Defense

TXFlyerFan · #1 03-10-2017, 08:25 PM

In 5 of the last 6 games, we've given up the following:

Gibbs - 34
Cavanaugh - 30
Cox - 23
Aldridge 27/Gibbs 27
Adams - 35

That's not a recipe for winning. Note that it encompasses both bigs and guards. What the heck has happened to our D?

CT Flyer · #2 03-10-2017, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by TXFlyerFan

In 5 of the last 6 games, we've given up the following:

Gibbs - 34
Cavanaugh - 30
Cox - 23
Aldridge 27/Gibbs 27
Adams - 35

That's not a recipe for winning. Note that it encompasses both bigs and guards. What the heck has happened to our D?

Was thinking the same thing.

Smitty10 · #3 03-10-2017, 08:33 PM

The bigs I understand. The others has puzzled me forever. Mainly it's guys lighting it up from 3 point range. And it seems that at least half of them are with a hand in their face. Over the past few seasons we've all said that teams seem to shoot out of their minds(and their past performances) from 3 against us, but it's really been ridiculous lately.

Maybe the issue is we give them too many unguarded 3s to start the game, they get their confidence and then it doesn't stop, even when we do guard them.

TXFlyerFan · #4 03-10-2017, 08:45 PM

One thing I've noticed watching UD games is when other teams hedge our guards, we seem to get pushed further away from the basket. When our guys hedge, they rarely seem to push the opponent further away from the basket.

Ready Action · #5 03-10-2017, 08:56 PM

The team does not have the make up to play great D the full 40. We all know that D is more a mentality rather than ability as any D1 athlete has the ability to play great D. Clearly key players are told in the first half of the game to watch their fouls. The evil eye in the sky (film) does not lie and every opposing coach knows to attack this team in the first half as they are foul cautious. Hence a hole is dug and the Flyers in the second half attempt to turn up the D and over come.

ruechalgrin · #6 03-10-2017, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Ready Action

The team does not have the make up to play great D the full 40. We all know that D is more a mentality rather than ability as any D1 athlete has the ability to play great D. Clearly key players are told in the first half of the game to watch their fouls. The evil eye in the sky (film) does not lie and every opposing coach knows to attack this team in the first half as they are foul cautious. Hence a hole is dug and the Flyers in the second half attempt to turn up the D and over come.

This is a crazy statement. Dayton was the 9th best defense in the country up until about 10 games ago. They have played poor defense recently, but to say "the team does not have the make up to play great D the full 40" is a lie. How did they become the 9th best defense in the country after 20 games by not playing a full 40.

Let's stop the baseless statements.

TommyGola · #7 03-10-2017, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by TXFlyerFan

One thing I've noticed watching UD games is when other teams hedge our guards, we seem to get pushed further away from the basket. When our guys hedge, they rarely seem to push the opponent further away from the basket.

Absolutely superb point, Tex! Literally, you have made one of the best defensive comments of the season. The net effect of that is when the "switch back" occurs the offensive players (both the hedged guard typically and the offensive player whose defender left to hedge) are left closer to the basket. This creates all kinds of defensive problems. First, it gives the hedged offensive guard a split-second opportunity to shoot an open shot when the switch or switch-back occurs. Secondly, it typically leaves the offensive forward or center a closer shot or a short lane to the bucket if indeed they can put the ball on the floor. That's why so many bigs light it up from the three-range or the baseline on us. Thirdly, it gives both the offensive forward/center an opportunity to "burn the hedge" with a quick cut to the bucket, leaving a quick offensive big man an easy cut to the hoop. Norwood University is a master of this, sad to say! Sound familiar? Tex, your point is so "spot on" and highlights precisely one of the deficiencies of our hedging. Good hedging teams, and I it again it makes me literally puke to say this, like Xavier, use the hedging forward or center to drive the guard 35 or 40 feet from the bucket, at which point they have virtually no three-ball opportunity or no quick lane to the bucket. The Flyers' hedgers leave the offensive guard and forward/center closer to the bucket, and you have seen the last several games the outcome of such. How many times in the last two games have we been burned by GW and Davidson with quick cuts to the bucket for an easy bucket? Many times! I think hedging is a fine defensive move, but that hedging defender must drive that offensive guard far from the bucket to be successful. Furthermore, the defending guard must either stop the floating pass to the cutting big man or rely on a teammate to rotate and stop the pass or cutter. Right now, the way we are hedging plays right into the hands of the offensive team...it leaves both guards and big men an opportunity for a high percentage shot or an open lane to the bucket via penetration or a floating pass. I invite all Priders to watch the last two games and you will see precisely what Tex is saying - our ineffective hedging is killing us. Are our defenders too tired to hedge properly? Are they poorly trained in the art? Or do they simply lack the determination to carry out an effective hedge? The bottom line is this, and Tex is exactly right - we leave players open too close to the bucket, or alternatively, a free lane to the bucket.

312to937 · #8 03-11-2017, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Ready Action

The team does not have the make up to play great D the full 40. We all know that D is more a mentality rather than ability as any D1 athlete has the ability to play great D. Clearly key players are told in the first half of the game to watch their fouls. The evil eye in the sky (film) does not lie and every opposing coach knows to attack this team in the first half as they are foul cautious. Hence a hole is dug and the Flyers in the second half attempt to turn up the D and over come.

Interesting take and I think you might be right. They do seem to play tentative on D in the first half and Archie makes a ton of substitutions - especially as soon as a guy picks up a foul or two. In the second half they play aggressively and don't substitute nearly as much.

How many guys have we had foul out this year anyway? Seems to be very rare.

It's one loss and you're done now so you go for it. Especially when you are the underdog.

UD90 · #9 03-11-2017, 09:43 AM

Both defense and opponent talent.

Gibbs - 1st team A10
Cavanaugh - 2nd Team A10
Cox - All Defensive Team A10
Aldridge - 2nd Team A10
Adams - 1st team A10

The Moe Allie Cox bothers me the most because it was mostly positioning. You can't let a big body like that get position under the bucket.

jack72 · #10 03-11-2017, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Ready Action

The team does not have the make up to play great D the full 40. We all know that D is more a mentality rather than ability as any D1 athlete has the ability to play great D. Clearly key players are told in the first half of the game to watch their fouls. The evil eye in the sky (film) does not lie and every opposing coach knows to attack this team in the first half as they are foul cautious. Hence a hole is dug and the Flyers in the second half attempt to turn up the D and over come.

I partially agree with you. It is much easier to play lackadaisical defense when you have a big eraser on the back side to make up for you mistakes, like last year with Steve. We do not have that luxury, so every guy has to play hard every play, but we have done that most of the time.

The only guy I saw backing off in the first half was Williams when he had to rotate to stop a driver to the basket. Who knows if that was the coaches or just Williams scared of fouling, since he had to sit some recently.