Best defensive teams in the country
Here’s a list of the ten teams that I feel have been the most impressive all around defensive teams in the country this year. These ten teams strike fear into the eyes of their opponents with their defenses. I would have liked to have put them in order from one to ten, however, it’s still a little too early in the season to make such claims as that. So here they are in no particular order.
Maryland
-The Terps have one of the most athletic teams in the country. Both of their starting post players in James Gist and Ekene Ibekwe are long and lean players that can jump out of the gym and are very good shot blockers on the interior. On the perimeter Maryland is led by one of the best on ball defenders in the ACC in D.J. Strawberry. The Terps love to get up in your face on defense and force you to drive into the lane and try and score over Gist and Ibekwe. Ask St.Johns, Michigan State, Winthrop and Illinois about Marylands high energy pressure defense.
Kansas
-Before the year started this team was my pick as the best defensive team in the country and while they haven’t dissapinted defensively, they haven’t been as dominant as they should be. Part of that problem is that they’ve been without a true and healthy center all year. With Sahsa Kaun getting back into game form it will give KU one of the most balanced defensive attacks in the country. It’s well known that KU likes to get out and pressure the basketball and they have a couple of the finest perimter defenders in the country in Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers. Not to mention both Brandon Rush and Julien Wright are excellent athletes that can create problems defensively as well.
UCLA
-The Bruins are considered by most people as the best defensive team in the country. The Bruins have good depth on the interior and very intelligent basketball players at every position. Arron Afflalo and Darren Collison form probably the best defensive back court in the country. Both of them love to get after it defensively. UCLA will end up missing Ryan Hollins size, athleticism and shot blocking on the interior though but Luc Richard Mbah A Moute will look to pick up right where Hollins left off.
Southern Illinois
-There are a lot of people out there that don’t realize just how great defensively Southern Illinois has been over the years. However, this team is arguably the best defensive in the country. The Salukis start three quick, smart and pesky guards all under 6′2 and they love to pressure the basketball defenisvely in the half court setting. They’re very effective at taking teams out of their comfort zone and force them to put the ball on the floor and score instead. Half court sets rarely work against this team. They also have two very intelligent and good interior defenders in Randall Faulker and Matt Shaw.
Texas A&M
-The Aggies made the NCAA Tournament last year because of their aggressive team defense. A&M is a very physical defensive team that rebounds the ball well, stays in front of their man and forces teams into one and done possessions. They don’t have true shot blocker on their team but they do have one of the best perimeter defenders as well as all around guards in the country in A.C. Law. A lot of A&M’s defensive credit needs to be given to their defensive minded head coach Billy G who is quicky becoming one of the best young coaches in the country.
Southern California
-Here’s one of the teams that may surprise people. The Trojans are playing fearless defense this year. They are truly one of the most athletic teams in the country at all five positions. Freshman Taj Gibson has given them a 6′10 athletic center who runs the court like a gazelle and has amazing shot blocking ability. Their perimeter defenders are all above 6′5 and are athletic players that love to get in your face and make life miserable. Watch out for the Trojans this year.
Duke
-There may not be a team out there that is playing better team defense than the Dukies. They’ve absolutely shutdowns teams such as Georgetown, Indiana, Air Force and George Mason. While none of these teams should be considered offensive powerhouses, the final results for the Dukies are still impressive. Duke is a much more athletic team this year with the additions of players such Gerald Henderson, Lance Thomas and David Mcclure. Not to mention having a healthy DeMarcus Nelson on the perimeter has helped out defensively as well. One area of concern is still at the point guard position as Greg Paulus has looked very suspect defensively all year and teams with good point guards such as Marquette may give Duke problems all year.
LSU
-Last year this was the best defensive team in the country from start to finish. This year they could make a case as the best defensive team in the country for the second year in a row. However, the loss of Tyrus Thomas is a big loss and while it’s become more and more evident that highly athletic 6′11 Magnum Rolle is ready to play big minutes for the Tigers this team still doesnt appear to be quite as dominant as they were last year defensively. That’s no inslut though. They have good size on the interior and good depth and athleticism on the perimeter. Garrett Temple “the J.J. Redick stopper” is an absolute shutdown perimeter defender and Tasmin Mithcell is one of the most versatile defenders in the country at 6′7 225.
Wichita State
-Ask LSU and Syrcause how good defensively Wichita State is this year. The Shockers play five players that are all under 6′8 but this is a team that will really get after you on the defensive end. P.J. Cousinard is one of the finest all around defensive players in the country and 6′4 he has the size and strength to cause problems all over the court. What the Shockers successfully do to teams is what any well coached team does defensively. They talk and they communicate and they do it as well as any team in the country defensively. If the Shockers are going to continue their success this year it will be because of their team defense.
Florida
-The Gators have the best defensive front court in college basketball. They have two very experienced and good interior defenders as well as shot blockers in Al Horford and Joakim Noan. However, their best defender is arguably the best defender in the entire country in 6′8 swing man Corey Brewer. Brewer does so many things defensively as well as so many things that people fail to recognize that it makes him truly one of the most underrated all around players in the country. Their back court is also very intelligent defensively but not nearly as athletic.
this guy who writes this article is awesome, better than most biased asshole writters out there. he has more of a strait up view of what a real fan would say.
I would agree
i love your blog, great !