1) Teach better help defense. When a player drives by one of ISU's players, too often the others do not help him out. Dendy is good at helping. So is MG. The others, not so much. Also, as far as playing a zone, I think there are times a 2-3 zone would work. The way to break a zone if you are the opposing team is to shoot your way out of it, which OU was able to do the other night. That doesn't mean it should not be tried again. Not every team is going to be able to do what OU did. I think the key to 1/2 court defense in college basketball today is being able to switch from man-to-man to various zones or looks to keep the other team off-balance. ISU does not do that much.
2) Develop a good trapping press that can be employed when needed, even if it means putting 3 guards, Dendy, and one other on the floor at the same time. That would mess some teams up. All ISU does is a casual press. At least that is all I have ever seen.
3) Bring someone in to teach the team how to shoot free throws. Some of them (Dendy, Colvin, JVB) do not have good technique at all. This is something that can be taught, and can be improved upon by each individual. Obviously, as we have all seen, it can win ISU some more games, or at least put more pressure on the other team.
4) Teach better rebounding technique. I see MG block out, sometimes CB. Teach them to go up and grab the ball! Too often it seems they stand flat-footed and turn it into a tip drill like in football. Teach them to use their butts to back people away. Teach them that if a shot is taken from the side or wing, the rebound will usually come to the opposite side. Teach them to follow their own shots. Yes, guards at the top of the key need to fall back into defense, but that is not true of players on the baseline or the wings.
5) Stop running the offense through CB all the time. Other teams expect that. Start running it through MG and see what happens. Switch it up. Every game has looked the same. ISU tries to force the ball inside to CB, then everyone stands back and watches. The other team knows what is coming. They double-team CB because it has proven to work. Try something different.
6) Teach them to pass more quickly, and more often. Way too much dribbling around by the guards which accomplishes nothing. It's all right if there are a lot of screens or movement by the other players but it is not there. In a half-court set, teach them to make a minimum of 3 quick, sharp passes before a shot is taken. The key is quick and sharp. Not slow and weak. Teach the use of the bounce pass into the big men too, and make the big men understand that sometimes they will have to step out to get that pass. Stop trying to lob the thing in over the top......it will be tipped way too often.
