Defending the 3.

[volforlife44]

Hey all,

Never posted a thread before but this is a topic that I would like input on from all of you....

Why does this team refuse to guard the 3? The first few months of the season, their defense looked great and teams did not shoot the 3 at the rate they are now. It is almost like teams are coming into the game knowing they have a chance because we will give up open threes all day. We over help on guys that can't make one on one plays and leave shooters wide open.

I played at the college level and it would seem with the talent we have, we would make people beat us one on one instead of bailing them out with open three after open three on unwarranted over help. I feel like other than a few good performances (Miss St., Kentucky), we have looked like an average Basketball team for the past month and it stems from the inability to stay home and make guys beat us 1v1. This team has the talent to make a great run in the tournament but at the same time I feel like any team can shoot wide open three after wide open three and beat us. This game plan by other teams is starting to get old as we constantly let average teams stay in games with us (Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn etc.)

Something has changed in the last month and I personally would like to see the Tennessee team from November-January. Are you all noticing the same pattern I am with the constant over help leading to wide open threes? Why can't we adjust and make people beat us with the 2 point shot? Thanks for any input and Go Vols!

 

[Chilmonty]

Seems like it is OUR 3's, or lack there of that is more of a problem! JMO

Turner is a turnover machine with constant jacking and missing 3's!

3-26 in last 5 games, he scored 9 points but really turned it over like 20 Times!!!

.

 

[Schasz]

We played good D in the home wins against KY and Miss State, but for the most part the D was MIA in the Auburn game. Coaches know who the shooters are on the opposing teams and those are the players who need to be guarded better. From this point forward one loss and you're done whether that be SEC Tourney or the NCAA Tourney.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Hey all,

Never posted a thread before but this is a topic that I would like input on from all of you....

Why does this team refuse to guard the 3? The first few months of the season, their defense looked great and teams did not shoot the 3 at the rate they are now. It is almost like teams are coming into the game knowing they have a chance because we will give up open threes all day. We over help on guys that can't make one on one plays and leave shooters wide open.

I played at the college level and it would seem with the talent we have, we would make people beat us one on one instead of bailing them out with open three after open three on unwarranted over help. I feel like other than a few good performances (Miss St., Kentucky), we have looked like an average Basketball team for the past month and it stems from the inability to stay home and make guys beat us 1v1. This team has the talent to make a great run in the tournament but at the same time I feel like any team can shoot wide open three after wide open three and beat us. This game plan by other teams is starting to get old as we constantly let average teams stay in games with us (Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn etc.)

Something has changed in the last month and I personally would like to see the Tennessee team from November-January. Are you all noticing the same pattern I am with the constant over help leading to wide open threes? Why can't we adjust and make people beat us with the 2 point shot? Thanks for any input and Go Vols!

It’s nothing new, go back through the season gamelog and you’ll see...Louisville was our first test and they went 11/28 from deep against us, it’s been there all year, some teams just shoot better from 3 than others.

 

[volforlife44]

It’s nothing new, go back through the season gamelog and you’ll see...Louisville was our first test and they went 11/28 from deep against us, it’s been there all year, some teams just shoot better from 3 than others.

I understand, however Auburn is 6th in the nation with 30 attempts per game and we gave up 34.... Isn't there any awareness or scouting report? Make them get to the basket?!

 

[OffTackleVol]

Hey all,

Never posted a thread before but this is a topic that I would like input on from all of you....

Why does this team refuse to guard the 3? The first few months of the season, their defense looked great and teams did not shoot the 3 at the rate they are now. It is almost like teams are coming into the game knowing they have a chance because we will give up open threes all day. We over help on guys that can't make one on one plays and leave shooters wide open.

I played at the college level and it would seem with the talent we have, we would make people beat us one on one instead of bailing them out with open three after open three on unwarranted over help. I feel like other than a few good performances (Miss St., Kentucky), we have looked like an average Basketball team for the past month and it stems from the inability to stay home and make guys beat us 1v1. This team has the talent to make a great run in the tournament but at the same time I feel like any team can shoot wide open three after wide open three and beat us. This game plan by other teams is starting to get old as we constantly let average teams stay in games with us (Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn etc.)

Something has changed in the last month and I personally would like to see the Tennessee team from November-January. Are you all noticing the same pattern I am with the constant over help leading to wide open threes? Why can't we adjust and make people beat us with the 2 point shot? Thanks for any input and Go Vols!

Most of our opponents' 3 point attempts have been guarded, they've simply made more in recent games. They're catching the ball clean because we're having to help on penetration, but we're getting a hand up.

 

[PACKERVOL]

I understand, however Auburn is 6th in the nation with 30 attempts per game and we gave up 34.... Isn't there any awareness or scouting report? Make them get to the basket?!

Oh we did that, too. Wide open layups, and wide open 3's. What we didn't do was continue to run our offense through and feed Grant, but we did take too many ill advised 3's ourselves that didn't go in. Grant could have easily had another 10 - 15 points if we'd stayed with him. I'm confident we would have won that game if we had.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I understand, however Auburn is 6th in the nation with 30 attempts per game and we gave up 34.... Isn't there any awareness or scouting report? Make them get to the basket?!

I agree and questioned our game plan against Auburn, I’m simply saying this isn’t a new development as your OP indicated, it has been pointed to and discussed all year as something that could cost us a game.

 

[volforlife44]

I agree and questioned our game plan against Auburn, I’m simply saying this isn’t a new development as your OP indicated, it has been pointed to and discussed all year as something that could cost us a game.

Understood. It just seems we are get bit more and more by the 3 lately and I would hate for this team to fall in the tournament by not adjusting to what seems like an easy fix...

 

[Russdaddy2027]

I know it gets old watching teams chunk the ball around to an open 3 on repeat.

 

[CAVol]

Was listening to Lebatard the other day on my drive in and he had Stan Van Gundy on. He was talking about how the top defensive teams in the NBA are some of the worst at giving up the three ball and the best on defending the paint. Maybe that's something Barnes has caught on to? I'm not sure, I just found it interesting.

 

[Sugaray13]

It all starts with how we defend ballscreens. We hedge really hard on ballscreens with our bigs. We make they go away from the basket with 2 or 3 dribbles while our helpside/back side defender (usually a guard guarding their best shooter) helps on the big that set the screen as he rolls to the basket. This action causes us to be late on our recovery to the 3 pt shooters. There are several ways to handle a ballscreen but that seems to be the option we use the most for some reason.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

Was listening to Lebatard the other day on my drive in and he had Stan Van Gundy on. He was talking about how the top defensive teams in the NBA are some of the worst at giving up the three ball and the best on defending the paint. Maybe that's something Barnes has caught on to? I'm not sure, I just found it interesting.

I completely agree and have been telling people all season I don't think it's that big of a deal. I think there have been times we haven't closed out well on defense, but by and large, I do not see this as a big knock on our team. To me, the reason we lost to Auburn is because we lost focus in transition and got outhustled on rebounds and at guard. Couple that with the poor shooting night from Turner, the three wasted possession with the shot clock, and the free 3 that the refs gave Auburn, and there is your L several times over. I don't see 3 point defense as the fatal flaw on this team. We're going to give up 2-3 more threes a game than most teams, but we are going to recoup that in the paint, IMO.

 

[wtorange]

Was listening to Lebatard the other day on my drive in and he had Stan Van Gundy on. He was talking about how the top defensive teams in the NBA are some of the worst at giving up the three ball and the best on defending the paint. Maybe that's something Barnes has caught on to? I'm not sure, I just found it interesting.

I had posted this about our philosophy before. If we make teams struggle from the 2 then the 3 ball wont hurt us. When we give up 4 break away layups as we did against Auburn we put ourselves in the hole. In using the NBA info the Bucs allow the highest percentage of made 3's in the league but lead the league in scoring defense.

 

[Volfan2012]

On teams that are great three point shooting teams I think I would extend the defense and make them drive hope that Alexander or post player can make a few plays. Even if they make the two better than a three. If half of Auburn's threes were twos we win the game. Another plan is to entend of the best percentage three point shooters and let the weaker shooter get the open look. Good defense is allowing around 70 points or less anything more than that is bad.

 

[hUTch2002]

Understood. It just seems we are get bit more and more by the 3 lately and I would hate for this team to fall in the tournament by not adjusting to what seems like an easy fix...

Honestly, I think it’s because we aren’t great at stopping penetration so we sag off and help off which gives just enough space to shoot over us. The problem is that if we played up they would blow by us to get dunks or layups. I’d rather give up 40% from 3 than 75-80% from dunks or layups. I’m sure we could stop some of course but guys on teams like Auburn will likely either finish or there will be a backside rebound to clean it up. So I think we are purposefully playing off a little. The 3s can still look guarded as one poster mentioned but they really aren’t, not for big time college basketball. Now Lofton used to make some guarded 3s. That dude hit some crazy shots.

 

[wmcovol]

14 turnovers and 19 Auburn points were the outliers. If Vols had their average game on TOS and cut the points back accordingly, they win despite the 3s from Auburn.

 

[JohnnyJava]

Our .333 opponent 3 point shooting is good for either 4th or 5th best in the SEC. Best in the SEC is Florida's .316. So, we are not horrible at defending the 3.

 

[savannahfan]

Hey all,

Never posted a thread before but this is a topic that I would like input on from all of you....

Why does this team refuse to guard the 3? The first few months of the season, their defense looked great and teams did not shoot the 3 at the rate they are now. It is almost like teams are coming into the game knowing they have a chance because we will give up open threes all day. We over help on guys that can't make one on one plays and leave shooters wide open.

I played at the college level and it would seem with the talent we have, we would make people beat us one on one instead of bailing them out with open three after open three on unwarranted over help. I feel like other than a few good performances (Miss St., Kentucky), we have looked like an average Basketball team for the past month and it stems from the inability to stay home and make guys beat us 1v1. This team has the talent to make a great run in the tournament but at the same time I feel like any team can shoot wide open three after wide open three and beat us. This game plan by other teams is starting to get old as we constantly let average teams stay in games with us (Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn etc.)

Something has changed in the last month and I personally would like to see the Tennessee team from November-January. Are you all noticing the same pattern I am with the constant over help leading to wide open threes? Why can't we adjust and make people beat us with the 2 point shot? Thanks for any input and Go Vols!

As I see the answer to you question, its about fouls.
As the early season played out, it became evident that our inside guys were going to get called a lot (for what ever reason). Some of, if not most of our best offense came from a couple of these inside players. (Grant and the Admiral) I think a decision was made to concentrate more to the inside middle than to really work hard on full time three defense. (to me seeing guys "running" from the inside out to contest three shots proves my point) Sort of a simple explanation, but it's coming from a fan with simple knowledge of the game. As I said, my answer to your question as humble as it may be.

 

[Big time vol]

Missing so many threes and free throws are pretty much what is costing us games. I believe that games are won and lost at the free throw line.

 

[hUTch2002]

Our .333 opponent 3 point shooting is good for either 4th or 5th best in the SEC. Best in the SEC is Florida's .316. So, we are not horrible at defending the 3.

There’s a huge difference in our 3-point D in November and December and our 3-point D in January and February. Another poster said it was simply quality of opponent and that is certainly possible but if you looked at SEC fakes only I guarantee we give up more than .333. I’d even say it’s more than .350 although I know the UGA game was very one-sided. I’ll look it up as I’m curious now.

 

[hUTch2002]

Our .333 opponent 3 point shooting is good for either 4th or 5th best in the SEC. Best in the SEC is Florida's .316. So, we are not horrible at defending the 3.

We gave up .3565% in SEC play and that after UGA went 1/20 the first game. However, between the first KY game and the Miss St game we did improve as we averaged giving up 6.3 3s for .319. Compared those 6 games to the 8 games from UF game 1 though A&M where we gave up 8.6 3s at a clip of .394.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Seems like it is OUR 3's, or lack there of that is more of a problem! JMO

Turner is a turnover machine with constant jacking and missing 3's!

3-26 in last 5 games, he scored 9 points but really turned it over like 20 Times!!!

.

Lamonte isn't a turnover machine. In 22 games this year he's had 0, 1, or 2 turnovers 18x. He had 2 games with 3 and 2 games with 4. Unless you count taking bad shots as turnovers as well. Shooting those without rebounders in the vicinity should count as TOs.

Lamonte Turner 2018-19 Game Log | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I understand, however Auburn is 6th in the nation with 30 attempts per game and we gave up 34.... Isn't there any awareness or scouting report? Make them get to the basket?!

We had 8 more turn overs than Auburn. If you want to know why we lost to them, you already have the answer.