Last night was just like we have seen all season (actually pretty well every season). All the opposing team needs to do is have one of their good outside shooters just go in the corner outside the 3 point line and just stand there, don't even attemt tpo move around. Our defense will sag in towards the middle and forget about him, the other team passes it around a bit then passes to the player standing in the corner without anyone within 12 feet of him for a wide open 3. This usually happens at least 4 or 5 times per game. I just don't understand how you can get burned so many times without understanding what is happening and changing your approach!
Why is it so hard to learn to play defense?
- Thread starter verlandj
- Start date
dahlhawk
Well-Known Member
It's called having really fast point guards in this league, who many by the way can shoot the three, so you have to play them close. Once they beat their man they draw the help defense in to protect the rim leading to a kick out to a wide open shooter, basketball 101.
Fran as reported on the board a few times has not been able to recruit that type of player.
Fran as reported on the board a few times has not been able to recruit that type of player.
1980HAWKFAN
Well-Known Member
Fran has a tough decision to make in the upcoming games if looks at his personal objectively. Last night Perkins showed he could play defense and keep people in front of him. Jbo showed once again he's going to struggle defensively with most Big Ten guards. So if your Fran what do you do.....play Jbo because he's earned it over his career or go with a younger guy who clearly is a better defender. I realize Jbo can heat up quick and hit shots but what I've seen lately teams have him figured out. Get in his space and hound him with really no worries about him going to the rack. I also think it hurts that CJ isn't in the lineup. I would have Jbo on a short rope in the next few games. If he's getting shots and hitting them great. If opposing guards are just blowing by him got to sit him for better defense especially if he's getting zero on the offensive end. Joe T could also be called on for better D but I was impressed with Perkins abilities last night.
A few plays that stick out in my mind from last night. One was where they left Frazer wide open in the corner. Nunge decided to box out instead of making a lame half assed attempt to close out, which I liked. He boxed his man out well but still didn't get the rebound. They scored right after.
Another one was where Joe T shot a layup that sat on the rim forever and then fell off. Had it fallen off sooner, Patrick would have had a putback. That was really bad luck.
The 3rd was another Nunge failed rebound. The last one. Just a horrible effort by him. That rebound gets made by a D1 player 99 times out of 100.
Another one was where Joe T shot a layup that sat on the rim forever and then fell off. Had it fallen off sooner, Patrick would have had a putback. That was really bad luck.
The 3rd was another Nunge failed rebound. The last one. Just a horrible effort by him. That rebound gets made by a D1 player 99 times out of 100.
They also really need to change that goaltending rule. It's like in football when they call a player down and replay showed he fumbled. They used to just say sorry about your luck if the defense recovered. Then they wised up and changed the rule to where they give you the recovery if it was not affected by the whistle. That putback by Wieskamp was not affected by the whistle. Bad rule that needs changed.
HaydenHawk56
Well-Known Member
Not sure where this was stated, but again I believe former players have said Fran rarely practices defense in practice.
chucktownhawk
Well-Known Member
If this is true, then we will struggle. On another thread I made the point of the games we have left on the road, I'm not confident. But hey kenpom still has us #4. Who fucking cares about that shit. I watched Jbo get beat. I watched Nunge weak ass attempt at rebounding, JT losing control. If that kid did more to try and finish instead of always looking for Luka, I feel that will help this team. I realize we have some young kids and the future looks bright, but this fucking college basketball. Move your damn feet and box out. Defense will give you W's. Without it, you're going to get beat by 5 points and allow a kid averaging 5 points to light you up for 20. Clamp down Fran for fucks sake
thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
Nunge played Very Well while Luka sat on the bench twiddling his thumbs courtesy of the vile zebras
He was especially dominate on D, he surgically dominated COCKburn in the paint on D and retrieved a precious rebound or two in the meantime
onward and upward
we will not be undefeated the rest of the way in the Big
and will Win most of the remaining games
this is a Top Ten team, undoubtedly, while playing in the Big Ten Valley of Death
it's All Good
enjoy the Ride, Lads
He was especially dominate on D, he surgically dominated COCKburn in the paint on D and retrieved a precious rebound or two in the meantime
onward and upward
we will not be undefeated the rest of the way in the Big
and will Win most of the remaining games
this is a Top Ten team, undoubtedly, while playing in the Big Ten Valley of Death
it's All Good
enjoy the Ride, Lads
Last edited:
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
Defense isn’t going to be Fran’s priority. Just like offense will never be Virginia’s priority. They frequently lose games because they don’t score enough. It’s not going to change despite the dozens of annual threads on the subject. We will have some decent defensive teams when the personnel are right...the next 3 years look promising.
We’re alone in 3rd and tied for 2nd in the loss column. Time to win some games with the #1 offense and stay within striking distance of Michigan.
We’re alone in 3rd and tied for 2nd in the loss column. Time to win some games with the #1 offense and stay within striking distance of Michigan.
earlkoppelman
Well-Known Member
Ok.Fair Enough.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
Nunge printed Spalding on the foreheads of a couple of IL bigs. And, he is essentially a freshman. Who are the other back up bigs in the BT?Just asking, I don’t know.
Last edited:
Yet another thread assuming our offense would stay just as good if we stopped working on it as much to try to improve defense. In my opinion, I'd rather be 12-6 with the best offense in the nation and a below average defense than be 12-6 with a good offense and average defense. I can see how the latter could be less frustrating for some fans. But I feel like the former is better for the future of thw program.
trj
Well-Known Member
Not sure if Virginia is a great example or a bad example. Only #1 to lose to a #16 for the very reason you just cited. Or you can flip it and say Virginia won a National Title because they played insane defense. Can Iowa be lights out on offense like that, not so much to win a National Title, but a Big Ten Title?
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Most good teams don’t focus on just one item or the other, this complaint about Fran has always boggled my mind. We’ve been routinely ranked in or around the top 25 since Fran got things going here, he likely doesn’t have to focus on just one thing. I would imagine this is the case at like an overwhelming amount of programs in the country.
thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
The Hawks played good enough to win the game.
That miracle throw late in the first while avoiding falling out of bounds and having JoeW's tipbin not count were crucial.
The referees stole the game and handed it to the Illini. Luka only played about half of the game, and after the second foul, he was seriously playing at a disadvantage on D.
He had to back off and when his teammates helped out, that left their quick snipers open for threes or a drive to the basket.
A fair and reasonably called game and we would have won.
Thing is that this season in the Big, the zebras have been letting the teams play on without calling very many fouls.
Indiana getting 35 free throws to our 21 was a disgrace. The Hawks play a clean hard game.
That miracle throw late in the first while avoiding falling out of bounds and having JoeW's tipbin not count were crucial.
The referees stole the game and handed it to the Illini. Luka only played about half of the game, and after the second foul, he was seriously playing at a disadvantage on D.
He had to back off and when his teammates helped out, that left their quick snipers open for threes or a drive to the basket.
A fair and reasonably called game and we would have won.
Thing is that this season in the Big, the zebras have been letting the teams play on without calling very many fouls.
Indiana getting 35 free throws to our 21 was a disgrace. The Hawks play a clean hard game.
I'm far from an expert, but it is just so incredibly frustrating to watch our defense get burned so many times and giving up so many easy uncontested shots to players that aren't even in any kind of motion. We try to run similar plays in out offense but very rarely do we get uncontested shots, if we do it would be once only, not multiple times every game.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Eric Curry at Minnesota, who has been there longer than northern pike in White Bear Lake.
Georgi B at Illinois
That big 7'4 dude at Purdue, Zack Edey.
Cliff Omoruyi at Rutgers.
Just to name a few.
Luftgekuehlt67
Well-Known Member
I'm not an expert, but I've both played and watched a ton of basketball in my life. Like, a lot.
Basketball is very much a skill sport. If you take 5 random players, you are going find 5 different distinct skill sets. Sometimes, wildly different skill sets. Even if you narrow that to 5 guards or 5 forwards or whatever, you're still going to get quite a variation in skill sets. Players that are true "5 tool" guys (to borrow a baseball term) exist, but are hard to come by - this goes for you coaching your kid's peewee team to Phil Jackson coaching the Lakers. The name of the coaching game (and, in the pros, the GM game) is identifying players that blend well together and fit what you feel confident teaching/running as a coach. "Just find/recruit/sign players who are really good on both ends" isn't really an option. If the NBA ever drops the salary cap, the Lakers or another well-off team might make a run at it. The Dream Team might have come close back in the day, but even they had guys who were there as stoppers, scorers, etc.
That's a long winded way of saying Fran is identifying, recruiting, and playing guys who can score. Defense is a nice bonus, but offense is prioritized. If you are a player who is stronger defensively than offensively, you're going to be further down in the rotation at Iowa than you would find yourself at, say, Virginia.
If you want to see (or demand) great D, Fran's teams are going to drive you nuts. What you're seeing is very intentional and by design. It's no different than walking into Kinnick hoping to see Iowa blitzing 80% of the time or throwing 50 pass attempts. The program has intentionally worked for literally years to be something completely different than that.
Basketball is very much a skill sport. If you take 5 random players, you are going find 5 different distinct skill sets. Sometimes, wildly different skill sets. Even if you narrow that to 5 guards or 5 forwards or whatever, you're still going to get quite a variation in skill sets. Players that are true "5 tool" guys (to borrow a baseball term) exist, but are hard to come by - this goes for you coaching your kid's peewee team to Phil Jackson coaching the Lakers. The name of the coaching game (and, in the pros, the GM game) is identifying players that blend well together and fit what you feel confident teaching/running as a coach. "Just find/recruit/sign players who are really good on both ends" isn't really an option. If the NBA ever drops the salary cap, the Lakers or another well-off team might make a run at it. The Dream Team might have come close back in the day, but even they had guys who were there as stoppers, scorers, etc.
That's a long winded way of saying Fran is identifying, recruiting, and playing guys who can score. Defense is a nice bonus, but offense is prioritized. If you are a player who is stronger defensively than offensively, you're going to be further down in the rotation at Iowa than you would find yourself at, say, Virginia.
If you want to see (or demand) great D, Fran's teams are going to drive you nuts. What you're seeing is very intentional and by design. It's no different than walking into Kinnick hoping to see Iowa blitzing 80% of the time or throwing 50 pass attempts. The program has intentionally worked for literally years to be something completely different than that.
