Butler aims to match offensive efficiency on defensive end
Butler Bulldongs' A.J. Graves, left, passes the ball off against
Tennessee Volunteers' JaJuan Smith during the second half during the
semifinals of the NIT basketball competition Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006 at
Madison Square Garden in New York. Butler won 56-44.
Former Butler coach Brad Stevens grew up cheering for Bob Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers, who played man-to-man defense exclusively. There were four-letter words uttered during IU basketball practices, but “zone” was not one of them.
Coach Chris Holtmann unashamedly has borrowed on Butler traditions developed by Stevens, who in turn built on the legacies of Todd Lickliter, Thad Matta and Barry Collier. There has been one deviation: It is OK to use the Z-word.
So when the Tennessee Volunteers visit Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, they know they will bump up against man-to-man defense of the 18th-ranked Bulldogs. The Vols also know to prepare for zone.
Part of the Dawgs’ defensive system, coach Chris Holtmann said, must be flexibility of man-to-man or zone.
“Maybe early in my career, I was one of those guys where it was a like personal affront to play zone. ‘I’m a man-to-man guy,’” coach Chris Holtmann said. “OK, well, that’s fine. You know what? To be an effective zone team, you’ve got to play hard and tough. And you have specific roles, just like you do in man.
I think, as a coach, you’re looking for the right opportunity to play zone.”
I think, as a coach, you’re looking for the right opportunity to play zone.”
Butler doesn’t have personnel it did on the 2010 NCAA runners-up, who ranked No. 2 nationally in defensive efficiency and featured versatile defenders like Gordon Hayward, Willie Veasley and Ronald Nored.
Nor does Butler have Kameron Woods or Alex Barlow, who helped the Bulldogs rank No. 7 last season. Hayward and Woods could guard all five positions.
Nor does Butler have Kameron Woods or Alex Barlow, who helped the Bulldogs rank No. 7 last season. Hayward and Woods could guard all five positions.
Butler ranks 86th nationally in defensive efficiency and eighth in the Big East. Butler has compensated with an efficient offense (No. 8) but has valid concerns about defense.
“We’ve got to be able to adapt quickly and be able to approach the zone with the same effort as we do with the man defense,” forward Andrew Chrabascz said. “That’s the big thing with us right now. It all comes down to effort, really, on the defensive end for us.”
Coach Chris Holtmann said he needed to employ zone while head coach at Gardner-Webb because his team was overmatched against some non-conference opponents. He said statistician Ken Pomeroy once analyzed components of an upset and wrote an article stating that effective zone defense often contributed.
Nonetheless, coach Chris Holtmann said, man-to-man will remain Butler’s primary defense.
“I don’t believe in bailing out our guys because we’re getting torched in man,” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to get stops. We’ve got to get good at both.”
He said the Bulldogs were “absolutely outworked” in last year’s 67-55 loss at Tennessee. Butler led by 12 points but was outscored 42-21 in the second half.
“We couldn’t guard them,” Holtmann said.
The Vols feature guard Kevin Punter Jr., the Southeastern Conference’s No. 2 scorer (22.3 ppg), and 6-4 wing Armani Moore (15.6 ppg).
Punter scored 18 points and Moore 9 against Butler last year.
Punter scored 18 points and Moore 9 against Butler last year.
Tennessee’s No. 3 scorer, Robert Hobbs III (15.3), had arthroscopic right knee surgery Dec. 1 and is listed as doubtful for the game.
The Vols have had had a 13-day layoff since Nov. 28, when they lost to Nebraska 82-71 in Brooklyn. It is their longest in-season layoff since 1967.
The Vols have had had a 13-day layoff since Nov. 28, when they lost to Nebraska 82-71 in Brooklyn. It is their longest in-season layoff since 1967.
Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195.
Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
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