There's no stopping a good offense at this time of year

Sporting News, The, Dec 9, 2005 by Mike DeCourcy

Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison has had his entire life to practice making baskets the way he did at the Maui Invitational. Michigan State had barely five weeks to practice stopping him.

This is a rudimentary explanation of why Morrison drilled the Spartans for 43 points in a dazzling three-overtime semifinal and why Gonzaga's visit to Maul looked so impressive. With practice time short before the season begins, offenses tend to be ahead of defenses. Teams with playmaking perimeter players or overpowering low-post scorers--or both, as the Zags have in Morrison and big J.P. Batista--are at a distinct advantage.

Teams that have built enduring reputations for sturdy, cohesive defenses generally do not approach their peak performances until they are well into conference play and they have had time to learn and adjust.

In winning the Guardians Classic, Texas delivered a performance that was only an approximation of what the Longhorns figure to become. They didn't solve West Virginia's complex variation on the Princeton offense or deny several of Iowa's key options. Ultimately, Texas relied heavily on center LaMarcus Aldridge's gift for blocking shots and a 2-3 zone that can help keep the Horns out of foul trouble but need not serve as their base defense.

"I think we're finding out about each other right now," coach Rick Barnes says. "I do think we have a chance to be a really good defensive team. We guarded two teams here that really execute, and we got exposed some, which you're going to this time of year."

IRRESISTIBLE OFFENSES

Gonzaga. Recently, the Zags have been more successful against elite competition in early-season games than in the NCAA Tournament. Their offense generally is filled with shooters and emphasizes versatility. Their problem: They don't need to improve defensively to excel in the West Coast Conference the way a Big Ten team must in conference play.

Connecticut. The Huskies won't approach their potential on offense or defense until they regain point guard Marcus Williams, who is suspended. They showed off a wealth of options in Maul, starting with forward Rudy Gay's dominating performance against Arkansas. Wings Denham Brown and Rashad Anderson had their moments, too.

Memphis. Still learning the point guard position, sophomore Darius Washington has an impressive gift for slicing into defenses and hitting big shots. That makes athletic jump shooter Rodney Carney and the team's young wings more potent. Defensively, Memphis uses more fullcourt pressure than any previous John Calipari team, but the Tigers will have to learn to guard in the halfcourt.

MOVABLE DEFENSES

Michigan State. The Spartans had to be pleased to go basket-for-basket into three digits with a team as offensively gifted as Gonzaga. But the Spartans don't ordinarily allow even the best opponents to score with such ease. Their big men did a poor job of providing help when Morrison attacked the basket. That can be fixed.

Kentucky. Presuming the Wildcats receive a favorable ruling on center Randolph Morris' eligibility, they'll have a better foundation in the middle of their defense. Through four games, they had used three different players at center--and once used no center at all. Coach Tubby Smith also frequently experimented with perimeter combinations. The cohesiveness essential to elevating the Wildcats can't be generated without a more consistent rotation.

Alabama. The Tide won't survive trading buckets with anyone. This team is short on wing scorers but not on guys who can prevent opposing wings from scoring. Still, Justin Jonus, Jean Felix and Evan Brock sat behind Kennedy Winston and Earnest Shelton last season. They need more court time.

BIG BLOG ON CAMPUS

Views from the student section at sportingnews.com

From Sam Sharp, University of Cincinnati journalism major

And we're back. My inflammatory remarks concerning my beloved Bearcats earned me a brief respite from blogging. But I'm not the only one doing time.

Freshman big man Abdul Herrera has been deemed a partial qualifier by the NCAA and will sit out this season. It is unknown how much Abdul could have contributed this season, but what is known is that UC is hurting for size. Fliers are being posted around campus asking anyone taller than 6-6 and having a GPA between 1.0 and 2.0 to come try out

for an "interim" basketball scholarship.

The crowd at the Murray State game was 8,088, which means there were a lot of empty seats. "Got Huggs?" and other inflammatory shirts were conspicuously abundant in the seats that were occupied. The tension remains.

speed reads

Think Villanova might not mind a little snow wiping out Tuesday's bus trip to Bucknell?

An urban myth is floating that because Bob Huggins is not employed, he can work outside NEAA contact rules and easily assemble a killer recruiting class for his next job. Well, Huggins hasn't signed a McDonald's All-American since 1999. He's not going to become a superstar recruiter just because there's nothing else to do.

No visitor to Cameron Indoor Stadium this winter will finish within 10 points of Duke. The Blue Devils are perfectly constructed to dominate opponents at home.