Who's tough in the Big East? Coaches answer.
Chris DiSano
What percentage of the time does Tim Abromaitis shoot directly off the catch? How often does Brandon Young penetrate right and kick? What is Jim Boeheim's record in Big Monday games in February? Ken Pomeroy... Efficiency ratings... Sabermetrics... Playing the percentages... It's all about statistics these days in our instant gratification, we want measurables, society.
For one column - in the spirit of Doron Scheffer and John Linehan - I'm tossing stats out the window. My question to a handful of anonymous Big East coaches...
Who's tough?
Who do you fear when he has the ball in his hands with 10 seconds remaining in a do-or-die game? Which team is the most difficult to prepare for on short turnaround? Who makes you cringe when your team desperately needs a stop but he's angling for an offensive board to extend a possession?
Here's what they said -
Toughest to shut down
Coaches' Take: Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette (unanimous)
"He can hurt you in so many ways. He's a strong combo-guard at 6-3, 215 pounds, and his versatility is off the charts. Just when you think he's in a slump and his shot is not dropping, he has the ability to reel off a half dozen jumpers in a row. The most impressive thing about Johnson-Odom is he lets his defense dictate his offense. He's a very smart player. If he's not scoring, he'll find a way to make an impact on the other side of the ball and fuel his offense that way."
Toughest team inside of two minutes
Coaches' take: UConn
"Let's keep it simple. They're the champs and they've got a pretty darn good coach over there."
Toughest perimeter defender
Coaches' take: Maalik Wayns, Villanova
"The kid is in your grille for the full 40 minutes. He's like a ninja out there. His hands are lightning quick and disruptive to opposing guards."
Runner-up, Peyton Siva - Louisville
Toughest team to mount a comeback against
Coaches' take: Louisville
"Even when they build a significant lead, they just keep coming. They're always deep, they keep the pressure ratcheted up, and you might go on an 8-2 run, but they'll come right back and put a 16-4 run of their own on you. They come in waves."
Toughest in the paint
Coaches' take: Herb Pope, Seton Hall
"His second bounce is better than the first bounce of most guys. He can face-up or back-down his defender and he's 6-foot-9, 260 pounds with a small forward's vertical leap."
Runner-up, Yancy Gates - Cincinnati
Toughest place to play
Coaches' take: Syracuse, The Carrier Dome
"There is a special preparation involved because of the depth perception and sight lines. Very rarely do you see a freshman play well in his first game at the Dome."
Toughest to keep off the glass
Coaches' take: Alex Oriakhi, UConn
"He is relentless and always in attack mode. They don't have a ton of stuff run for him, so he understands his role and just gets after it."
Runner-up, Kevin Jones - West Virginia
Toughest team to prepare for on short notice
Coaches' take: Georgetown
"The Hoyas just run so many sets. They change the way you defend and create many questions about whether to switch or help."
Toughest shooter in the clutch
Coaches' Take: Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh
"He just makes huge shots. You can defend him perfectly for 28 seconds and he'll still make you pay."
Runner-up, Brandon Triche - Syracuse
Toughest road trip
Coaches' Take: West Virginia
* * *
