Uconn ball screen defense!

[UcMiami]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry, Gabby or Napheesa would supply lots of pressure on the ball to prevent the quick pick and roll, the guard would front the rolling post as they moved into the paint and if the ball was still on her side, would immediately switch to the off side big while Uconn's other 'big' would move to the ball side big. And then within seconds if Lou was anywhere in the neighborhood, she would switch down so it was Lou and Gabby/Napheesa in the post defense, and Gabby/Napheesa on ball pressure and Kia and Saniya back out to the guards. It was fast and seamless and it left no openings to attack in the paint or at the arc, especially with the ball handler being under serious pressure. And it led to a number of our steals.

And it is one reason that Crystal struggled - she is so small compared to Saniya and Kia that there is an easier over the top pass, and she gets a little confused on the switches to get her back outside. She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable, but the size is going to remain a liability. She actually plays better with Natalie on the floor because when Natalie is involved in a screen she hedges and recovers and leave Crystal on the guard.

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly, and last year even with Moriah being small she had enough leaping ability and length to be effective on those switches and fronting.

 

[Nuyoika]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry, Gabby or Napheesa would supply lots of pressure on the ball to prevent the quick pick and roll, the guard would front the rolling post as they moved into the paint and if the ball was still on her side, would immediately switch to the off side big while Uconn's other 'big' would move to the ball side big. And then within seconds if Lou was anywhere in the neighborhood, she would switch down so it was Lou and Gabby/Napheesa in the post defense, and Gabby/Napheesa on ball pressure and Kia and Saniya back out to the guards. It was fast and seamless and it left no openings to attack in the paint or at the arc, especially with the ball handler being under serious pressure. And it led to a number of our steals.

And it is one reason that Crystal struggled - she is so small compared to Saniya and Kia that there is an easier over the top pass, and she gets a little confused on the switches to get her back outside. She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable, but the size is going to remain a liability. She actually plays better with Natalie on the floor because when Natalie is involved in a screen she hedges and recovers and leave Crystal on the guard.

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly, and last year even with Moriah being small she had enough leaping ability and length to be effective on those switches and fronting.

I hope Baylor was watching... the really need to work on that... LIKE REALLY.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry. My gosh was it ever. Poor Oregon was overwhelmed. It was beautiful.

She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable ... She is no longer a freshman at this point in the season. It is something I have heard Geno say. She should not be confused in March. I hope she works hard as Gabby and Napheesa did during the off season. She needs to. The potential is there.

 

[Gus Mahler]

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly

This is one of the great aspects of last year's team: I don't think I have ever seen a team play switching man-to-man as well as that.

This team is pretty good at switching, too. Pretty artistic, when you think about it.

 

[Sonny44]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry, Gabby or Napheesa would supply lots of pressure on the ball to prevent the quick pick and roll, the guard would front the rolling post as they moved into the paint and if the ball was still on her side, would immediately switch to the off side big while Uconn's other 'big' would move to the ball side big. And then within seconds if Lou was anywhere in the neighborhood, she would switch down so it was Lou and Gabby/Napheesa in the post defense, and Gabby/Napheesa on ball pressure and Kia and Saniya back out to the guards. It was fast and seamless and it left no openings to attack in the paint or at the arc, especially with the ball handler being under serious pressure. And it led to a number of our steals.

And it is one reason that Crystal struggled - she is so small compared to Saniya and Kia that there is an easier over the top pass, and she gets a little confused on the switches to get her back outside. She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable, but the size is going to remain a liability. She actually plays better with Natalie on the floor because when Natalie is involved in a screen she hedges and recovers and leave Crystal on the guard.

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly, and last year even with Moriah being small she had enough leaping ability and length to be effective on those switches and fronting.

Certainly did notice. They've never seen a defense like ours.

 

[Sonny44]

I hope Baylor was watching... the really need to work on that... LIKE REALLY.

No, they just have to pick up a couple more six and a half footers.

 

[huskeynut]

The defense last night was text book! The switching works, in part, because of the similar size and physical skills of our players. Kia is 6', Pheesa is 6' 1', Gabby is 5' 11', Lou is 6' 3", and Saniya is 5' 8".

It makes it very difficult to run your offense when someone is in your face were ever you move. It also makes it extremely difficult to pass into the low post - there just are not any clear passing lanes.

Its called "40 minutes of dread - UCONN STYLE."

 

[oldude]

So the good news for MS St is that they made it to the 1st FF in the school's history.

And the bad news...they get to play the team that held them to 38 pts and beat them by 60 last year.

This year the Bulldogs should be better, around 30 pts better than last year.

 

[CMC'72]

It's not Basketball anymore...

It's Basketballet.

 

[UcMiami]

The defense last night was text book! The switching works, in part, because of the similar size and physical skills of our players. Kia is 6', Pheesa is 6' 1', Gabby is 5' 11', Lou is 6' 3", and Saniya is 5' 8".

It makes it very difficult to run your offense when someone is in your face were ever you move. It also makes it extremely difficult to pass into the low post - there just are not any clear passing lanes.

Its called "40 minutes of dread - UCONN STYLE."

And it is really hard to prepare for, because I don't think any other team in the country plays that defense - switching all five positions. It is one of the things that makes that first game against Uconn so hard - you get the switch on a ball screen usually and you have two mismatches - a guard trying to cover your 6'4" post and looking lost and a post player skating around the arc trying not to be embarrassed by a fast quick guard. You saw that with Baylor where you had Brown ending up trying to cover William - a full foot of height advantage being shown up by quickness. (Or, if they don't switch, you get the hedge and recover and your guard has that moment when she isn't being guarded by anyone and the rolling player isn't being guarded either and you exploit that.)

That basic fundamental part of almost every offense run, getting those mismatches and then exploiting them, or the confusion they engender is useless against Uconn - the thing that you have depended on for 30+ games and practiced for a 1000 hours made inoperable in an instant. You could see it clearly last night, Oregon running a screen and being confused because they had no advantage and running another and another and still being stifled.

 

[chrissaran]

This is not the same Mississippi St. team. They will be better. To go by last year's game has no relevance to this year's game. UCLA wasn't a great game for UConn. If they play that way against MSU, I don't think they will, then they could lose. MSU has size and quickness and plays tough D. UConn 89-65.

 

[Nuyoika]

No, they just have to pick up a couple more six and a half footers.

The strange thing is they were bad at it all year.... ALL YEAR. That is the dilemma though when you have a really talented team. You can be really bad at certain areas of the game and still win.... until you don't, which I why I love how Geno coaches. He doesn't miss the details. If you keep going under screens all year long and complaining they are moving screens... maybe you don't know what a screen is or what you are suppose to be doing. When I watched the Baylor WVU game I was actually quite shocked at how poor their positioning was. They were waiting until their defender caught the ball then putting a hand up and lunging... that is how I learned to play defense in the 5th grade it is no longer applicable with the advancement of the game... stats can be deceiving and coaches have to pay better attention to small things that cause a major problem on the big stage.

 

[Phil]

It's not Basketball anymore...

It's Basketballet.

As I walked out of the arena last like, one of the people with me said, "I'm not sure whether I just watched a basketball game or the ballet."

 

[CMC'72]

As I walked out of the arena last like, one of the people with me said, "I'm not sure whether I just watched a basketball game or the ballet."

I can see this term spreading like wildfire!

 

[JordyG]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry, Gabby or Napheesa would supply lots of pressure on the ball to prevent the quick pick and roll, the guard would front the rolling post as they moved into the paint and if the ball was still on her side, would immediately switch to the off side big while Uconn's other 'big' would move to the ball side big. And then within seconds if Lou was anywhere in the neighborhood, she would switch down so it was Lou and Gabby/Napheesa in the post defense, and Gabby/Napheesa on ball pressure and Kia and Saniya back out to the guards. It was fast and seamless and it left no openings to attack in the paint or at the arc, especially with the ball handler being under serious pressure. And it led to a number of our steals.

And it is one reason that Crystal struggled - she is so small compared to Saniya and Kia that there is an easier over the top pass, and she gets a little confused on the switches to get her back outside. She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable, but the size is going to remain a liability. She actually plays better with Natalie on the floor because when Natalie is involved in a screen she hedges and recovers and leave Crystal on the guard.

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly, and last year even with Moriah being small she had enough leaping ability and length to be effective on those switches and fronting.

I noted that somewhat during the game thread. The difference in the Syracuse game was their guards were patient enough to get to the third level switch on their penetration and took advantage without trying to pass their way out of it.

 

[UcMiami]

I noted that somewhat during the game thread. The difference in the Syracuse game was their guards were patient enough to get to the third level switch on their penetration and took advantage without trying to pass their way out of it.

They also had faster guards than Oregon and a lot more experienced.

 

[Bigboote]

I noticed the same thing last night that UcMiami has very eloquently said. They just looked so good last night. But I've noticed all year how Pheesa or Gabby will switch off the big, and Saniya will be down low guarding someone who might be 8" taller than her, and she's right in there denying the big her position. And is successful more often than not.

 

[Dougie]

I was watching the switching on ball screens out top with bigs, and it was just poetry, Gabby or Napheesa would supply lots of pressure on the ball to prevent the quick pick and roll, the guard would front the rolling post as they moved into the paint and if the ball was still on her side, would immediately switch to the off side big while Uconn's other 'big' would move to the ball side big. And then within seconds if Lou was anywhere in the neighborhood, she would switch down so it was Lou and Gabby/Napheesa in the post defense, and Gabby/Napheesa on ball pressure and Kia and Saniya back out to the guards. It was fast and seamless and it left no openings to attack in the paint or at the arc, especially with the ball handler being under serious pressure. And it led to a number of our steals.

And it is one reason that Crystal struggled - she is so small compared to Saniya and Kia that there is an easier over the top pass, and she gets a little confused on the switches to get her back outside. She is a freshman so the confusion is understandable, but the size is going to remain a liability. She actually plays better with Natalie on the floor because when Natalie is involved in a screen she hedges and recovers and leave Crystal on the guard.

This is nothing new in Uconn defense, but i don't think I have every seen it run so smoothly, and last year even with Moriah being small she had enough leaping ability and length to be effective on those switches and fronting.

Good post. Geno learned long ago (and has taught his teams ever since) that there are two ways to win. You either score more points than your opponent or you make sure that they score fewer points than you. In other words, defense is as important as offense.

As fans, defense isn't as sexy as offense but UCONN fans appreciate the emphasis that Geno puts on it. Thanks for the good breakdown UcMiami.

 

[Papa33]

Good post. Geno learned long ago (and has taught his teams ever since) that there are two ways to win. You either score more points than your opponent or you make sure that they score fewer points than you. In other words, defense is as important as offense.

As fans, defense isn't as sexy as offense . . . ./QUOTE]

That last statement is probably true for the vast majority of roundball fans— witness the delirium that attends "thunderous" dunks in the men's game— but also truly noted that UConn women's team fans, especially those on this forum, definitely do find defense spellbinding. For a uniquely revealing perspective, sit about halfway up in a section on a baseline and watch the show of slides and shifts, and listen to the talking and calling from there. THAT is a show!