FEBRUARY 29, 2012
DEFENSE REIGNS AMONG FOUR TEAMS COMPETING AT NCAA TOURNEY GAMES AT KING'S
WILKES-BARRE — The old adage "defense wins championships" has been a staple philosophy for teams from virtually every sport. When King's College hosts an NCAA Division III National Tournament four-team pod Friday and Saturday in Scandlon Gymnasium, each competing team has utilized outstanding defense to reach the "Big Dance."
Each of the four teams competing at King's this weekend have allowed an average of 59.0 point per-game or fewer this season, a statistic that rings loud among a field of teams whose survivor will reach the NCAA Sweet 16.
Ninth-ranked William Paterson (25-2) will meet Salve Regina (19-9) in the first game Friday at 5:30 p.m. while King's (22-5) squares off with SUNY-Oneonta at 7:30 p.m. The winners will meet Saturday at 5:30 p.m. to advance to next weekend's round of 16.
King's has been successful this season in large part due to a solid defensive effort with relentless, attacking pressure. The Lady Monarchs, were second in the Freedom Conference in allowing just 56.8 points per-game and forced 589 turnovers, nearly 22 per-game. The Lady Monarchs have also blocked 97 shots in 27 games and hold opponents to 34.7 shooting per-game, including just 24.7 percent from three-point range.
Oneonta, meanwhile, has limiting opponents to just 52.8 points each contest. The Red Dragons have utilized their size, featuring seven players 5-foot-10 or better, including four players at least 6-foot tall to control the inside. The Red Dragons have forced 503 turnovers in 27 games, an average of 18.6 each contest while blocking 86 shots. Oneonta has also forced teams into shooting just 31.6 percent from the field, including 27.4 percent from three-point range.
William Paterson Pioneers features the most potent offensive attack among the squads and is ranked sixth nationally with a 76.4 points per-game average. But it is the Pioneer defense which sets up much of its offense thanks to an aggressive brand of play that has forced 638 turnovers, an average of 23.6 per-game, while allowing 59.0 points each contest. Opponents have shot 35.4 percent from the field against William Paterson and just 25.5 from three-point range. The Pioneers have also blocked 115 shots, averaging 4.3 per-game.
Salve Regina, however, enters the weekend with the best statistical defense among the four teams. The Seahawks are ranked 11th nationally in Division III in allowing a scant 49.2 points each contest. Salve Regina is also ranked ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding teams to 30.8-percent shooting. The Seahawks have forced teams into 455 turnovers while 223 shots, tallying an NCAA Division III high 8.0 blocks per-game.
Defense certainly does play a big role in winning championships and all four teams here this weekend certainly lie by that philosophy, "King's coach Brian Donoghue stated. "We all do it a bit differently, but the end result has been very good for all of us. Hopefully we will continue to play the type of defense we have while also being able to convert our defense into offense. I think we are going to see three tough, hard-nosed type of games this weekend."
