Big Ten Geeks: Getting Defensive

[HawkeyeHypnosis]

Big Ten Geeks: Getting Defensive « Big Ten Network

From article:

Iowa, on the other hand, is allowing gobs of three-point attempts, and opponents are just missing them. Some of that is due to the lack of good interior options for the Hawkeyes’ opponents–Iowa’s interior defense is quite good, so opponents are likely stretching the definition of a good shot on the perimeter–but some of it is just dumb luck. The Hawkeyes have a fantastic offense, but I feel their defense just isn’t quite up to snuff to compete for a Big Ten title.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

For awhile, I was thinking it was maybe luck as well.

You know what makes a lot more sense? Tired legs. Even open shots are difficult when you have to haul a** to get back on defense every possession. It isn't luck, it's the tempo.

 

[DJL]

Big Ten Geeks: Getting Defensive « Big Ten Network

From article:

Iowa, on the other hand, is allowing gobs of three-point attempts, and opponents are just missing them. Some of that is due to the lack of good interior options for the Hawkeyes’ opponents–Iowa’s interior defense is quite good, so opponents are likely stretching the definition of a good shot on the perimeter–but some of it is just dumb luck. The Hawkeyes have a fantastic offense, but I feel their defense just isn’t quite up to snuff to compete for a Big Ten title.

Or maybe they are playing teams that like to put up the 3 ball like Villanova and Iowa State?

 

[SnapBack]

As far as 3pt %, of course some is luck, but Iowa's length (block and affect shots) contributes to their opponents poor shooting. The reason teams shoot so many could be a number of things including how many opponents normally shoot and Iowa being way ahead in quite a few games so naturally opponents will start chucking 3's. But Iowa doesn't have the on ball defenders that some other teams do (OSU), so they will give up a 25ft 3 all day. It's a low % shot, so let them have it. This is also why you will see Iowa in quite a bit of zone this year in the B1G.

 

[Lazersharpe]

Iowa has been playing a lot of zone and less man to man defense this year as well. Playing the zone defense stacks the box and forces teams to shoot from the outside.

 

[hawk2012]

I'm confused. Wasn't Iowa really solid in this department last year as well? I find it hard to believe that we have just been lucky for the past 50 games.

 

[wundergrape]

We've played 13 games. Good luck doesn't last over 13 games, with 13 different sets of players.

News flash: We run, and we're tall. It's tough to shoot over 6'9" players when you have spaghetti legs.

Stupid writers are stupid.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I'm also not buying the luck angle. We use our depth which gives is an advantage. We don't give up many open looks on the 3 point line. Those looks are generally contested. The open looks are often 2 feet behind the arc. When we don't get to good shooters they make their fair share...thus the numbers being what they are IMO.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Also from article:

Ohio State is doing a good job of limiting three-point attempts, which indicates that the Buckeyes aren’t giving up many open looks. This aligns well with what our eyes tell us about Ohio State’s perimeter defenders–Aaron Craft, Shannon Scott, and Lenzelle Smith might be the best defensive trio of guards in the nation. Even if opponents start to make a higher percentage of their threes, it’s not going to hurt the Buckeyes that badly, since they aren’t giving up that many open looks to begin with.


These 3 are good defenders. Another factor here is that Ohio State is far from scary inside. Teams are likely going to drive or feed the post more frequently...IMO.

 

[tm3308]

I'm confused. Wasn't Iowa really solid in this department last year as well? I find it hard to believe that we have just been lucky for the past 50 games.

This. The defense will be fine, especially now that Oglesby is back in the mix and gives us another solid perimeter defender.

 

[RocknRollface]

Iowa also plays at twice the pace of Osu (not literally but close). Hence their opponents have far more possesions, allot of which end up in poor 3 point attempts.

 

[Billso]

We've played 13 games. Good luck doesn't last over 13 games, with 13 different sets of players.

News flash: We run, and we're tall. It's tough to shoot over 6'9" players when you have spaghetti legs.

Stupid writers are stupid.

Ima go with wundergrape for the thread-winner.

 

[bcl20]

I could be convinced otherwise but judging a team's defensive ability based upon where a team shoots most of their shots (especially a team shooting from a spot far away from the basket) seems flawed to me.

 

[bcl20]

I am, however, okay with judging a team's offensive ability based upon how many assists they got vs Drake.

 

[DFaceHawkeye]

As far as 3pt %, of course some is luck, but Iowa's length (block and affect shots) contributes to their opponents poor shooting. The reason teams shoot so many could be a number of things including how many opponents normally shoot and Iowa being way ahead in quite a few games so naturally opponents will start chucking 3's. But Iowa doesn't have the on ball defenders that some other teams do (OSU), so they will give up a 25ft 3 all day. It's a low % shot, so let them have it. This is also why you will see Iowa in quite a bit of zone this year in the B1G.

The writer is correct that 3 point shots are a higher % shot than jumpers. Iowa doesn't just give them up. I'm sure that's not the plan. I listened to Stan Van Gundy this fall. Very knowledgeable about shooting percentage distribution. Teams don't want to give up shots from within 4-5 feet first, the next two best shots for the offense are corner threes and any other three (in that order). The idea would be to run them off the line but force a contested jumper outside of 5 feet, which happens to be the lowest % shot for the offense. The writer proposes this. I don't agree with him about it being luck, however.

 

[wundergrape]

Ima go with wundergrape for the thread-winner.

*tips cap*

 

[Johnnyhawkeye]

I'm not 100% sure but aren't we one of the top 10 teams in margin of victory? We give up more 3 point shots because we are blowing everybody out. Sounds like a bloated stat to me, guess we will see how it pans out starting on the 31st. GO HAWKS

 

[bcl20]

I don't care what the stats say on this (I honestly don't know what they say on this but I'm going to disagree anyways) there's a difference between a good three point shot and a shot you settle for.

 

[bcl20]

I mean, I'm sure that in general, three point shots are good and all that stuff said about made shots being about luck is true but there are going to be outliers (where teams actually do positive things to control made threes from the other team.) Iowa has a long streak of holding teams to low percentage on their threes. We're just doing things to defend the three. Length, up-tempo and forcing a lot more threes than teams usually make for a high percentage all have something to do with that.

 

[hawkfan33]

I'm not 100% sure but aren't we one of the top 10 teams in margin of victory? We give up more 3 point shots because we are blowing everybody out. Sounds like a bloated stat to me, guess we will see how it pans out starting on the 31st. GO HAWKS

Yep, he would have made a more compelling argument if he would have pulled out the numbers against top 100/top 150 opponents compared to the not so good teams we have played. I'm sure there's a difference in 3-pt shooting there, but if it was like 37% for top 150 teams and 20% for the rest it would have backed up his theory.