and then they also shoot 70%+ in the paint as we are out chasing the perimeter with our slow footed center. 

Now, let's be clear: Nova was going to beat us anyway...and I think Jay Wright is one of the best offensive minds in the game, but MU's current roster talent does not match the Duke scheme defensively. It is clear from the article Wojo will be doing some soul searching. It will be interesting to see what Weds. brings although I thought we had a good game plan vs. Hall the first time.

[brewcity77]

I think there are problems inside and outside. Our guards are not great at on ball containment. Luke has no lateral quickness or toughness. Not a good combo. Cheatham is an above average defender. Howard and Hauser look like they might develop into above average defenders. Others...not so much.

We don't have as much length as we need on the perimeter or inside and our veterans aren't great defenders.

Yet at the same time, our best defenders are underclassmen and we have more length coming starting next year. It really seems like the staff is doing everything they can to shore up the issues. The long-term goal is obviously to play man. Going zone wouldn't have helped against a team that shot 60.9% beyond the arc. It may have slowed the game down, but at 65 possessions, yesterday was the slowest game we played all year, so I don't see how that would have helped.

There weren't a lot of positives from yesterday. We all know that. But sometimes you're the dog and sometimes you're the hydrant. Time to dust ourselves off and get back to being the dog on Wednesday.