Tubby Smith could potentially make the Memphis Tigers one of the best defenses in the American Athletic Conference.
There’s never been a question about whether the Tigers have enough talent or athletes; it’s always been whether or not they commit to the defensive end.
Tubby got the Tigers to defend in their exhibition against Christian Brothers University on Monday, taking a 44-13 advantage into halftime and holding CBU to 16.7 percent shooting in the first half.
“We really covered up for each other and did a good job of playing team defense,†Tubby said after the Tigers 69-42 victory over CBU. “When a guy got beat, most of the time someone rotated over to help out. I like the way they contested shots. We really got out and challenged shots, especially in the first half. And I liked our energy level, getting on the floor chasing loose balls. We took three or four charges tonight. Those are winning plays.â€
Memphis has a team built to play switch everything defense – which has become popular in the small-ball era of the NBA.
The Tigers’ starting big men are long, rangy and athletic enough to stay in front of guards if switched onto them in pick-and-roll situations.
The starting five has heights of 6-foot-3, 6-foot-5, 6-foot-7, 6-foot- 9 and 6-foot-11 – all good sizes for college basketball that will make Memphis long defensively.
“We did a good job of defending Christian Brothers’ offensive sets and cuts,†Tubby said. “We didn’t give up many backdoors, which was im- portant because it made them shoot over us.â€
Making teams shoot over the top of their length will be a key for Memphis if they aspire to be among the elite defensive teams. The Tigers have a pair of high-level one-on-one defenders in their startinglineup in Jeremiah Martin and Markel Crawford.
Martin will be relied on to make things difficult for the opposing team’s point guard, and Crawford, who Tubby praised in his post-game press conference but also said he expects more out of defensively, can take away the oppos- ing team’s best wing.
“He did a good job to- night,†Tubby said about Crawford’s performance against CBU. “Markelneeds to have better pressure on the ball. He had a tendency to back up and not pressure the ball. He is a guy that should probably lead us in deflec- tions and probably steals with his ability to guard multiple positions. He did do a good job all the way around. He is very unself- ish sharing the basket- ball. That was one of the impressive things about the game, too. Guys gave the ball up, and Markel isone of those types of guys. I just need him to be more aggressive defensively.â€
When the Tigers have to go to the bench, they bring in some impressive defenders such as Jimario Rivers, Jake McDowell and Keon Clergeot.
If Memphis buys into how Tubby wants them to play defensively, like they did against CBU, they have the potential to make life extremely difficult for opposing offenses.
