I Demand Satisfaction

[uwm97]

As I took my seat on Saturday night prior to the ballgame, I waited in great anticipation to see Rob Jeter continue to utilize what he implemented versus SDSU: the full-court press. I waited. And then I waited some more. Towards halftime, it was apparent that the press was left back in the locker room for this game, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. Now before people jump down my throat by praising our half-court defense, let me disarm all of you by saying it was superb. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen our half-court defense look better. However, I view the press as part of our offense, inasmuch that it usually gives us an extra eight to ten points a game through turnovers. And given how awful our shooting was on Sat. night, I couldn't believe Jeter would simply drop back after a made basket. I mean, it was incredulous to me.

If anybody can tell me why we're not utilizing an obvious strength that can help us generate more points, please let me know. Especially after we were told the press would again be a part of Panther basketball this year when Jeter was hired. And the fact that no one to my knowledge has questioned Jeter on this is simply appalling to me.

[dylanrocks]

Let me be the first to counterpost. What? I would expect this post after a disheartening defeat. But not after a victory over a team that entered the game ranked No. 42 in the preceding RPI, is projected to finish at No. 44 in the latest Sagarin ratings, a team that boasted a runaway 22-point victory over Michigan St. and is sure to secure even more quality victories. The sport is not about style points, folks. It's about what goes on the left-hand side of the column. Do you really care if UWM pressed not one time if the team and its fans walked out of the building victorious? Obviously, the decision was made before the game not to press. Given the outcome, I would say that the game plan worked.

[uwm97]

I'm not looking for style points. I'm looking at the best way to win basketball games. The press gives another element to our offense, and given how poorly we've shot the basketball, we could use it. The fact that we shot 39% and won against a quality opponent like Hawaii is an aberration. Hawaii played a miserable game and they'll be the first to admit it. Do you not agree that the press is a tool that's been hugely successful for the team? And you never answered why we didn't use it. Because nobody can except Jeter and nobody has asked him the question.

[dylanrocks]

I'll try again. Did you see the game against Hawai'i last year? The 'Bows absolutely killed UWM in transition, getting many easy looks at three-pointers. Don't you think that Jeter and his staff had a chance to look at that tape? Just as with the Memphis game, the decision not to press or to show only token pressure was made well before the game and the plan was executed accordingly. I don't think the lack of a press was a failing by any means. Trust our new coach.

[teddyp00]

The team has really had little to no success this year with the press. The times we have employed it, it seems that teams have scored many easy baskets. I think Jeter would rather have his guys focus their engery playing hard nosed man up defense and try to get turnovers in the half court game, but if nothing else make it difficult for the other team to score EVERY time they have the ball.

[uwm97]

I see what you guys are getting at, but we utilitzed the press against SDSU and it was highly effective. For God's sakes, we have almost the exact same personnel as last year. True, teams got easy buckets at times when they broke the press. But by the end of the game they would be out of gas. We saw it time and time again. Yes, I saw the Hawaii game last year and that's exactly what happened - they ran out of steam and we pulled away at the end. I'm not advocating the press for 40 minutes, but let's mix it in there once and a while and try and steal a few points. If nothing else it gets the adrenaline flowing and the guys into the game. Running the shot clock down to six seconds and throwing up a garbage three won't be getting us anywhere, especially against quality opponents on the road.

[BBFran]

The press is a weapon to be used when appropriate. It's not always appropriate. Hawai'i is not SDSU. I'm not sure it's more complicated than that.

I heard RJ say today something to the effect of "86-82, 56-52, what's the difference, it's just about getting the win."

There will be times again this year that the press will help us get the win.

[Pantherholic]

i think the press could work if they go big w/ their lineup (steisma, chappell and butch). i'm just afraid we're gonna get into foul trouble and have to have Bendall play more minutes than we want him too, Ford too.

[pnthr97]

UWM97, please tell me you're not trying to compare SDSU to Hawaii. There's a reason RJ employed against SDSU and not Hawaii. Call me crazy, but I'm going to trust that RJ knows what he's doing.

Pushing Hawaii out to the perimeter was incredibly effective - they were 1-13 from 3 point land. No going with the press allowed us to really focus on the half-court set, which made Hawaii uncomfortable and led to 20 turnovers.

I'm going to go out on a whim here and say that RJ outcoached Hawaii's coach by not employing the press, as Hawaii probably expected them to. Making Hawaii play a slower style than they liked, especially after all their travel, was highly effective and led to an impressive win.

[ArtVandelay]

I really don't think the press will work at all. I watched the Phoenix try to press UW last week and it was completely ineffective. Kam Taylor is a smart point guard and the Badgers can pass well. UWGB tried to press and they paid for it, if the Panthers do the same I think it will hurt us.

Playing solid half court defense will win us this game. Our guys need to maintain good defensive position on UW's Bigs much like we did against Hawaii.

Art Vandelay

[uwm97]

Like I said, we ought to use the press as it's deemed necessary. Using it against Memphis would not have been effective. However, putting it on periodically against Hawaii would have been successful IMO, especially with our shooting percentage as crappy as it was. As I said earlier: it's more of an extension of our offense. Hawaii is a good team, but give me a break, they're nowhere close to being in Memphis' class. They're not even in the same class as Alabama and BC, two teams that we wouldn't have beaten WITHOUT creating turnovers from our press. How soon we forget.

[JimmyLemke]

Hawaii played so miserable that their 3 starting forwards were outrebounded by UWM's WHOLE TEAM by 8. Hawaii looked so bad, they shot better than we did.

Give it a rest, that was a GREAT game.

UWM forced turnovers in the half court, proving finally against a legit team that the full-court press isn't their only option.

To tell you the honest truth, I wasn't impressed with UWM's full press in the SLU game. They can run the press, but it might be a better idea to play Wisconsin's game. UNC couldn't get UW to speed up, so why should we try and make them do it? Why don't we just play their game and slow down?

[bball30]

uwm97,

Last time I checked we all want wins around here.... It's JETER'S team. Not ours. Until the man only wins like 10 games for a few years, I could care less if the score is 4-2. SDSU isn't even a D1 program yet, as far as I know they are provisional. I hope you aren't comparing apples to oranges here with opponents, as I hope you would never do the same with last years team vs. this years team. It's a winning system, let the man coach.

GO PANTHERS

[PJD]

I think he's pressing the right amount. I think we might have pressed too much last year at times. I really think he's got that right. I love the D. I love the "getting to the line" mentality. I'm pretty sure our free throw percentage is up also from last year. All good signs. Unless we shoot like crap, we should play UW pretty well this year.

[milextreme5]

Does anybody think we can beat Wisconsin at their with their own style of game? I have mixed thoughts. I think we may need to get out and press and run to beable to keep close. Then again like Art said, Kam Tay is a very good ball handler, and of course nobody seems to beable to run against WI, as we all know they are very good at making other teams play their style. Which makes me think we are just making it easier for them to get us to do what they want, if we dont get out and run.