UConn Now #2 In Nation in FG% Defense

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I have noticed that teams have been consistently shooting crap percentages against UConn, which is now #3 in the nation behind only San Diego State and Michigan State:

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/149

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

According to this article previewing tonight's game, UConn has now jumped to #2 in the nation in FG% defense. This article indicates that UConn has not held opponents to under 37% FG shooting (now at 36.7% FGs against) since the 1958-59 season, which is a long time ago when my father was still a student at UConn (he would have been a junior that year):

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020216aaa.html

My only complaint is we are not seeing this great defense translate into as much transition offense as we as fans would like to see. This is partly due to the poor finishing skills of the guards in transition, and I also think it's partly due to poor outlet passing at times that has screwed up transition ops. UConn must improve in these areas and if the team does, some of the halfcourt woes will not be so apparent.

I think Memphis will shut down the transition ops but if you all recall Memphis killed UConn inside in the first game, and with Brimah back I am hoping Shaq Goodwin will not look like Shaq O'Neal as he did in the first game.

 

[Silk31]

Yea I was at that 1st Memphis game and Shaq ate Nolan and Facey for dinner. Brimah back will change that real quick.

To think back to me sitting in MSG during the 1st half vs Maryland earlier this year as I watched guards get beat repeatedly off the dribble and no big man help rotations and wondering whether or not this was the worst defensive UConn team in recent memory. They certainly did a 180 from those early season struggles.

Believe or not but Brimah's injury sparked the defensive clamp down. No longer could they rely on the big man's presence to bail them out on their mistakes. The team responded with some great all around team defense and now that AB is back, I expect our D to become even stronger than what it has been.

The home stretch begins tonight - we NEED this one on the road and it will all start with our defense

 

[UConnFamily]

Defensive efficiency rankings:

1. Valparaiso 89.1
2. Texas a&m 89.2
3. San Diego st 89.6
4. Louisville 89.7
5. UConn 90.4

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn is also 10th in the nation in FT shooting at 76.1% as a team, this despite Purvis's horrendous 58.6% (which does represent some modest improvement, but not enough to overtake Taliek Brown's career numbers):

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/150

 

[UConnFamily]

Up to #2 in the nation for defensive efficiency after last night's performance

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

The second half last night was a vintage UConn defensive performance, because they were not only playing good D but generating offense off of the D going the other way. The team has started to contest the passing lanes, and when that happens there will be a lot of tipped balls and then fastbreaks going the other way. Memphis was struggling to run controlled offense in the second half, and their guards were simply not good enough to be able to handle the defensive pressure UConn applied in the halfcourt. At some point in that second half Memphis lost their will to run offense, and the result was 4-16 FGs for the entire second half, 25% FGs and really the only offense they got was on the FT line.

A lot of people are complaining about the refs but UConn was playing a very aggressive defense, there were borderline calls (a lot) and those will often go the way of the home team, but it really doesn't bother me too much because it's a sign of defensive intensity and aggression more than anything else.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I have updated the thread title as UConn is now #2 in the nation in FG% defense and #9 in the nation in FT shooting. 2 very good categories to be top 10 in.