Why doesn't ISU press much?

[Wesley]

Dude, quit being bull-headed. You run on offense to get easy baskets before the D sets up. Definitely helps with teams like ISU with no inside game (poor half court O). You really want our players who run on offense all game to run on defense too? Don't you think that they'll get too tired?

The answer to your question is that on offense, it's worth expending the energy. On defense (pressing), it's not.

See Wayne Moore teams.

 

[Rural]

If you press and give up easy baskets or don't get turnovers then you've played right into the hands of teams that milk the shotclock.
This ain't 2A basketball.

 

[ce1]

Because it's true. Playing an uptempo style does not tire you out near as much as pressing does. It's a lot easier to just run than it is to be in a defensive position while you're trying to press. We had no B12 quality back up guards last night, and no I don't Palo is B12 quality maybe some day but not now. Our starters played 38, 38 and 36 minutes. Asking them to press too, would be ridiculous. Pressing just once or twice isn't going to speed up UNI. UNI is extremely disciplined at playing at their pace, and it works great for them, they're not going to get into an up and down game just because you press them a couple times.

There's another implied issue that no one is mentioning. When you play uptempo on offense, you're less likely to commit fouls and more likely to draw fouls. When you press on defense, you're more likely to commit fouls than you are to draw fouls. And your big men are especially vulnerable to commiting fouls around the basket.

Our starting bigs (JVB and Ejim) simply aren't good enough to be the last line of defense. JVB was never this type of player, and while Ejim is athletic enough to be this type of player, he isn't there yet. Plus, Ejim is our only legit front-court scoring presence right now. He can't get into foul trouble, as Railey, Godfrey, JVB or anyone else can't really post up or push people around enough to get the inside points or offensive rebound/put-ups we need.

Bottom line is we can't get Ejim into foul trouble, or we're toast. We become one-dimensional without his scoring capability. And if we press, Ejim is likely toto be in 3 foul range in the first 10 minutes. Even if we only press three or four times per period, the risk is too great. Why force Ejim into a fouling situation?

 

[ce1]

This is a good point. DP and Palo are both better defenders than offensive
players. If those two combined for about 30 minutes at the head
of the press wearing down our opponent those become quality minutes out of our bench.

Just because they're good doesn't mean they won't get beat pressing. That leaves your front-court players exposed to fouling. If we had 3 good low-post scoring options (think Stevie Johnson, Martin Rancik, Paul Shirley), i'd be okay with this. We've got one - and he's a freshman.

 

[Cyforce]

There's another implied issue that no one is mentioning. When you play uptempo on offense, you're less likely to commit fouls and more likely to draw fouls. When you press on defense, you're more likely to commit fouls than you are to draw fouls. And your big men are especially vulnerable to commiting fouls around the basket.

Our starting bigs (JVB and Ejim) simply aren't good enough to be the last line of defense. JVB was never this type of player, and while Ejim is athletic enough to be this type of player, he isn't there yet. Plus, Ejim is our only legit front-court scoring presence right now. He can't get into foul trouble, as Railey, Godfrey, JVB or anyone else can't really post up or push people around enough to get the inside points or offensive rebound/put-ups we need.

Bottom line is we can't get Ejim into foul trouble, or we're toast. We become one-dimensional without his scoring capability. And if we press, Ejim is likely toto be in 3 foul range in the first 10 minutes. Even if we only press three or four times per period, the risk is too great. Why force Ejim into a fouling situation?

Looked to me like UNI got our bigs into foul trouble by forcing them to play half-court defense for an extended amount of time.

 

[akellar]

See Wayne Moore teams.

Who the hell is Wayne Moore? I've heard of some guy named Wayne Morgan but he sells satellites so I don't think that's who you meant.

On a side note and to pile on - DEPTH!! We are 7 deep on a good night. Phillips could make it 8 when healthy, Railey only plays when he has to or in garbage time and wouldn't impact us pressing or guard depth anyway. If we pressed consistently we would get blown out of every 2nd half and shoot about 20% cause our guys would have no legs left.

 

[ce1]

Looked to me like UNI got our bigs into foul trouble by forcing them to play half-court defense for an extended amount of time.

Yep. Front-court depth and front-court defense is an issue. And it will be all year. I think if we press, the front court foul trouble is likely to develop earlier in the game.