3 pt defense

[Dingus]

If it seems like ISU has been giving up a lot of 3 pointers, it's because they have. ISU is currently last place in the Big 12 in 3 pt % defense and last place in 3 pt FGA/G.

http://www.big12sports.com/ViewContent.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=10410&CONTENT_ID=1087464

In every conference game, opponents have shot more 3's than their average. In 4 of 9 games opponents have shot significantly better 3 pt % (@TTech, Texas, @Kansas, TCU); only once has an opponent shot 5% or more worse from 3 (WVU at -5%).

There is probably some pace reason I didn't dig up, but its probably relatively minor. On the season ISU is at 73 PPG, while the other teams are between 67 and 74 with only Baylor and KSU a little lower at around 65.

So whether you buy that 3pt % defense or 3 pt FGA/G are a better indicator of 3 pt defense, both seem to indicate Iowa State isn't doing great in that department. To my eyes that seems to be the most glaring defensive weakness ATM.

And if you prefer the eye test, here are Seldon's 5 3 pointers from Monday. Morris, Naz, BDJ, and Hogue all do their part in failing to cover/close out on KU's leading 3 pt shooter.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12271099&ex_cid=espnapi_public

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12271005&ex_cid=espnapi_public

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12270918&ex_cid=espnapi_public

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12270818&ex_cid=espnapi_public

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12270781&ex_cid=espnapi_public

 

[acgclone]

Our opponents are shooting much better against us, in B12 play, than we are against them. (3 pt%)

This is definitely Fred's worst 3 pt shooting team, and possibly the worst perimeter defending team.

 

[TXCyclones]

We have been protecting the middle versus protecting the 3 cuz... statistics. Sadly, it's worked against us a little.

 

[Wesley]

Morris second in minutes played.
BDJ best in free throws for us at 69%
Morris second in scoring for our team behind Georges
BDJ rebounds best.
Monte leads in assists

 

[kberyldial]

We have been protecting the middle versus protecting the 3 cuz... statistics. Sadly, it's worked against us a little.

This. It's clear we've defended the post with guys crashing down to help. I believe we've also outscored most teams in the paint this year. That said, defense on the road requires extraordinary effort and attention. Something we lacked at KU. I thought one of the big reasons for that was some fatigue due to the pace of play early and how amped the guys clearly came out at the start.

I still think they are learning to play with each other and all the different lineups we run out there. IMO Fred will have them playing at their best when it matters most. We're still in a great position for the 2 seed opposite KU in the tourney. It's all good. I think we're a 7 loss team entering Hilton South.

 

[mb7299]

I agree with the thought that we are protecting the middle/post and thats left the 3 pt shoots open, but with McKay now shouldnt we be avoiding such a style? I get why we would do this in the past couple of seasons but we are more than fine in the post department players wise, heck we have a guy in Edozie that barely plays that I wouldn't be concerned at all by him coming in because of foul trouble.

 

[Dingus]

I realize isu often protects the middle at the expense of allowing long range shots. However I think this was more true last season.

If you think this is the explanation I encourage you to watch the clips of Seldon's 3's; most are not the result of good help defense down low, and just the result of someone not rotating, losing their man, or being slow on a close out.

 

[madguy30]

I realize isu often protects the middle at the expense of allowing long range shots. However I think this was more true last season.

If you think this is the explanation I encourage you to watch the clips of Seldon's 3's; most are not the result of good help defense down low, and just the result of someone not rotating, losing their man, or being slow on a close out.

There were times the other night where the ball rotated over on a swing pass, and ISU's players stood down low and watched. Might have been just fatigue, but there was still nobody at least moving in the direction of the shooter.

 

[BigCojones]

Doc Sadler was a big loss for our defense. Our defense was noticeably better with him on the staff. Players new exactly where to be. Now, players are late to where they need to be all the time.

 

[Wesley]

I agree with the thought that we are protecting the middle/post and thats left the 3 pt shoots open, but with McKay now shouldnt we be avoiding such a style? I get why we would do this in the past couple of seasons but we are more than fine in the post department players wise, heck we have a guy in Edozie that barely plays that I wouldn't be concerned at all by him coming in because of foul trouble.

McKay started out by swatting at everything. Then he was not in position to rebound. The last two games he has been more picky swatting and his rebounding has improved. He can get better on defense.

 

[kucyclone]

Doc Sadler was a big loss for our defense. Our defense was noticeably better with him on the staff. Players new exactly where to be. Now, players are late to where they need to be all the time.

We were far from a stout defense when we had Doc:

ISU 2013-2014 AdjD, Doc on staff: 99.9 points allowed per 100 possessions
ISU 2014-2015 AdjD, post-Doc: 99.0 points allowed per 100 possessions

 

[mb7299]

Totally agree about McKay to start the season, he's really getting the hang of when and when not to jump he's getting better almost every game on Def to the point I don't see the need to double who is guarding in the post. I think we could start to put things together like we did late last year on Def if we quit worrying so much about shutting down the post area and foul trouble, we can easily go nine deep this year heck 10 if you count Custer for a few minutes there really isn't a need to play such a way.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

On your point about pace, ISU is 11th in the nation in tempo at 70.8 possessions per game.

The NCAA average is 65.2.

That's 5.6 extra defensive possessions ISU must play.

So say Texas shoots 18.5 3s per game, and they average 64.8 possessions per game. So 28.5% of their possessions end in 3 point attempts. They are shooting 33.2% this season, so that's an average of 6.1 made 3s per game.

Extend that to a game at ISU's average tempo. 70.8*.285*.332=6.7 made 3s per game.

So you are looking at essentially an extra .6 3 pointers made per game (.9 ppg) and 1.8 extra 3 pointers taken per game when looking at Texas specifically.


Personally, I think ISU has had some poor rotations to cover shooters this year, but a lot of the shooting success other teams are having is luck. Especially Texas. That game will absolutely skew our results a ton. Texas Tech as well. Kirk Haaland wrote a great article on them just making an absurd amount of jumpshots.

 

[allfourcy]

I think someone earlier mentioned alot of the doubling is due to protecting Georges. Wouldn't know if that's necessarily true. Not a knock on him at all, but I think he has tough matchups, often giving away alot of height, and quite frankly we can't give up easy 5 ft. buckets either, nor can we afford to get Georges in foul trouble. Wish I knew if we just aren't rotating right. Or is it like us when we're "on" offensively, if you share the ball and pass enough you can't help but get an open look eventually?

 

[wonkadog]

Doc Sadler was a big loss for our defense. Our defense was noticeably better with him on the staff. Players new exactly where to be. Now, players are late to where they need to be all the time.

Oh please. You honestly think that D-I basketball players don't know where they should be because they don't have a certain coach telling them?

 

[acgclone]

Oh please. You honestly think that D-I basketball players don't know where they should be because they don't have a certain coach telling them?

If it were as easy as you make it sound, Frank Martin and Bob Huggins wouldn't make $1.9m and $3m respectively.

 

[MartyFine]

It appears teams are shooting better against ISU than everyone else.

Before you get all bent out of shape, I do not attribute that to bad luck or anything else like that. But perhaps we should consider that, as a program, ISU is now getting the best shot that all these teams can deliver night in and night out. And that requires a lot more focus on little things from the players.

 

[HandSanitizer]

I was just saying this the other day...Someone said why do teams shoot so good against us? Like as in there is always some dude that doesn't typically score make 4 threes and has a career game.

Because its like mens league. you give a 37 year old a wide open look.....bang, bang.
you play defense on him and he sucks.

just leaving it at that.

 

[wonkadog]

If it were as easy as you make it sound, Frank Martin and Bob Huggins wouldn't make $1.9m and $3m respectively.

Don't think it's easy but losing one assistant coach isn't the sole reason that teams are shooting better from the outside against us.

 

[twocoach]

I agree with the thought that we are protecting the middle/post and thats left the 3 pt shoots open, but with McKay now shouldnt we be avoiding such a style? I get why we would do this in the past couple of seasons but we are more than fine in the post department players wise, heck we have a guy in Edozie that barely plays that I wouldn't be concerned at all by him coming in because of foul trouble.

Some of the ISU guards seem to be having a hard time trusting that McKay can handle things down there by himself and are crashing down to try to double or help out. Not sure if that is by design as coached or if they are just falling back to what they needed to do prior to McKay's arrival. There were several times in the last game where it looked like ISU guards were picking up unnecessary fouls helping down low or leaving their perimeter assignment when they should have just trusted that McKay could handle things down there. Especially when Hogue and McKay are in there together, there is no need for a guard to drop down to help. It's a tough habit to break when you're trying to fight to win.