The two best defensive teams will meet in the 2019 NCAA National Championship game – but don’t sleep on Texas Tech or Virginia’s offense. Final Four Team Breakdowns: Texas Tech | Virginia This year’s championship game brings together two opponents with similar offensive philosophies. Both Texas Tech and Virginia will play a majority of the game…
Final Four Preview: Virginia Brings Elite Efficiency on Both Sides of the Ball
Head Coach Tony Bennett has Virginia in the Final Four behind the clear concepts that power the Cavaliers offense and defense. Final Four Team Previews: Texas Tech | Michigan State | Auburn Even though the Virginia Cavaliers spent the entire season near the top of the polls, they were probably the #1 seed that was…
Final Four Preview: Michigan State’s Championship Identity
An analysis of the culture that defines Michigan State, which has led to another Final Four trip. Plus, some top plays to look for. Final Four Team Previews: Texas Tech | Virginia | Auburn When people mention the Michigan State Spartans basketball program, the first person that comes to mind is Head Coach Tom Izzo.…
Final Four Preview: Auburn Combine’s Explosive Offense with Pressure Defense
Here’s how the Auburn Tigers expose opponents on both ends of the floor. Will they continue to do so in the Final Four? Final Four Team Previews: Texas Tech | Virginia | Michigan State Giant killers. That is what the Auburn Tigers have been during their 2019 NCAA Tournament run. The SEC program took down the top…
Final Four Preview: Texas Tech Defense Puts Opponents on Red Alert
A look into the defensive principles and philosophies behind 3-seed Texas Tech’s impressive run to the Final Four. Final Four Team Previews: Auburn | Virginia | Michigan State Going into this year’s tournament, it was the Virginia Cavaliers’ defense that had everyone talking. But heading into college basketball’s final weekend, all the chatter is about…
Auburn Tigers – Transition Threes
The Auburn Tigers (28-9, #5 Midwest Region) high-powered offensive attack is propelled by transition threes. Let’s look at how they manufacture them. The Auburn Tigers love the three-point shot. The Tigers are sixteenth in the nation in three-point percentage, shooting 38.2% from behind the line. Auburn’s 11.5 three-pointers made per game is tops in the…
NCAA Tournament: Mid-Major Teams Poised to Make Noise
Which mid-major team will bust brackets in this year’s NCAA Tournament? Here’s a look at four candidates poised to pull off upsets. One of my favorite things about the NCAA tournament is seeing how smaller programs stack up against schools from the power conferences. Mid-major teams don’t often get the same publicity as their much larger opponents, but each year…
Baylor Bears Zone Offense
Preview: The Baylor Bears (#9, West Region) will face the Syracuse Orange (#8, West Region) and their vaunted 2-3 Zone in the first round of NCAA play. In general, #8 versus #9 matchups offer intrigue in NCAA first round play. They feature evenly matched teams who had similar seasons and the winner gets a shot at…
Ball Screen Defense: Analyzing Effective Methods
Experimenting with a new ball screen defense in addition to your primary strategy could have huge benefits for your team. What is your team’s primary method for defending a ball screen? I recently asked that question via Twitter poll. What is your team’s primary method for defending a ball screen? (If vote is “other,” please specify.)…
The Throw & Go Handoff
The “Throw & Go” handoff can be an effective two-player action for creating an advantage. Simply put, a throw & go handoff is when a player, typically a guard, passes to another player, typically a big, on the perimeter and chases their pass for a handoff. The guard throws a pass and goes immediately into a handoff…