Defense and the Elite 8

This feels like a captain obvious segment. The saying Defense wins championships is not new.
Then why keep a coach that doesn't coach defense? Right? If this is "captain obvious" territory...why in the ever loving f*** would you pay a coach 2 million dollars to coach your team in a way that will never produce a championship? It makes no sense!
 
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What I realized today is how important it is to control tempo/pace. Beard realized early he could not get into a track meet with Zaga, even though they were trading baskets..

I think some of these coaches get obsessed with getting possessions and shots that they lose sight of what kind of team they have. I think Fran is one of those guys; however, I was encouraged by what I saw in the two tournament games. In both games he made the adjustment to slow tempo and to work for shots.
 
Then why keep a coach that doesn't coach defense? Right? If this is "captain obvious" territory...why in the ever loving f*** would you pay a coach 2 million dollars to coach your team in a way that will never produce a championship? It makes no sense!

Well I don't pay any coaches. Neither does anyone on this board, so I'm still lost as to your point.
 
I'm happy to let him be lost. Sometimes it's best not to wake those types up.


Don't pay any attention to this classic cheap shot artist, lightning, he is a mere sissy who thinks he is a bad ass, however, he is simply a delusional annoyance who thinks he is dangerous, a hornet or a wasp, however, he is merely a vermin-like pest, a flea or a mosquito or actually a fly who subsists on human waste

He has been a minor bother to me for a while, and I have been giving him the benefit of a doubt, but it is time to give the punk his just deserts


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Fran needs a major overhaul of his assistant coaches. Fran may not be a great coach, but those two games he was suspended the team looked beyond terrible and his assistants looked clueless. They obviously aren't helping with defense and recruiting so why are they there??
There were just as many games where the team looked terrible with him on the bench. He’s not King with three minions running around giggling doing nothing.
 
Scoring defense ranking for all Elite 8 teams. Teams advancing to the Final Four in bold.
Virginia - #1
Texas tech - #3

Kentucky - #29
Gonzaga - #31
Michigan State - #34
Purdue - #45
Duke - #69
Auburn - #93
If you want to get serious about deep runs in the NCAA tournament, you better play defense.
Looks like there’s a bunch of teams missing starting with #2 all the way to #92. How does a #93 ranked defense make a deep run to the elite eight if defense is the end all/be all.
 
Looks like there’s a bunch of teams missing starting with #2 all the way to #92. How does a #93 ranked defense make a deep run to the elite eight if defense is the end all/be all.


I am a believer in defense, but not scoring defense. It is a lot deeper than how many points you allow. I am not an expert on analytics, but I need some more advance stats than points allowed.
 
I am a believer in defense, but not scoring defense. It is a lot deeper than how many points you allow. I am not an expert on analytics, but I need some more advance stats than points allowed.
Scoring defense/FG % defense
Virginia - #1/#5
Texas tech - #3/#2

Kentucky - #29/19/#
Gonzaga - #31/#7
Michigan State - #34/#3
Purdue - #45/#60
Duke - #69/#15
Auburn - #93/#163
 
I am a believer in defense, but not scoring defense. It is a lot deeper than how many points you allow. I am not an expert on analytics, but I need some more advance stats than points allowed.

Here is the true mark of a defensive team. Points per possession.

#1 Texas Tech
#5 Gonzaga
#6 Virginia
#8 Duke
#17 Michigan St
#27 Kentucky
#84 Auburn
#111 Purdue

Here is the rest of the Sweet 16

#3 Michigan
#4 Houston
#14 Oregon
#23 Florida St
#31 Virginia Tech
#34 North Carolina
#99 Tennessee
#131 LSU

For comparison Iowa is #205. Lowest rated in the B1G.

Looks like unless you have a ridiculously athletic team (LSU, Tennessee, Auburn) or have a superstar in the backcourt (Purdue) you better play great defense.
 
Here is the true mark of a defensive team. Points per possession.

#1 Texas Tech
#5 Gonzaga
#6 Virginia
#8 Duke
#17 Michigan St
#27 Kentucky
#84 Auburn
#111 Purdue

Here is the rest of the Sweet 16

#3 Michigan
#4 Houston
#14 Oregon
#23 Florida St
#31 Virginia Tech
#34 North Carolina
#99 Tennessee
#131 LSU

For comparison Iowa is #205. Lowest rated in the B1G.

Looks like unless you have a ridiculously athletic team (LSU, Tennessee, Auburn) or have a superstar in the backcourt (Purdue) you better play great defense.


That's fair. But the points you are allowing means nothing.
 
Scoring defense/FG % defense
Virginia - #1/#5
Texas tech - #3/#2

Kentucky - #29/19/#
Gonzaga - #31/#7
Michigan State - #34/#3
Purdue - #45/#60
Duke - #69/#15
Auburn - #93/#163


Basketball has become about shooting the 3 and defending the 3.

shooting the 3:

Virginia #8
T. tech #67
Kentucky #98
Zaga #77
Mich. St. #21
Purdue #44
Duke #329
Auburn #14
Iowa #73

defending the 3:

Virginia #3
T tech #9
Kentucky #180
zaga #20
Mich. St. #31
Purdue #168
Duke #15
Auburn #208
Iowa #68

@DDThompson point is correct there are other variables at play here. Virginia and Ttech making shots was just as important as them defending them. Virginia had great on-the-ball defenders and they had no answer for Edwards. If they were missing shots yesterday they were going home. Btw, Duke's likely downfall...... the inability to shoot the 3.
 
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Basketball has become about shooting the 3 and defending the 3.

shooting the 3:

Virginia #8
T. tech #67
Kentucky #98
Zaga #77
Mich. St. #21
Purdue #44
Duke #329
Auburn #14
Iowa #73

defending the 3:

Virginia #3
T tech #9
Kentucky #180
zaga #20
Mich. St. #31
Purdue #168
Duke #15
Auburn #208
Iowa #68

@DDThompson point is correct there are other variables at play here. Virginia and Ttech making shots was just as important as them defending them. Virginia had great on-the-ball defenders and they had no answer for Edwards. If they were missing shots yesterday they were going home. Btw, Duke's likely downfall...... the inability to shoot the 3.
He's not the only one that thinks it's all about offense. Gutless Gary and Boob Bowelsby thought the same thing. No Sweet 16 appearances for 21 years now. I guess I'll let those dummies continue to sleep and everyone else gets to watch teams that play defense, advance in the tournament.
 
He's not the only one that thinks it's all about offense. Gutless Gary and Boob Bowelsby thought the same thing. No Sweet 16 appearances for 21 years now. I guess I'll let those dummies continue to sleep and everyone else gets to watch teams that play defense, advance in the tournament.


I think Fran had an epiphany in terms of tempo/pace with this year's tournament. I thought he made all the right adjustments, we will see how that translate moving forward.
 
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Just think if Iowa had a PG like Harper.. OH MY!!


I know we have some on this site who think our Backcourt is just fine and I don’t need to name on who they are, because we all know. We need a PG VERY BADLY!!!!
 
I think Fran had an epiphany in terms of tempo/pace with this year's tournament. I thought he made all the right adjustments, we will see how that translate moving forward.
It's always a good idea to play to the strength of your roster.
 
Just think if Iowa had a PG like Harper.. OH MY!!


I know we have some on this site who think our Backcourt is just fine and I don’t need to name on who they are, because we all know. We need a PG VERY BADLY!!!!

I have been saying it for two seasons. I would love to have JBo as #1 shooting guard, JWeiskamp as the #3 type small forward with Moss backing up the #2 and #3 spots, a really good PG playing for 34+ minutes, rotate Nunge and Garza, and rotate cook and pemsl.

When the pt guard is resting Connor or JBo are at the point or another player.
 

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