How South Carolina broke Virginia's defense

[FeatheredCock]

How South Carolina broke Virginia's defense

Dec. 23, 2019

Just glancing at the stats before Sunday’s game, it looked like the Gamecocks didn’t have much of a shot to score 50 points against Virginia, let alone 70.

Virginia was considered the ninth-best team in the country and the nation’s best defensive team, allowing just 44.2 points per game with the top effective field goal percentage against.

That didn’t matter to South Carolina, who put together arguably its best offensive performance of the year against the reigning national champions. (VIEW ARTICLE) FREE GAMECOCKCENTRAL

 

[doublea1971]

How South Carolina broke Virginia's defense

Dec. 23, 2019

Just glancing at the stats before Sunday’s game, it looked like the Gamecocks didn’t have much of a shot to score 50 points against Virginia, let alone 70.

Virginia was considered the ninth-best team in the country and the nation’s best defensive team, allowing just 44.2 points per game with the top effective field goal percentage against.

That didn’t matter to South Carolina, who put together arguably its best offensive performance of the year against the reigning national champions. (VIEW ARTICLE) FREE GAMECOCKCENTRAL

What I saw in that game was that Coach Martin's "good defense leads to good offense" philosophy was VERY much at play.  The first half, we were moving the ball, making the second and third passes and getting uncontested looks.  UVA made some adjustments in the late first half and into the 2nd half, and at that point, Coach Martin let the dogs loose... we started shooting earlier in the possession, and driving the basket more.  When we were making shots under both situations, Virginia had to tighten their defense on the interior and not press the perimeter as much as they normally do.  It was a brilliant game strategy because Virginia was completely off of their normal game, with the exception of that stretch in the 2nd half where they outscored us 16-3 and came roaring back to tie things up.

All in all, what I witnessed was a team who has found its confidence in shooting.  A team that understands that they can swarm pressure the ball in the right spots on the court and get turnovers instead of giving up open threes.  Again... good defense led to great offense.

Our next big test will be January 7th vs. FLA.  They're a team that has deficiencies, but their losses have come against some very good opponents.  I'm going to start looking at the stat lines to try to find where we've got to hit them.  They're a very beatable team.  If we come out of the first three games of the season at 2-1, I'll be very happy (I'll take a split with TN and KY).  If we play to the levels that we've played in 3 out of the last 4, we potentially sit atop the SEC with very little company.

I'll try to start a more detailed post of what is actually happening with our offense, but long story short... If we get any one of the bigs to start a hot shooting streak, and if TJ Moss can wake up, plus Cousinard or Hannibal shakes their Freshman mistakes... we will be a team that will sit atop the SEC for a VERY long time this year.

 

[$Billz]

  Bolden hitting the outside shots go uva out of sorts. We have not really shown that all year. Moving him to the 2 really paid off and our defense was stout. Really proud of this win. Changed the whole out look of the season of what could be possible. If we hold serve and not drop too many winnable games 19 or 20 wins should have us dancing. 

 

[Longhaul]

What I saw in that game was that Coach Martin's "good defense leads to good offense" philosophy was VERY much at play.  The first half, we were moving the ball, making the second and third passes and getting uncontested looks.  UVA made some adjustments in the late first half and into the 2nd half, and at that point, Coach Martin let the dogs loose... we started shooting earlier in the possession, and driving the basket more.  When we were making shots under both situations, Virginia had to tighten their defense on the interior and not press the perimeter as much as they normally do.  It was a brilliant game strategy because Virginia was completely off of their normal game, with the exception of that stretch in the 2nd half where they outscored us 16-3 and came roaring back to tie things up.

All in all, what I witnessed was a team who has found its confidence in shooting.  A team that understands that they can swarm pressure the ball in the right spots on the court and get turnovers instead of giving up open threes.  Again... good defense led to great offense.

Our next big test will be January 7th vs. FLA.  They're a team that has deficiencies, but their losses have come against some very good opponents.  I'm going to start looking at the stat lines to try to find where we've got to hit them.  They're a very beatable team.  If we come out of the first three games of the season at 2-1, I'll be very happy (I'll take a split with TN and KY).  If we play to the levels that we've played in 3 out of the last 4, we potentially sit atop the SEC with very little company.

I'll try to start a more detailed post of what is actually happening with our offense, but long story short... If we get any one of the bigs to start a hot shooting streak, and if TJ Moss can wake up, plus Cousinard or Hannibal shakes their Freshman mistakes... we will be a team that will sit atop the SEC for a VERY long time this year.

Thanks as always for your insight really fun reads.  

 

[FurmanCock]

I love beating ACC teams in basketball.  Next to the Duke win in our Final Four run, this was probably my second favorite victory in the last several years.

Now I also love wins against Kentucky in basketball too, so Santa if you're listening...

 

[doublea1971]

I love beating ACC teams in basketball.  Next to the Duke win in our Final Four run, this was probably my second favorite victory in the last several years.

Now I also love wins against Kentucky in basketball too, so Santa if you're listening...

Santa is DEFINITELY listening.  In fact, I think he has 107.5 The Game on when he's delivering gifts to Columbia.   :basketball-1:

 

[kingofnerf]

Minaya looked strong yesterday and probably played his best game so far yesterday.

He displayed traits of a grown-ass man with that one dribble penetration where he dropped the ball and picked it up again for the score.