Three point defense and what Kiah has to do with it.

[UcMiami]

I have been thinking about this for a few games and was watching it more tonight:

The reason we are giving up more open looks and a higher percentage of threes made this year over last year is because of our post defense! Our perimeter defenders are cheating down a lot more to help defensively in the post this year than we have in a very long time. As good as Tuck and Stewart are, they are not great post defenders against stronger and or taller post players. When we struggled in post defense last year we had Kiah coming in off the bench for 18 minutes of playing time and she didn't need help. This year with Natalie being injured and only slowly making her way into the line-up we have had no post defender off the bench, and so no chance to maintain decent defense down low when either Tuck or Stewart need a rest, and no reenforcement when they are not getting it done. So guards and wings are cheating down, losing defensive contact with the perimeter players.

The first two months of this season is the first time Stewart and Tuck have had to shoulder the whole burden of that post defense for the team - they had Kiah and Kiah and Stef in previous years.

Hopefully as Natalie builds confidence and stamina, she can begin to replace what we lost with Kiah.

 

[Topdawg]

I have been thinking about this for a few games and was watching it more tonight:

The reason we are giving up more open looks and a higher percentage of threes made this year over last year is because of our post defense! Our perimeter defenders are cheating down a lot more to help defensively in the post this year than we have in a very long time. As good as Tuck and Stewart are, they are not great post defenders against stronger and or taller post players. When we struggled in post defense last year we had Kiah coming in off the bench for 18 minutes of playing time and she didn't need help. This year with Natalie being injured and only slowly making her way into the line-up we have had no post defender off the bench, and so no chance to maintain decent defense down low when either Tuck or Stewart need a rest, and no reenforcement when they are not getting it done. So guards and wings are cheating down, losing defensive contact with the perimeter players.

The first two months of this season is the first time Stewart and Tuck have had to shoulder the whole burden of that post defense for the team - they had Kiah and Kiah and Stef in previous years.

Hopefully as Natalie builds confidence and stamina, she can begin to replace what we lost with Kiah.

Reasonable hypothesis. However, I have seen Stewie defending the perimeter quite a bit I have to look at the games again to see if the data support your story.

 

[Boreifs]

I haven't seen anything in the games that would support this hypothesis. In fact, I'm hard pressed to remember even one play all year where an opposing post player kicked it out because of a double team.

 

[DaddyChoc]

gambling, team defense, help side, double down.... pick your poison

 

[UcMiami]

I haven't seen anything in the games that would support this hypothesis. In fact, I'm hard pressed to remember even one play all year where an opposing post player kicked it out because of a double team.

Its not just post players but players driving into the ten foot area and our wings and guard cheating down to provide help or try to prevent entry passes as well - it only takes a step or two away from the three point line for a defender to not be able to get back. The central defense has definitely not been as strong, and there are more defenders cheating off the arc.

 

[huskyd]

Its not just post players but players driving into the ten foot area and our wings and guard cheating down to provide help or try to prevent entry passes as well - it only takes a step or two away from the three point line for a defender to not be able to get back. The central defense has definitely not been as strong, and there are more defenders cheating off the arc.

This is a good observation. What I also see is that a significant number of 3's scored against UConn come in transition. Even if the Huskies get back, they are moving toward the basket, and a pull-up trey is usually open. Don't you have the feeling that when teams play UConn, they almost never miss their prayers? I usually close my eyes whenever an opponent is shooting from long distance--even if that opponent has never made a 3 before, you just know it's going in . . .

 

[MattF]

To my mind, the three point shooters on opposing teams--ND, to name one--seem to have releases which are so much quicker than I've witnessed in prior years. Amazingly fast step-backs way beyond the arc, etc. KLM had a quick release but relied also on fast-breaks and ball-movement to get her spacing and time to set. I'm including the European and South American players in the speedy release category. This makes guarding them so incredibly difficult. By the time you realize they're going to shoot a three, they've already shot it.