UConn's "Multiple Defense" Strategy

[Boreifs]

No need to get cocky IrishTiger. The Irish are defending national champions and they are loaded. UConn will be lucky to stay within 30 in South Bend...

It will be really interesting to see the Massey predicted score later this week. I can virtually guarantee it won’t be ND by 30! ND’s defensive metrics so far are not exemplary and UConn can score!

 

[Twolf]

That’s true, but they do have the capability of switching on all screens, with some decent size to protect against the roll and great quickness to defend the pop. Moreover, as the color guy pointed out (he was good!) Crystal almost never gets screened, which effectively takes away both options whenever someone tries to take her on the bounce. It virtually forces the opposing team to use a secondary ball handler or go into a flex-type offense, which most teams can’t effectively run. The best option for an opponent would seem to be running an offense through a low post, which ND will certainly attempt. Against a zone, though, good luck!

While you are correct that UConn can switch all screens, that might be true with the starting five, but what about when they sub? My point is that maybe you’re switching 1 thru 5 with the starting lineup, but Liv or Irwin aren’t capable of that so now you’re not switching when their man is involved. Casual fans underestimate the value of having intelligent players who remember everything in the scout, and adapt on the fly when your team or the opponent subs. Switching defenses is effective unless you have a player who confuses your own team instead of the opponent. Maybe you’re switching all ball screens, but switching none of the screens away from the ball. Two things that make all these defensive schemes effective are the intelligence of your players, and how well they communicate with each other. All of this takes a great deal of quality practice, and a great deal of discipline. UConn is fortunate to have a coach who is a master of teaching both of those. If you remember in the Purdue game CW got her tail feathers singed pretty brutally by the head coach for not handling a switch the correct way.

 

[Boreifs]

While you are correct that UConn can switch all screens, that might be true with the starting five, but what about when they sub? My point is that maybe you’re switching 1 thru 5 with the starting lineup, but Liv or Irwin aren’t capable of that so now you’re not switching when their man is involved. Casual fans underestimate the value of having intelligent players who remember everything in the scout, and adapt on the fly when your team or the opponent subs. Switching defenses is effective unless you have a player who confuses your own team instead of the opponent. Maybe you’re switching all ball screens, but switching none of the screens away from the ball. Two things that make all these defensive schemes effective are the intelligence of your players, and how well they communicate with each other. All of this takes a great deal of quality practice, and a great deal of discipline. UConn is fortunate to have a coach who is a master of teaching both of those. If you remember in the Purdue game CW got her tail feathers singed pretty brutally by the head coach for not handling a switch the correct way.

You are correct. Geno has already articulated that he sees his subs this year as quick blows rather than integrated forces. I’m guessing he plays a lot of zone with a sub in the floor, with some movement into man when a particularly dangerous adversary cuts through (ie. What he did on Saturday). Kyla gets time because she is a very intelligent player; Olivia will get time because she needs to be developed. The jury is still out on Combs.

 

[JonathanXIV]

While you are correct that UConn can switch all screens, that might be true with the starting five, but what about when they sub? My point is that maybe you’re switching 1 thru 5 with the starting lineup, but Liv or Irwin aren’t capable of that so now you’re not switching when their man is involved. Casual fans underestimate the value of having intelligent players who remember everything in the scout, and adapt on the fly when your team or the opponent subs. Switching defenses is effective unless you have a player who confuses your own team instead of the opponent. Maybe you’re switching all ball screens, but switching none of the screens away from the ball. Two things that make all these defensive schemes effective are the intelligence of your players, and how well they communicate with each other. All of this takes a great deal of quality practice, and a great deal of discipline. UConn is fortunate to have a coach who is a master of teaching both of those. If you remember in the Purdue game CW got her tail feathers singed pretty brutally by the head coach for not handling a switch the correct way.

Another factor that allows for switching on screens is players that are largely interchangeable on defense. Except for Crystal, who does a terrific job not getting caught in screens, the rest of the starting five is largely interchangeable. The "bigs" are quick enough to stay with most players, and the smaller players are strong enough to hold their own with other teams bigs.

 

[huskeynut]

Yes focus all your attention on Arike. Please UCONN do that I’m begging You Geno Please Just focus on Arike. That way Jackie or Bri or Jess or even Marina could go off.

Guess what - Geno is already steps ahead of you. He knows what every ND player is capable of as does the entire staff. Unless a lot has changed with ND, Arike's style of going one-on-one when it gets tight will show up. She is a volume shooter and her game hasn't changed at all.

 

[oldude]

There is one additional advantage of playing multiple defenses that manifests itself before the game ever starts. There is a practical limit to the amount of time players and coaches have to prepare for each opponent.

It’s hard enough to prepare to defend UConn’s offense. Now teams are faced with the challenge of preparing to attack multiple defenses as well. There is only so much practice time in a day. Opposing coaches are faced with the difficult challenge of preparing for everything while maintaining a high level of execution at both ends of the court.

 

[IrishTiger]

No need to get cocky IrishTiger. The Irish are defending national champions and they are loaded. UConn will be lucky to stay within 30 in South Bend...

I’m not being Cocky. Heck if You think me saying what I’m saying is Cocky then You need to go look at the definition of Cocky because I didn’t guarantee a thing and if You saw what I responded to. You’d see why I said that.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes focus all your attention on Arike. Please UCONN do that I’m begging You Geno Please Just focus on Arike. That way Jackie or Bri or Jess or even Marina could go off.

 

[oldude]

I’m not being Cocky. Heck if You think me saying what I’m saying is Cocky then You need to go look at the definition of Cocky because I didn’t guarantee a thing and if You saw what I responded to. You’d see why I said that.

IT, I guess you’re not acquainted with my good friend SARCASM. Evidently, the emoji I closed my post with is not doing a particularly good job of conveying a tongue and cheek response.

I know you’re not guaranteeing anything. I was simply having some fun. By the way, I don’t really believe ND will beat UConn by 30+.

 

[Bama fan]

IT, I guess you’re not acquainted with my good friend SARCASM. Evidently, the emoji I closed my post with is not doing a particularly good job of conveying a tongue and cheek response.

I know you’re not guaranteeing anything. I was simply having some fun. By the way, I don’t really believe ND will beat UConn by 30+.

Try the . Or maybe,as per your post in another thread, you could try dat vas joke, or make your own acronym, DVJ. At least until the MODS consider my proposal!

 

[oldude]

Try the . Or maybe,as per your post in another thread, you could try dat vas joke, or make your own acronym, DVJ. At least until the MODS consider my proposal!

I appreciate your suggestions, but I’m not sure any will work. There seems to be an exceptionally elevated level of tension here on the BY. It must be the holidays....

 

[Bama fan]

I appreciate your suggestions, but I’m not sure any will work. There seems to be an exceptionally elevated level of tension here on the BY. It must be the holidays....

I believe that it is more a sign of the times. If one has to take offense, it means it wasn't given!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It will be really interesting to see the Massey predicted score later this week. I can virtually guarantee it won’t be ND by 30! ND’s defensive metrics so far are not exemplary and UConn can score!

Uconn by 4 (79-75) with 61% win probability sayeth Massey today. May be too early in the year to spew out reliable metrics.

Massey Ratings Matchup Tool

 

[meyers7]

It will be really interesting to see the Massey predicted score later this week. I can virtually guarantee it won’t be ND by 30! ND’s defensive metrics so far are not exemplary and UConn can score!

You don't have to wait.

UCONN - 77-75.

 

[IrishTiger]

IT, I guess you’re not acquainted with my good friend SARCASM. Evidently, the emoji I closed my post with is not doing a particularly good job of conveying a tongue and cheek response.

I know you’re not guaranteeing anything. I was simply having some fun. By the way, I don’t really believe ND will beat UConn by 30+.

I can not always tell when someone is being sarcastic in real life. So on the internet it can be even harder and nah I don’t think ND will win by 30 either I think it’ll be close even tho I’d love for ND to win by 30 I don’t see that happening.

 

[boontonbomber]

Everyone who’s ever played basketball gets beaten off the dribble on occasion. UConn does a better job than most stopping dribble penetration by on-ball defenders moving their feet and off-ball defenders rotating to help.

What UConn does not have, since the graduation of Stewie, is a rim protector. Z never quite became one last year and I think it’s going to take Liv a year or so to learn how to use her length and athleticism to become one.

We just see it differently. I've not thought UConn's defenders have had particularly quick feet in awhile. I certainly don't agree that they're better than most in stopping penetration. Some of their most difficult games have been against teams with quick guards(St. Johns ,ND) who were good at penetrating. At the same time, UConn , until Williams showed up this year, has had a dearth of those kinds of players, except for a couple of point guards. Perhaps mixing up defenses will help, since Samuelson, Collier, and Walker are continuing examples, in my mind, of UConn defenders without quick feet. The penetrators have often caused UConn to get into foul trouble, something, once again, they can ill afford let happen.

 

[oldude]

we just see it differently. I've not thought UConn's defenders have had particularly quick feet in awhile. I certainly don't agree that they're better than most in stopping penetration. some of their most difficult games have been against teams with quick guards(St. Johns a few times) who were good at penetrating. at the same time, UConn , until Williams showed up this year, has had a dearth of those kinds of players, except for a couple of point guards. perhaps mixing up defenses will help, since Samuelson, Collier, and Walker are continuing examples, in my mind, of UConn defenders without quick feet.

So you don’t think Gabby and Kia were particularly good man defenders? If so, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association that awarded each of them the past two NDPOY’s might disagree.

 

[boontonbomber]

So you don’t think Gabby and Kia were particularly good man defenders? If so, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association that awarded each of them the past two NDPOY’s might disagree.

I was speaking about UConn's inability as a team to stop penetration. Mentioning two NDPOY doesn't change my opinion. Kia and Gabby were "gamblers" on defense. Gabby was so quick that she could recover, and not get beaten. Kia was not as quick, and got beaten more than I would have expected a DPOY to have gotten beaten. Obviously, both good defenders, but UConn still was vulnerable to penetration even with them on the floor. I'm just saying that , over the years, the kinds of teams that caused them great problems defensively were those with quick, penetrating guards. So it's about time that the coaches have, perhaps, come up with something to reduce penetration.

 

[oldude]

I was speaking about UConn's inability as a team to stop penetration. Mentioning two NDPOY doesn't change my opinion. Kia and Gabby were "gamblers" on defense. Gabby was so quick that she could recover, and not get beaten. Kia was not as quick, and got beaten more than I would have expected a DPOY to have gotten beaten. Obviously, both good defenders, but UConn still was vulnerable to penetration even with them on the floor. I'm just saying that , over the years, the kinds of teams that caused them great problems defensively were those with quick, penetrating guards. So it's about time that the coaches have, perhaps, come up with something to reduce penetration.

Again, quick guards cause trouble for everyone, not just UConn. With that in mind, can you think of any team that has played better man defense than UConn over the past few years?

 

[boontonbomber]

There may not be any, but

Again, quick guards cause trouble for everyone, not just UConn. With that in mind, can you think of any team that has played better man defense than UConn over the past few years?

And again, I have been referring only to their inability to limit penetration, not their overall defense, which, obviously has been good over the years. Seems to me that a team as good as they have been defensively should have figured out a way to limit penetration better. I think that's certainly something that good coaching can do, and they have not. Maybe what they're doing now will help. We just don't agree on this; nothing more to be said.