http://www.yardbarker.com/content/team/839 Recent articles about the Michigan State Spartans en-us Kevlar, anyone? The matchups for the ACC/Big Ten challenge were announced on Tax Day this past week. North Carolina will travel to Motown on December 3, 2008, to play the Michigan State Spartans. Ah, there's nothing quite like Detroit in December. The snow. The decorative lights. The hail of bullets… Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:58:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/244107 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/244107 Basketball Transition Defense: Are you Tom Izzo or Dick Bennett? If you ask most coaches to describe what the game of basketball is when you simplify it to its basic principles they will give you offense and defense. While this is true, Bobby Knight believes that transition is a critical component of sound basketball. Think about it for a second…if you are a great half court defensive team, but you allow transition lay-ups, how good is your defense? In a worse cast scenario, if your players aren't crashing the glass for the offensive rebound and they aren't back in transition, then where the heck are they? We are going to examine where they should be in regards to two different philosophies on what a team should do after a missed shot. For more information, join our online coaches club at Basketball Coaches Club (www.basketballcoachesclub.blogspot.com) or email me at coachdeforest@gmail.com. Offensive Rebounding or Limiting Transition Opportunities As a coach you basically have to choose between two options in regards to transition defense. Remember that you can't be good at everything or you are going to be good at nothing. For example, if you try to crash the offensive glass, but you expect the other team not to score any lay-ups in transition then you are setting your team up for failure. CHOOSE and EMPHASIZE your philosophy based on the talent of your team. Also remember that the philosophy a coach chooses should mirror their offensive philosophy. I would like to present the two basic philosophies that most coaches adopt in regards to transition defense. The Philosophy to Offensive Rebound Tom Izzo, the great coach at Michigan State, has built his program on the belief that most teams aren't good at the defensive box out. His teams are among the nation's leaders in rebounding margin (+11.7) since he took over the Spartan program. He spends at least 15 minutes each practice on teaching his players the habits to crash the offensive glass. They fight and compete to tip the ball, keep it alive, and own the offensive glass. A byproduct of this hard work is that his teams are fantastic at defensive box outs because they are used to going to "war" (a drill he uses) each day in practice. Most teams don't compete like the Spartans on the glass. For more information, take a look at his DVD: Tom Izzo-Dominating Rebounding & Man to Man Defensive Drills. Basic Offensive Rebounding Principles ·Choose if you are more athletic than the best teams in your conference ·Point guard to half court line and everyone else to the paint to rebound ·Stress that 70% of all rebounds come opposite – overload that side on shots ·Practice and chart – do your players get 4 to the paint and the PG to half court in your drills? Offense? Defense? ·Teach them to tap the ball against the backboard if they can't come down with it ·Keep the ball alive – TIP it! ·Celebrate offensive rebounding ·Never accept it, but be prepared to see teams fast break more often The Philosophy of Limiting Fast Break Opportunities On the other hand, another great coach that believes coaches have control over transition, Dick Bennett of Washington State, would send two and sometimes three players back depending on the opponent in an effort to neutralize fast break opportunities. His teams traditionally held opponents under 60 points per game. Coach Bennett's philosophy was that his team was better than your team at half court execution on offense and defense. His teams only pressed if behind in games late and they played strictly man-to-man defense. In other words, his teams were simple to prepare for, but difficult to beat because of their execution. For more information, take a look at his DVD: Dick Bennett's "Pack-line" Pressure Defense. Basic Principles of Limiting Transition Opportunities ·Choose if you are less athletic than the best teams in your conference ·Send the PG to the opposite FT line and the Off Guard to the half court line ·Another option is to also send the shooter back immediately against superior teams along with the two guards ·Stress that we are not giving up ANY transition lay-ups ·Work on defending scramble situations in the full court every day ·Teach how you want to match-up and remember that open shots NOT match-ups beat you ·Practice and chart – do your players have defensive balance in your drills? Offense? Defense? ·Choose offensive sets that allow for defensive balance; For example: stay away from 1-4 low sets or the Flex. Instead use 2-3 high sets or 4 out – 1 in motion Prepare them the best you can so that your team can achieve to the best of their potential because you put them in the best situation to succeed. Transition is often overlooked and the main thing a coach needs to do is decide from Day 1 what their team is going to do in regards to defensive transition. Teach that all year long and emphasize it in practices and games. I hope this article has helped you to better understand the two basic philosophies of transition defense. If you want to learn more about these coaches or philosophies, join our online coaches club at Basketball Coaches Club or email me at coachdeforest@gmail.com. Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:58:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/244106 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/244106 LZ Granderson looks at the issue of race when it comes to sports comparison. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:50:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/227637 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/227637 This is a season of firsts for the world of college basketball. The Final Four includes all four #1 seeds for the first time ever, and now today with the announcement of the AP's 1st Team All Americans another record has been broken. For the first time ever, ZERO seniors made the first team. Instead, the 1st team was headed by two unanimous picks in UNC's Tyler Hansbrough (junior) and KSU's Michael Beasley (freshman), and followed by Texas' DJ Augustin (sophomore), Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts (junior), and UCLA's Kevin Love (freshman). The preseason All-America team was comprised of Hansbrough, Georgetown's Roy Hibbert, Michigan State's Drew Neitzel, Tennessee's Chris Lofton, UCLA's Darren Collison. Hibbert was on the second team, while Lofton and Collison were part of the 3rd team. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:47:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/225600 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/225600 You can't help but lick your chops if you're a Badger or Spartan fan today. You got taken to the woodshed last night and it wasn't pretty. In Wisconsin's case, they had the better team but couldn't overcome a player, who was more than likely the best player on the court. In MSU's case, they simply did not have enough talent and athleticism to match Memphis. It was a testament to how bad the Big Ten has become as of late. Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:24:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223361 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223361 HIghlights of Memphis' Sweet 16 Victory over MSU Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:19:30 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223357 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223357 With Davidson's Stephen Curry still on fire, UCLA and UNC playing great basketball, and after Memphis embarassed Michigan St., it is now time for the Elite 8 of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. FIO staff writer Dan Mesday releases his picks for the Elite 8, offering some interesting commentary on each match-up. Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:09:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223322 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223322 There have been several great individual performances in the NCAA tourney this year. But who had the single most outstanding performance in the Sweet 16? Who deserves the honor of being the 'Sweet 16 Workhorse?' Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:19:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223297 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/223297 Which teams will win tonight in the South and Midwest regions? Who would you select against the spread? Click on each team to visit their home page and view their latest information from the local newspapers and bloggers. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:57:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/222441 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/222441 Tom Izzo appears on PTI and talks about the matchup with Memphis. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:46:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/222340 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/222340 ESPNs Joe Lunardi picks MSU to upset Memphis in the Sweet 16 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:36:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/221319 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/221319 #5. Constantly asking, "What Would Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo do"? Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:00:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/220132 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/220132 After two exciting and entertaining rounds of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, FIO staff writer Dan Mesday releases his picks for the Sweet 16. Included, find Mesday's personal bracket, as well as some interesting commentary on each match-up. Also, find a recap of last weekend and why everyone should have tons of respect for Davidson's Stephen Curry. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:15:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/218988 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/218988 After an exciting first weekend, the NCAA Tournament continues on Thursday night with the Regional Semifinal round, otherwise known as the Sweet 16. Here are the exclusive Sports Fan Base game previews for the Sweet 16 on Thursday and Friday: WEST REGION (7) West Virginia vs. (3) Xavier As predicted by Sports Fan Base.com, the West Virginia Mountaineers were able to upset the #2 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the 2nd round. With Joe Alexander inside and Alex Ruoff hitting three-point shots from the outside, West Virginia is a very dangerous team. The Xavier Musketeers defeated a very tough Purdue team in the 2nd round and have quietly advanced into the Sweet 16. Xavier is athletic and balanced with big men Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown, versatile guards Stanley Burrell, C.J. Anderson and B.J. Raymond and the little court general, Drew Lavendar. Because of this, Xavier may be a little too much too handle for West Virginia. SFB Prediction: Xavier wins 74-68 (12) Western Kentucky vs. (1) UCLA The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are perhaps this year`s biggest surprise into the Sweet 16. Their thrilling 101-99 overtime victory over Drake in the 1st round permanantly won the hearts of basketball fans everywhere and put the Hilltoppers` guard Ty Rogers into the NCAA Tournament history with his three-point shot at the buzzer. Western Kentucky has two very athletic guards in Courtney Lee and Tyrone Brazleton and can certainly give UCLA some problems. For the Bruins, Naismith Award finalist Kevin Love is a force in the paint. Combine that with guards Darren Collison and Russel Westbrook along with forward Josh Shipp, you have a great basketball team. UCLA should win this game, but it will be closer than many people think. SFB Prediction: UCLA wins 79-74 EAST REGION (4) Washington State vs. (1) North Carolina This is probably the worst possible matchup for North Carolina, other than Wisconsin. Why do I say this? Simply because the Cougars are well-coached and always put together a great defensive scheme. Head coach Tony Bennett will have a plan ready for the Tar Heels and use the big bodies of Aron Baynes and Robbiw Cowgill to frustrate UNC`s Naismith Finalist, Tyler Hansbrough. Washington State was able to shut down Notre Dame`s high-powered offense in the 2nd round, could they do the same against North Carolina? The only problem is that Washington State just does not have the scoring to even come close to what North Carolina scores. But the Cougars could provide the blueprint for Louisville or Tennessee to take down the Tar Heels in the next round. SFB Prediction: North Carolina wins 71-62 (3) Louisville vs. (2) Tennessee In what may be the most entertaining Sweet 16 game, the Louisville Cardinals take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Louisville has had a somewhat easy tournament so far with dominating Boise State and Oklahoma in the 1st and 2nd rounds, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vols had a fairly easy game against American in the 1st round, but had a tough take with #7 seeded Butler in the 2nd round, nearly being bounced from the NCAA Tournament. This is a great matchup of athletic players with Tennessee`s Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith versus Louisville`s Terrence Williams and Eric Clark. The x-factor in this game may end up being Tennessee guard Chris Lofton. If he can make his outside shots, the Vols win. If he struggles, Louisville may move on to the Elite 8. SFB Prediction: Tennessee wins 86-84 MIDWEST REGION (10) Davidson vs. (3) Wisconsin While many sports fans were hoping for a classic Big East-Big Ten showdown in the Sweet 16 with Georgetown and Wisconsin, Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats had other plans. Curry went off for 30 points in the 2nd half (35 overall) to single-handedly take down the Georgetown Hoyas in the 2nd round. If anyone wasn`t a Davidson believer before, believe it now. In addition to Curry, point guard Jason Richards and power forward Andrew Lovedale are very solid players. Wisconsin is a great defensive and fundamentally sound team with experienced players such as Brian Butch and Michael Flowers. The matchup of Flowers, one of the best defensive players in the country, versus Curry, one of the top scorers in the country, is very intriguing. That matchup will be the key to the game for both teams. If Flowers can hold Curry under 20 points, it will be hard for Davidson to defeat the Badgers. SFB Prediction: Wisconsin wins 70-65 (12) Villanova vs. (1) Kansas The Villanova Wildcats were the 8th team put into the NCAA Tournament for the Big East Conference and perhaps were the last team into the Big Dance this year. But a 1st round win over Clemson and a dominating victory over another surprise, Siena, has put Nova into the Sweet 16. Led by play-making guard Scottie Reynolds, the Cats are experienced, athletic and could be a threat for Kansas. The Jayhawks are deeper, more athletic and more balanced than Villanova. Guards Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins combined with the frontcourt of Darrel Arthur and Darrell Jackson gives Kansas a lethal starting lineup. SFB Prediction: Kansas wins 85-73 SOUTH REGION (3) Stanford vs. (2) Texas The Stanford Cardinal and Texas Longhorns run their offenses distinctly different ways. Stanford has the twin towers witgh 7-footers Brook and Robin Lopez and they are the Cardinal`s two leading scorers and rebounders. Meanwhile, the Longhorns rely on guard play, primarily from D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Texas` big man Conor Atchley will have a large task in defending Brook Lopez, who will most likely be a Top 10 NBA Draft Pick this coming year. Stanford had a tough take with Marquette in the 2nd round, winning 82-81 in overtime. The good thing for Texas is that Marquette also relies on their guard play. So the Longhorns should certainly watch the game film from this past Saturday if they want a good idea of how to defeat Stanford. SFB Prediction: Texas wins 79-77 (5) Michigan State vs. (1) Memphis Sports Fan Base.com counted out the Michigan State Spartans early in the NCAA Tournament with a 1st round loss to #12 seed Temple. Of course that did not happen and now the Spartans are in the Sweet 16 with a solid win against Big East Champion Pittsburgh in the 2nd round. Guard Drew Neitzel is the leader of this Michigan State squad and he will need to lead his team not only with his three-point shooting and scoring ability, but also with his ability to distribute the ball and get his players involved. The Memphis Tigers will be a tough team to defend as they have a lot of ways they can score. Chris Douglas-Roberts is probably the best player on this team and guard Derrik Rose may be the most athletic. Their front court consists of Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey and combined they pull down over 16 rebounds per game. But the achilles heel for Memphis has been free throw shooting and that did not change in their 2nd round game against Mississippi State with a free-throw percentage of 47%. If Michigan State can get Memphis to the free throw line, they have a shot to win. SFB Prediction: Memphis wins 79-75 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:13:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/216820 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/216820 Highlights of Michigan State's second round victory over the 4 seeded Pittsburgh Panthers Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:13:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/215618 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/215618