We have the #1 DR% in the Big 12 in conference play.
For the year we are 72nd in the country. McKay is making a huge impact. And teams are so scared of our transition offense it helps our numbers.
Defense is the KEY
- Thread starter RagnarLothbrok
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We have the #1 DR% in the Big 12 in conference play.
For the year we are 72nd in the country. McKay is making a huge impact. And teams are so scared of our transition offense it helps our numbers.
It is pretty simple. Our defense and rebounding will need to be better if we want to make a run.
I am not certain it can be consistently good due to personnel, but it can be better. Teams will always hit shots against us since we lack length and physical players. We have to be an "save nothing" effort team on that end, which we should see in the NCAA.
I am not certain it can be consistently good due to personnel, but it can be better. Teams will always hit shots against us since we lack length and physical players. We have to be an "save nothing" effort team on that end, which we should see in the NCAA.
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Is that ISU specific? Every team has to improve major categories in order to make a run. You can nit pick any team, except maybe Kentucky.
There are only 3 teams ranked above our ranking of 72nd in DR% that are in the top 20 in pace. And half of that season is without McKay, our leader in DR% by a long way. It is inherently difficult to rebound defensively while playing with extreme pace.
And defense of course could be better, but ISU is able to make up for it with elite offense and certainly has shown ability to be very good defensively.
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No, there are several teams that don't have to improve in major categories. Hint: start with the teams that have a better chance at a run. When you are talking about making a run in March the standard is not based on the majority.
Is ISU able to make up for it on offense? On average against the majority of college basketball sure, but again that is not the case here. We will need more than great offense against good competition for 4 games or more. Each round is not a 5 game series and you do not get a pass due to inherent difficulties that come with pace.
I don't think we have seen our best ball yet, as we tend to ramp things up for March, but we have some inherent weaknesses that can lead to having more "off" games than many of the other teams with legitimate aspirations of a run.
Very true. Offensive superiority is our style of play, our "calling" card, so to speak. We need to make just enough stops on an opponent to survive and advance. But...
...this is also true. Defense is NOT only about "wanting it" or simply "being committed." SwarthmoreCy sees what I see; there are inherent weaknesses of this group, mainly size/bulk/length and quickness. Watch Virginia play an entire game and the differences will be obvious; their coach utilizes these capabilities and deploys a much different style of play as a result. We'll see how much more Fred can get out of his guys on the defensive side of the ball, but we have to take our style of pushing things offensively into the equation too.
All this means is that we need a little luck to make it far in the tourney, which I think a lot of us already knew.
We also seemed to play to our competition throughout the year - which probably had a negative impact on our stats.
We also seemed to play to our competition throughout the year - which probably had a negative impact on our stats.
I think if we score upper 50s or lower 60s in every second half we aren't going to need to worry about defense. Obviously we aren't going to do that in every game but if we come close to it watch out.
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One thing that is pretty important is realizing that Fred stressed getting out and running at all available opportunities more and more in Big 12 play. Self talked about it with his players but they didn't get it until after a game of giving up fast break baskets after made baskets in the first game. Teams won't get a second chance to face ISU in the dance. That could certainly help ISU especially when half of the teams will be facing ISU with only one day of prep.
IMO the the team has looked it's best on both ends when it's able to get after people on D.
And they've shown glimpses of being a decent defensive team.
I'm pretty sure I wrote at the be beginning of the season that with defense being a priority, 25 wins was possible. There's at least 4 losses that I think were wins with strong defense.
We'll see if it happens in a couple of weeks like it did vs. Notre Dame '13.
And they've shown glimpses of being a decent defensive team.
I'm pretty sure I wrote at the be beginning of the season that with defense being a priority, 25 wins was possible. There's at least 4 losses that I think were wins with strong defense.
We'll see if it happens in a couple of weeks like it did vs. Notre Dame '13.
Anyone have a link to this game? I want to see it again. Notre Dame was completely out matched in that one.
I agree- we are a load on the offensive end either way, but if you are also giving us easy baskets in transition, it is game over.
If we play good defense and play to our potential we could beat anyone, including uk. If we play our normal defense and have an off night we could lose in the round of 64. I think our biggest key is ball movement. Lets face it, were an average defensive team. Look at anytime isu is playing well, we are moving the ball side to side. When we are making 1 pass and then throwing up crappy shots is when you see us falling more and more behind.
I agree. I think it will be hard to win the Big 12 unless we play some better D. Every team knows each other so well.
But in the tourney, ISU's offense is an extremely hard match up, and there is less time to prepare for us. I am not as worried about defense in tourney, but FT are scaring the hell out of me. Would hate to see the reason for our exit being crap FT shooting during a key game.
It's simple, you need to have more points than the other team to win. You can do that by preventing the other team from scoring more than you or you just score more.
Clearly.
It's also simple that being good at both gives you a better chance come March at winning several games in a row against good teams. Offense is more prone to being fickle imo, particularly on neutral courts, than defense. We will not likely out-offense our way to where we would all like to go.
It is a long season and I think the program has an approach that respects that. In past seasons we have saved or played our best in March, and if it were not for horrible luck, we would have had even more success. If we get a similar increase in quality of play and this time couple it with good fortune, we can make a run.
Part of the problem with being a good offensive team and a poor defensive team is good offenses tend to have off nights shooting. Good defenses on the other hand rarely have off nights. A team has to be really good on offense or really lucky to string together enough good nights on that side of the ball to win a National Championship if their defense is average to poor.