Simple, shot 64.8% from the field, out rebound your opponent and turn it over 7 times against a time that depends on the transition game. VCU shot 29 3's not their game. One final thing St. Joe's had 19 assists on their 35 hoops.

Last edited by The Dome (3/13/2016 9:36 pm)

Good teams seem to be able to turn up the heat on defense when needed to take the opponent out of their offense, and change the course of the game.  This doesn't necessarily mean full-court pressure like Ron did, but could simply mean coming out and guarding the perimeter hard, picking up the ball  handler at half court, jumping the obvious passing lanes, etc.  Good teams get stops or create turnovers that way, but you need to have the athletes to do that or you'll get killed.  Ron had a few teams with the depth to play pressure defense much of the time, and yes, they still struggled against good teams with that strategy, but when he lacked depth he still preferred that style and it just wore the team out.  If you look at WVU, they can play that style, occasionally, but they have depth and size that Duquesne  had only one or two seasons under Ron.

levon1975 wrote:

Good teams seem to be able to turn up the heat on defense when needed to take the opponent out of their offense, and change the course of the game.  This doesn't necessarily mean full-court pressure like Ron did, but could simply mean coming out and guarding the perimeter hard, picking up the ball  handler at half court, jumping the obvious passing lanes, etc.  Good teams get stops or create turnovers that way, but you need to have the athletes to do that or you'll get killed.  .

One of the things that impressed me watching LaSalle in the final game was how effective they were at pressuring Micah and DC a long way from the basket. Constant traps, in your face pressure and double teams took the Dukes right out of their offense.
 

Levon, yes guys need to make plays, but I hope you are not buying into the "we lost JJones" excuse.  Yes he would have helped, but it wasn't like he was a difference maker that was going to take over if Micah and DC are taken out of the game by the opposition.  C'mon now, he is not Kobe!!  Hell, what about the St. Francis game that we eked out by 2 and he was playing and they are not good at all???!!!  I went (and left early) the Robert Morris game and we almost lost that as well, to a horrible Bobby Mo team, and he played a lot in that game until he got hurt.  Ferry likes to harp on losing JJones as crushing, but what I say is why after 4 years is JJones still starting in the first place??!!!  The reason is he hasn't gotten any better recruits!!  So in year 4 he is relying on 3 players, 2 of whom (DC and JJones) were recruited when he had a very short window to recruit.  JF's excuses are as stale as 3 week bread as far as I am concerned and certainly the lose of JJones shouldn't have prevented at least a couple of wins during the losing streak.  Hell, they beat the Bonnies at home without JJones and they beat La Salle, at least before the debacle in the tourney, along with St. Lou twice.  Poor execution, lack of talent/depth and certainly lack of any in-game adjustments to compensate for the other team's moves contributed as much if not more to our demise.  Anyway, I'm tired of beating a dead horse and I even more exhausted hearing Ferry's excuses.