Will the full court press become the new trend this year?

[huskeynut]

I'm sure there will be some ranked teams that may try to copy what tOSU did to UConn last year. I don't see it being successful.

All the reasons why have been mention. UConn has too much talent and team speed.

tOSU got the perfect storm of a tired, short handed UConn team with their big post player in foul trouble. Do not see a repeat of that this season.

 

[JellyBean]

I would hope that we press more this year. Whatever version the press Coach Auriemma decides to go with, I think we have the personnel to create a lot of chaos out there. The key will be will if coach decides if they are going to be committed to pressing fullcourt and aggressively. A lot of coaches will say they like to press but when the opponent scores a few buckets in transition, they call the press off. I think with this group we have now with the speed, quickness, shooters who can create space, the overall talent, and the length of the players, we could press and create some chaos out there. We should want to create an aggressive mindset on both ends of the floor.

As for other teams pressing us? Great question. Not every team will have the personnel to press, aggressively. Some will probably try if they have the bodies. I know Vic Schafer (Texas) likes to have his team in that fullcourt press mindset so that they are being aggressive on both ends of the floor. Maryland did a passive fullcourt press and Ines handled that pressure well.

If teams press us, we just have to be aggressive and finish. That Ohio State game, we just could not finish. We left layups short. Pull up jumpers long or short. We threw the ball into the stands or off player's feet. Basically, Ohio State was out there creating chaos and we helped. If our players are going to beat the press with the dribble, they need to be aggressive and finish either with the layup, pullup, or 3-Ball.

 

[Rowdy831]

Last year everyone saw UConn succumb to the full court press used by Ohio State.
Do you think that employing a full court press against UConn will become the new trend this year?

Also, during the European tour it seemed that UConn was working on employing some type of full court press.
It didn't seem to create too much pressure as it resembled more of an umbrella defense by an NFL team at times.
But nonetheless, I think we all expect UConn to polish its execution & to use it more often then in recent years probably as a result of the Ohio State game.
Considering that UConn will be using it more, it would make sense that other teams will also be using it against UConn as well in an attempt to slow down UConn's offense.
Will UConn be able to handle the pressure of the full court press as well as we can dish it out?
Do you agree that other teams using the press against UConn will become a trend this year?
Do you have any concerns about UConn's ability to handle the pressure of other teams using the press?

Other teams using the press could affect our game plan & our substitutions to some degree.
Only the better opponents with more depth will probably try to do it.
Hopefully it doesn't cause more fouls by UConn players & rushed or haphazard play.
But it will cause more fatigue & the need for more substitutions.

The short answer is no. Uconn had several players last year that struggled to catch a pass in traffic which contributed but the big issue was they didn't attack the press when they did break it and they didn't hit any wide open shots early. Any team that thinks that will work will be down by a lot this year before they realize the game started.

 

[JellyBean]

Yeah, not many teams can press or have the desire to press in order to create a run & gun style of play. Years ago, I got to study and watch Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball program practice under Doug Porter "The System" over two summers. They would press you off makes and misses. Field goal or free throws, it did not matter. With UConn having D1 level players, you would think that they would press like that but again, it all depends on the coach and their style of play and wanting to press to create an attack mindset.

As for the ball handling abilities of the players. It helps but again the press is designed to get you into playing fast and reckless. If our players are blowing past the defenders and missing shots, the press is working because it is speeding up the game. Now it just becomes which team is in better shape and who can make shots. We will see what develops over the next few months.

 

[Steelerone]

I think with the guard play we establish this year the formula will be as follows - You press, we pass and score.

 

[Alydar]

Geno, in an interview, was asked about the full court press and he said that it was ineffective against any top level team. He should have added "any top team that has more than one healthy guard".
I'm sure UConn will use a press but what I expect to see against elite teams is aggressive pressure defense. Teams get 16 non-shooting fouls a game and when you have guard depth like UConn's, in-your-face defense can disrupt an offense and wear down the guards being defended.

 

[SEbluebood]

Interesting combination of rehashed excuses for the OSU loss and hubris about this year’s team. What happened to the “Just win games” mojo? Hope the BY isn’t jinxing the Huskies!

 

[hoophuskee]

Interesting combination of rehashed excuses for the OSU loss and hubris about this year’s team. What happened to the “Just win games” mojo? Hope the BY isn’t jinxing the Huskies!

What does this even mean? You realize a national media report has UCONN as number 2 presason so if there is some hubris it's normal, right? Your constant negative attitude is pretty abnormal for a team that has won 11 titles and had been to 14 straight final fours. Your mocking others is really wierd for a program as so great as UCONN has been.

 

[JellyBean]

I think with the guard play we establish this year the formula will be as follows - You press, we pass and score.

I hope so. If we have (and I believe we do) the players with tight handles and they can catch and finish, we could have a run and gun type of program. They would be aggressive on both ends of the floor.

 

[DefenseBB]

So an interesting tangent to this discussion was, while at the US Open in NY on Wednesda, I was wearing my Husky logo hat when a US Open worker came up to me asked “Is that a UConn hat”, which of course I said yes, to which he asked, “why does Geno press so much when he’s up by 40, that is not good sportsmanship“. When I tried to reply that UConn hasn’t “pressed“ regularly since 2016 and when they had Moriah Jefferson, he Started arguing with me they always pressand I tried to remain rational by saying “that’s simply not true as they haven’t had the depth of guards and too many injuries to press”. He then states “You’re wrong”, which I then counter, “actually, I’m not as I am a season ticker holder and go to 12-14 games a year” but I did add “THIS YEAR, he will press as he will have guard depth and with luck, they will play hard and again win by 40!”..at that point he walked away disgusted and I had a huge smile on my face…

 

[TCC Kid]

The lesson of Ohio State has been well learned... and drilled into all
14 team players and staff. History will not repeat itself and it
will not even rhyme!!

Ohio State used it well. But In Paige's introduction of BIG TIME BB, Arizona with a sharp shooting guard, Pressed and doubled anyone with the ball.
Great/effective presses require the right personnel. Quick, fast, intense. Uconn shall see it. The flip side of doing the press is, avoiding the press--i.e. defeating the press. I'm not sure Uconn has the personnel--that doesn't mean they don't have, I just haven't seen them pressed this season, yet.
I'm sky high on this total team. I don't think Geno has had this much energy and talent on one team ever. He's had some greats, but not 4 or 5 of them. Except for Edwards---good talent that is tall is limited on this team, I hope I'm terribly WRONG.

 

[TCC Kid]

I hope so. If we have (and I believe we do) the players with tight handles and they can catch and finish, we could have a run and gun type of program. They would be aggressive on both ends of the floor.

Run and gun--doesn't that take a certain amount of "controlling the board"?? Do you see this team being effective in that?

 

[TCC Kid]

The press was effective because we were a depleted and physically tired team. That won't be the case this year.

I hope you are right. But, I'm crossing fingers. If this team moves the ball with the energy/speed accuracy of the European Tour--look out.

 

[Steelerone]

I truly believe that any team that attempts to do what Ohio State did last year will find out that was an aberration, and their full court press will go no further than the first quarter.