We Need Tougher Defense

[Groz]

Coach Pike was afraid before the year about our defense. It is a must for us to play tougher defense, especially against good teams. We have athletes that can do it, but for whatever reason they are not guarding close enough or having enough fire to play tough D.

Now that we have more guys that can put the ball in the hole, let's hope that we pick up the intensity on defense.

Best of Luck,
Groz

 

[bethlehemfan]

Coach Pike was afraid before the year about our defense. It is a must for us to play tougher defense, especially against good teams. We have athletes that can do it, but for whatever reason they are not guarding close enough or having enough fire to play tough D.

Now that we have more guys that can put the ball in the hole, let's hope that we pick up the intensity on defense.

Best of Luck,
Groz

I agree. The defense wasn’t good.

 

[JQRU91]

This was a reality check after the first two games. Free throws and defense must improve.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

I agree. Tbh were a soft team. Were a bunch of puppies, need more dogs. Im glad freemans gone but he was a tough guy. Corey was a tough dude as well. Were pretty soft and dont have bark or bite this year. Montez will eventually be a tough guy and great defender but need more with that mentality

 

[Caliknight]

The defense wasn’t great, but it was adequate. They made crazy shots all night. Next.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

There are some guys (plural) that have issues with fluidity and quickness on the perimeter defense and how they address their weakensss will depend on how much PT they get as the year goes on...and next year with two more perimeter players coming in

 

[Rutgers25]

A little disappointed in Kiss. He looked like a mid major player.

 

[winfield102]

They were on fire. Offensively, we got a ton of looks and just kept missing. I honestly thought we got more open looks than they did.

 

[bethlehemfan]

They were on fire. Offensively, we got a ton of looks and just kept missing. I honestly thought we got more open looks than they did.

Mmm no. Our shots were hurried and out of sync.

 

[bac2therac]

I think the one thing people can agree on is the defense isnt good right now...and the free throw shooting.

Just going to take time with the young guys to adjust to what they have to do. Tonight SJU was hitting shots whether they were covered or not covered

 

[toby83]

A little disappointed in Kiss. He looked like a mid major player.

Game looks too fast for Kiss

Had cple of real ugly 3-2 breaks in first half with Kiss, Harper, and Thiam looking like they never played with each other.

 

[bethlehemfan]

Game looks too fast for Kiss

Had cple of real ugly 3-2 breaks in first half with Kiss, Harper, and Thiam looking like they never played with each other.

i Think he’ll be fine. Step up in competition. He was a little bit jazzed. Just needs to calm down and play within himself

 

[bac2therac]

last year in his 2nd game Baker was just 1-7 fg against lowly Central Conn State...relax everybody.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Shack has it right. Pikiell may have to adjust the defensive philosophy.

Year 1 Mike Rice had similar issues and made it work. Mike Coburn couldn't stay in front of me defensively. The young team is going to have not allow any space on perimeter and be able to rotate properly when someone is beat off the dribble.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Kiss is fine on the offensive end.

 

[BigEastPhil]

Coach Pike was afraid before the year about our defense. It is a must for us to play tougher defense, especially against good teams. We have athletes that can do it, but for whatever reason they are not guarding close enough or having enough fire to play tough D.

Now that we have more guys that can put the ball in the hole, let's hope that we pick up the intensity on defense.

Best of Luck,
Groz[/QUOTE
gGroz is spot on. We played as if we were intimidated and we let them be too comfortable in our arena. Some times, and especially in a game like this, a tough physical hard foul is what is needed. Further St Johns defense was on top of us like bad breath and our defense gave them several feet of open space to create a shot. It was experienced tough upperclassmen tonight vs hinged erratic lower classmen tonight.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Plenty of things you can do to slow down a hot 3-point shooting team.. consecutive time outs.. slow it down and play half-court D.. some aggressive D with hardish fouls. . bring in a small team of backup players and tell them to go nuts on D.. give them 2 minutes of hell... You don't have to do it for the whole game..

All that said.. Pike knows these things.. but it is so early season that he just needs them to do what he prefers.. what plays to their strengths.. and the strengths he wants to develop.

How many teams are going to hit 50% from 3? We'll have to see how the year goes.. last year we have pretty good 3-point defense.. Pike knows what to so.

 

[BigEastPhil]

Coach Pike was afraid before the year about our defense. It is a must for us to play tougher defense, especially against good teams. We have athletes that can do it, but for whatever reason they are not guarding close enough or having enough fire to play tough D.

Now that we have more guys that can put the ball in the hole, let's hope that we pick up the intensity on defense.

Best of Luck,
Groz

Agree 100%. We lacked toughness; appeared we were intimidated and gave space to St Johns to score as they played bad breath suffocating defense on us.

 

[rufeelinit]

Not sure toughness is the issue but rather effort and aggressiveness. While we have length, we seem to lack quickness and foot speed particularly on the perimeter. Therefore, I think we were tentative in guarding the three point line due to concern about getting beat off the dribble. After SJU makes a few threes you need to pick your poison and hope there is help if you get beat or try a zone.

What I found more disturbing was the number of second chance opportunities we gave up, which were precious given how hot SJU was for most of the game. An occasional long rebound will happen, but when Heron shot and then ran to the basket to get his own rebound and put back, with three white shirts standing around him, that should have been an immediate timeout and scolding.

 

[zebnatto]

Agree 100%. We lacked toughness; appeared we were intimidated and gave space to St Johns to score as they played bad breath suffocating defense on us.

Thanks for the ticket, Phil.

 

[zebnatto]

Did we make any defensive adjustments at all? Especially in the second half, in iso situations their shooters were extremely comfortable, had our defenders on a yoyo, in schoolyard terms: the big kids toying with the little kids.

 

[kcg88]

IMO the looks St. John's was getting from 3 weren't materially better than we got.

 

[zebnatto]

IMO the looks St. John's was getting from 3 weren't materially better than we got.

Mostly agree, esp in half one when our jitters were palpable.

 

[Groz]

That's more like it. Eastern Michigan is not St. John's, but our intensity on D picked WAY UP this game. Tough total team Defense tonight.

Way to go RU.

Best of Luck,
Groz

 

[RutgersMO]

A little disappointed in Kiss. He looked like a mid major player.

Think Kiss it trying TOO hard. Once he gets into a rhythm think he'll be fine.

He's got hops / he's got a 3 pt. shot.

MO

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

There seem to be a concerted effort to not allow any space to perimeter shooters. Drivebys don't hurt nearly as much as open looks.

 

[rudad02]

This was a reality check after the first two games. Free throws and defense must improve.

Yes!