Adapting to Defensive Rules

[Hilltopper]

New rules foul up Izzo’s schemes for defense

EAST LANSING – Tom Izzo has one of his best offensive teams — but one of the softest defensively.

Right now, he’s struggling to figure out who should be on the floor to help change that. In a blowout loss to Iowa last week, Izzo rolled out lineups that either couldn’t get stops or couldn’t get buckets. Against Wisconsin on Sunday, he revamped his starting lineup.

Figuring out how to slow teams — especially on the perimeter — without fouling has become so tricky for Izzo this season that he joked he was going to make his players practice Monday with their hands tied behind their backs.

“Add to that — kind of ironically — is that I think we’re a little softer team. … And the rules have changed, and that should be an advantage for us,” he said. But “that’s been a disadvantage.”

This is because Denzel Valentine is the only player who attacks the rim consistently. Even then, his penetration ends with floaters and runners in the lane. Eron Harris could penetrate, and does occasionally, but his flow often is interrupted by foul trouble or other struggles on defense.

That forces him to the bench, and it forces Izzo to swap offense for defense.

I watch a lot of college basketball and its apparent to me that the new rules for defending are really changing the game. If a defender even lays his hand on a player dribbling the ball while moving towards the basket, the result is a foul. Not only that, but it seems it is perfectly acceptable for the offensive player to use his off hand as an arm bar to give himself more space. Now if the player with the ball has his back to the defender contact is still acceptable. IMHO these changes are turning college basketball into a glorified version of AAU summer/rec league ball.

[LZIp]

This is the 3rd season for that rule, IIRC.

[Dr Z]

Reminds me of the NHL. I would bet the same cycle ensues.

[zippy5]

NHL is opposite though. So much going uncalled anymore and it is not fun to watch. There's a happy medium for both sports

[clarkwgriswold]

I have a solution to the new rules. Stay between your man and the damn basket!

[dirtyolcrowe]

NHL is opposite though. So much going uncalled anymore and it is not fun to watch. There's a happy medium for both sports

TRU DAT!!!!

[RowdyZip]

Just finished watching Ball State win in double OT at EMU. Lots of fouls all game.

At the end of the 2nd OT (5 sec to go) , Ball State was down two and Eastern had just got a defensive rebound. Ball State was SLAPPING EMU's forward trying to get a foul to extend the game. I mean 3 guys obviously trying to foul before time expired. All officials swallow their whistles. It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.

Anyway, a Ball State player ends up knocking the ball loose and then is slap slap slapped by like 3 EMU players. Again nothing. Ball State's 2 ends up getting loose outside the arc and hits a 3 at the buzzer to win.

The problem with calling all these touch fouls is, it makes consistency impossible. I really feel for Eastern there. That was their game and the officials took it away.

[zippy5]

That was ridiculous

[ZachTheZip]

https://twitter.com/currenrr/status/690978077757816832

The video, if you haven't seen it.

[Glib Shanley]

The officials were Todd Williams, John Gaston and Robert Kruger;

2 of the 3 will not be reffing for 2 games and will not be joining the MAC tournament.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25460957/mac-suspends-two-refs-after-debacle-of-an-ending-in-ball-state-eastern-michigan

[morris buttermaker]

I thought the refs missed a number of fairly obvious fouls-- but in the big picture they made the teams play, which was a welcome change