2025-26 vs 2023-24 - Defense

[PSAL_Hoops]

At face value, the data screams that paying for front court players like Cliff, Mag, and yeah, even Hyatt would be worth every penny of the cost. The difference between what we have now and what ended up being a nationally 5th ranked defense most certainly lies in the front court.

Because despite what GUnit might like to believe Derek Simpson sure wasn’t making up for GG being clueless or Noah being slow. J Mike was a frosh then and played plenty. The different isn’t the perimeter D in the backcourt… no way.

Going player by player - it feels like our D shouldn’t be as bad as it is. Thoughts?

 

[goru7]

At face value, the data screams that paying for front court players like Cliff, Mag, and yeah, even Hyatt would be worth every penny of the cost. The difference between what we have now and what ended up being a nationally 5th ranked defense most certainly lies in the front court.

Because despite what GUnit might like to believe Derek Simpson sure wasn’t making up for GG being clueless or Noah being slow. J Mike was a frosh then and played plenty. The different isn’t the perimeter D in the backcourt… no way.

Going player by player - it feels like our D shouldn’t be as bad as it is. Thoughts?

Earlier in the year , Manny actually looked more mobile and was swatting shots and becoming our rim protector. That has vanished for some reason . Pike always had a rim protector until last year. Not having one that covers up so many defensive lapses by our guards is costly. JMike has not progressed to be an elite defender and he is mediocre at best . Could not guard Thornton nor Lin so far on the restart. Do think Powers and Buchanan and Dorsch have good defensive skills. Dylan has been disappointing defensively but Pike making it worse staying him for long stretches and hurting our offense. Lino and Zrno are serviceable and each has to play their role offensively . They all have to rebound as we are being killed by second chance points which hurts the defensive ratings.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Earlier in the year , Manny actually looked more mobile and was swatting shots and becoming our rim protector. That has vanished for some reason . Pike always had a rim protector until last year. Not having one that covers up so many defensive lapses by our guards is costly. JMike has not progressed to be an elite defender and he is mediocre at best . Could not guard Thornton nor Lin so far on the restart. Do think Powers and Buchanan and Dorsch have good defensive skills. Dylan has been disappointing defensively but Pike making it worse staying him for long stretches and hurting our offense. Lino and Zrno are serviceable and each has to play their role offensively . They all have to rebound as we are being killed by second chance points which hurts the defensive ratings.

Honestly - on a whole the offense, currently ranked 179th, has been just about as good as anyone could’ve hoped for realistically. We only produced the 151st best offense with a roster including Cam Spencer, Cliff, Hyatt, Caleb, Mag, etc.

The defensive metrics are way worse though than any Pike team since his first one - including last year’s D. I think the unfavorable defensive ratings are a little inflated by the rate that opponents have made their 3s against us at. Thank goodness Penn went 5 for 21 against us, but I don’t think it was that we d anything different on D, for example. They just missed more open looks than other teams did. It seems to me that teams rarely miss open outside shots against us but when I watch other games they are missed more often. An element of chance…. I don’t know. It’s just doesn’t seem like the disparity between the two teams (even factoring in Cliff) should be such a big gap - top 5 vs 142nd ranked.

 

[bac2therac]

Honestly - on a whole the offense, currently ranked 179th, has been just about as good as anyone could’ve hoped for realistically. We only produced the 151st best offense with a roster including Cam Spencer, Cliff, Hyatt, Caleb, Mag, etc.

The defensive metrics are way worse though than any Pike team since his first one - including last year’s D. I think the unfavorable defensive ratings are a little inflated by the rate that opponents have made their 3s against us at. Thank goodness Penn went 5 for 21 against us, but I don’t think it was that we d anything different on D, for example. They just missed more open looks than other teams did. It seems to me that teams rarely miss open outside shots against us but when I watch other games they are missed more often. An element of chance…. I don’t know. It’s just doesn’t seem like the disparity between the two teams (even factoring in Cliff) should be such a big gap - top 5 vs 142nd ranked.

Pike will no longer be able to win playing that kind of defense

Thats gone

An uptempo offense the rest of the year is their only hope

Force turnovers biggest part of their D...get to line..flood the zone with shots

 

[NJ-Hoops17]

Pike will no longer be able to win playing that kind of defense

Thats gone

An uptempo offense the rest of the year is their only hope

Force turnovers biggest part of their D...get to line..flood the zone with shots

I think that type of defense can still work (i.e. Seton Hall), RU just doesn't have the personnel

Agree on needing to force turnovers . . . RU probably going forward for the rest of the year has to play defense like it did against Oregon . . . bend but don't break while relying on the press and speed of the guards/wings to force turnovers

 

[bac2therac]

I think that type of defense can still work (i.e. Seton Hall), RU just doesn't have the personnel

Agree on needing to force turnovers . . . RU probably going forward for the rest of the year has to play defense like it did against Oregon . . . bend but don't break while relying on the press and speed of the guards/wings to force turnovers

17 to 7 was absolutely huge and great gameplan by Pike. Unfortunately most schools wont have their floor generals out

But pressing and rotating players and getting in those angles should pay dividends vs the psu nw mds of the world

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

17 to 7 was absolutely huge and great gameplan by Pike. Unfortunately most schools wont have their floor generals out

But pressing and rotating players and getting in those angles should pay dividends vs the psu nw mds of the world

For sure. But even in the Oregon game we still gave up over 80 points. I can’t put my finger on exactly why we’re as bad as we are on that end. I didn’t expect us to be great but I thought we’d be in the 80ish range on D. Not barely in top 150.

 

[NJ-Hoops17]

For sure. But even in the Oregon game we still gave up over 80 points. I can’t put my finger on exactly why we’re as bad as we are on that end. I didn’t expect us to be great but I thought we’d be in the 80ish range on D. Not barely in top 150.

Agreed defense can be better but I think the best gameplan with RU’s personnel is to play that press defense and be aggressive to try to force a lot of turnovers.

There will be times for sure they give up points but they will also have more opportunities on fast breaks for easier buckets through forcing turnovers.

Different sport but look at the Chicago Bears. Their defense is in the top half of the NFL in points given up but gets a lot of takeaways to put the offense in good field position . . . This is probably the best type of gameplan given RU’s personnel