It starts with defense

[MuggsyB]

I would like Shaka to recruit physicality and quickness on the perimeter.  That was really the story tonight.  Gonzaga was never comfortable, they couldn't even get into their sets.  No words can really describe the softness overall defensively we saw at MU the past seven seasons.  This needs to be addressed and hopefully Shaka will find the right guys

[warriorstrack]

I would like Shaka to recruit physicality and quickness on the perimeter.  That was really the story tonight.  Gonzaga was never comfortable, they couldn't even get into their sets.  No words can really describe the softness overall defensively we saw at MU the past seven seasons.  This needs to be addressed and hopefully Shaka will find the right guys

I agree wholeheartedly, you may not always be on, offensively, but with a great hard nosed defense scheme you can always count on that to never let you down.  Oregon St rode some good luck and a great defense to the elite 8.  As much as it seemed Gonzaga was destined to win... Baylor just kept doing their thing defensively and never looked over matched or that the moment was too big for them.  Kudos to both teams for getting to the championship game, I’m looking forward to a much improved MU defense next year!

[goldeneagle91114]

Shaka had a top 40 defense all 6 years at Texas, and ran a nationally recognized (HAVOC) defense at VCU. I think you’ll be happy with the defensive product he brings to MU

[Jay Bee]

Defense doesn’t win championships, but it’s fun to say!

[Scoop Snoop]

Defense doesn’t win championships, but it’s fun to say!

I find your remarks offensive.

Seriously, time for Scoops stat guys to weigh in. I've heard "defense wins championships" but can this be backed up? What about exceptions? What teams won because of an exceptionally strong offense?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

The two top rated offensive teams met for the title yesterday evening.  Neither were in the top 20 in opponent offensive rating.

[fjm]

Defense doesn’t win championships, but it’s fun to say!

Haha. Welcome back JB. With the always vague statements about stats.

Hook us up with the info!

[Uncle Rico]

Virginia won a national title in 2019 because they had their best offense ever under Tony Bennett.

Wisconsin went to back-to-back Final 4’s because they had their best offenses ever under Bo Ryan.

[Dr. Blackheart]

The two top rated offensive teams met for the title yesterday evening.  Neither were in the top 20 in opponent offensive rating.

Actually, Zags 3rd on defense and Baylor 10th via play by play ratings. I have moved on from the aggregation biased ratings like Pomeroy, especially at year's end.

https://haslametrics.com/ratings.php

[MuggsyB]

Here's what I'll say:  You're going to have games in the tourney when shots are not falling.  When Baylor played Nova in the S16 they were abysmal shooting the triple most of the game.  If they had some of our defenses they would have has a 0.0% chance of getting back and winning the game.

I didn't say "defense wins championships" but you  can create much better offense by forcing turnovers like Baylor did all season.  Now, Baylor was also the best 3 point shooting team in the country and had tremendous quickness across the board. The bottom line is you simply can't outscore teams.  Baylor and the past Nova teams could ball pressure and get in your grill.  We had some great MU offensive teams, especially with Howard, Rowsey, and Sam.  But they couldn't defend at all which essentially gave us no chance. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

There were a number of analyses done a few years back on this myth, including from the Freakonomics guys. Balance wins championships with a nod to offense.  Both Baylor and the Zags fit this profile.

https://the-cauldron.com/defense-does-not-win-championships-69887aa968dc

[Babybluejeans]

Yep, I recall the stats saying you almost always need both top offenses and defenses.

[MuggsyB]

I think another thing you have to consider is how many possessions there are in a game.  Baylor was 51st in allowed points but they play at a very fast tempo.  Loyola and Houston were 1 and 2 in team points allowed but play far longer into the shot clock.  But if you look at the top teams offenses vs the top team defenses this year, meaning points scored or allowed, more top 20 defensive teams participated in the dance.   

If you have the talent of Gonzaga and Baylor, with 3 or 4 pros, you are going to have dynamic offenses.  But there were a number of mediocre offensive teams that advanced in the tournament.  My overall point is for the vast majority of teams it's easier to be more consistent defensively.

[Goose]

Great D leads to easy baskets. It goes hand in hand. That said, you need two way players to win championships over the long haul. A great D and bunch stiffs who cannot score is not the path to victory.

[brewcity77]

I think another thing you have to consider is how many possessions there are in a game.  Baylor was 51st in allowed points but they play at a very fast tempo.  Loyola and Houston were 1 and 2 in team points allowed but play far longer into the shot clock.

This is why looking at team counting stats is stupid. It is meaningless compared to efficiency and tempo free metrics.

[MuggsyB]

Correct.  You can't be Virginia 2020-21.  Nevertheless, and I have advocated this seemingly forever, if you establish physicality on the perimeter your chances increase exponentially.  And frankly these teams don't pick up more fouls than the matador MU defenses the past 7 yrs. 

I like Baylor's style because they are in attack mode on both ends of the floor.   You need quickness to play this style, and all teams want multiple guys with jets and handles, but it begins with a mentality and overall toughness.  I'm so sick of getting pushed around, especially by teams like the Hall.  Drives me up the freaking wall.  Let's get back to attacking guards that can blanket guys on the perimeter, create more transition opportunities, and reestablish MU toughness in this new era of hoops. 

[Goose]

Muggsy

IMO you need to push the tempo on both sides of the court. I love how Baylor plays and hope that is what MU plays like moving forward.

[MuggsyB]

Muggsy

IMO you need to push the tempo on both sides of the court. I love how Baylor plays and hope that is what MU plays like moving forward.

That exactly right.  Baylor controlled the game within the first few mins.  Once Gonzaga's guys were pushed out of their comfort zone they really couldn't do much of anything. 

We have a tier one athlete in DJ Carton.  Here's a kid with outstanding vertical quickness and explosive elevation.  Obviously there are some things he needs to work on, but to me getting into transition more would suit his skill-set.  To do that I really think it starts with his defensive impact and mindset.  He is more than capable of cutting off the head of the snake and playing say in the mold of a Davion Mitchell. 

He should be pestiferous to the point of driving lesser athletes to utter frustration.  From there we can get easier hoops,control the overall tempo, and work from there.  Get the athletes on this roster that can dictate the game and create easier opportunities.  And btw Baylor does not switch every screen .

[Goose]

Muggsy

DJ is the key guy for building a team for next season. IMO, he is the most valuable of the top three guys and he should have a very big year next season.