Originally posted by IUPalum
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I think while we're (...me) talking about pressing, what's been wrong with the IUP defense as a whole the last couple seasons? It seemed as though teams were scoring at will against IUP, which was uncommon. But the stats don't necessarily show that because, on average, IUP was right there near the top of the PSAC in team points per game against. I went back and looked at IUP's ppg against the last six seasons (and included the league leader for context) and there's definitely been an uptick in teams scoring against the Crimson Hawks. Is the big jump in points per game allowed from 2014-15 to 2015-16 because of the defensive leadership of someone like Devante Chance, or because that's about when everyone started watching Golden State and realizing space-and-pace is a great way to play basketball? I covered the team in 2013-14 for The Penn and I do remember at one point IUP was No. 1 in the nation in 3-point percentage against.
2017-18: IUP (27-3), 70.3 ppg
- League leader: Mercyhurst, 65.5
2016-17: IUP (28-4), 68.2 ppg
- League leader: Slippery Rock, 65.0
2015-16: IUP (21-8), 69.8 ppg
- League leader: Mercyhurst, 60.3
2014-15: IUP (31-7), 62.7 ppg
- League leader: Gannon, 56.6
2013-14: IUP (24-5), 60.3 ppg
- League leader: Gannon, 60.3
2012-13: IUP (26-6), 60.4 ppg
- League leader: Gannon, 58.2
Can we credit the IUP defense getting 1.6 points per game better on defense in 2016-17 from the year prior to Devon Cottrell playing the full (and finally his last) season?
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