Defense and rebounding

[zappaa]

We can talk about improved offense all we want, but the above is how we win games.
When we’re in one of our famous runs where we hold the opposition to no points for 7 or 8 minutes, but we can’t score either.
You should listen to Coach Pike in the huddle... he won’t mention the word offensive, “keep doing what you’re doing, the points will come”
Coach Knight or Coach Hobbs will occasionally get in their ear about offense.
It’s fascinating to hear.

 

[BigRnj]

I agree... with emphasis on offensive rebounding as well. Boiling it down to basics the opponent has a lot to overcome if you limit their chances to score and increase your own.

 

[LOU-RU85]

No doubt defense will be our calling card again this year. We should be a top 10 defense again and add that we have a legitimate shot blocker and you have something. Lots to be excited about for this year. Expectations will be very high.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

On paper we should be even better with 40 minutes of Myles Johnson (assuming Cliff can duplicate what myles does).

How much does our defense get "amplified" by the home crowd?

 

[kcg88]

There's a decent chance that we're the hardest team in the Big Ten to score a two-point bucket against this season.

Last year we were third behind Michigan State and Illinois. Sparty loses Xavier Tillman and is replacing him with a freshman and Marcus Bingham. Their length and speed at every other position should keep them afloat, but they won't lead the conference.

Then it's use vs. Illinois. Kofi Cockburn is obviously really effing huge, so that's a problem. But if Cliff Omoruyi is a defensive upgrade over Shaq Carter, which I think he should be, then we can improve enough to pass them.

Minnesota was 4th and brings in a 7-footer with a ridiculous block rate at Drake to replace Oturu, but the Big Ten is a different level of competition. Wisconsin was 5th and has no obvious reason for improvement. Maryland (6th) loses Stix Smith, Michigan (7th) loses Jon Teske, though they have a 7-2 freshman to replace him, and Purdue (8th) loses Matt Haarms.

 

[FrankZ]

I still love watching the 3-ball go in. That will never change.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Zap, this has nothing to do with this thread, but years ago there was a really good high school pitcher from New Jersey named Willie Banks. Did you ever face him in the majors?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Willie Banks made his MLB debut in 1991. Zap’s last game was in 1987

 

[Degaz-RU]

No doubt defense will be our calling card again this year. We should be a top 10 defense again and add that we have a legitimate shot blocker and you have something. Lots to be excited about for this year. Expectations will be very high.

Correction, we have THREE legitimate shot blockers in Myles, Cliff, and Harper. Very underrated aspect of Ron's game, and there's a reason he was named as pre-season defensive POY in the B1G. He had 25 blocks last year, which was 2nd on the team behind Myles (who had 47). Ron also had 25 steals, which tied for 4th on the team (the top three guys had 31, 31, and 30, so the steals were pretty spread out).

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Thanks Greene

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Thanks Greene

He did play with Rafael Belliard and Charlie Kerfeld