Big Dance

[GopherHole]

Re: Big Dance

With the success of the teams that made the Final Four, and specifically the two teams that played for the national championship, I wonder how long before we see more coaches focus on defense as a recipe for winning championships. I heard in the post game analysis that Coach Bennett has been vindicated for his style of play in the ACC. Teams like Duke and North Carolina have won and gained notoriety for their elite talent and a style of play that appeals to top end talent. Bennett's Cavaliers have won 4 of the last 6 regular season championships with veteran players and stingy defense.

Watching what Texas Tech did in their tourney run was phenomenal until they met up with Virginia. Anyone who can take an elite scorer like Mooney and make him an excellent defender too found a winning combination. He learned how to score at will in the Summit, he learned how the complete game can win championships in Lubbock.

Hope Hendo took notice and will find a way to improve our team D.

[da_coach]

Re: Big Dance

With the success of the teams that made the Final Four, and specifically the two teams that played for the national championship, I wonder how long before we see more coaches focus on defense as a recipe for winning championships. I heard in the post game analysis that Coach Bennett has been vindicated for his style of play in the ACC. Teams like Duke and North Carolina have won and gained notoriety for their elite talent and a style of play that appeals to top end talent. Bennett's Cavaliers have won 4 of the last 6 regular season championships with veteran players and stingy defense.

Watching what Texas Tech did in their tourney run was phenomenal until they met up with Virginia. Anyone who can take an elite scorer like Mooney and make him an excellent defender too found a winning combination. He learned how to score at will in the Summit, he learned how the complete game can win championships in Lubbock.

Hope Hendo took notice and will find a way to improve our team D.

Defense is certainly the recipe for Virginia. But each team and program is different. Remember the last 3 Champions were Villanova, North Carolina, and Villanova... all playing uptempo basketball.

Carolina has good recruits, sure... but nothing like what Duke and Kentucky have done the past several years. And Virginia's recruits are nothing to sneeze at.

The players have to fit the coach's system. Or the coach has to adjust his system to the players. Probably why so many are enamored with Chris Beard at TT. He lost like 5 seniors from last years team, and brought in a virtually new team. Very impressing.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Big Dance

With the success of the teams that made the Final Four, and specifically the two teams that played for the national championship, I wonder how long before we see more coaches focus on defense as a recipe for winning championships. I heard in the post game analysis that Coach Bennett has been vindicated for his style of play in the ACC. Teams like Duke and North Carolina have won and gained notoriety for their elite talent and a style of play that appeals to top end talent. Bennett's Cavaliers have won 4 of the last 6 regular season championships with veteran players and stingy defense.

Watching what Texas Tech did in their tourney run was phenomenal until they met up with Virginia. Anyone who can take an elite scorer like Mooney and make him an excellent defender too found a winning combination. He learned how to score at will in the Summit, he learned how the complete game can win championships in Lubbock.

Hope Hendo took notice and will find a way to improve our team D.

Of course that style of play also led to the first ever #16 seed beating a #1 seed.