Austin Peay struggling with stopping teams in first half
Austin Peay may have won six of its last seven games, but coach Dave Loos said his team still hasn?t been putting in enough effort at the defensive end.
Since the Govs lost 87-75 at home to Murray State on Jan. 7, the improvement in offensive execution has been evident, helping APSU average nearly 74 points per game. The defense has been another story, particularly in the first half of games.
?We think we can kind of coast through it and we can turn it on when we need to and good teams won?t let you do that,? Loos said. ?But it?s exactly what happens.?
APSU?s last seven opponents are shooting better than 51 percent in the first half, but only 40 percent after halftime. It came back to haunt the Govs in their only loss during that stretch, when APSU faced a 17-point deficit early in the game and trailed by nine at halftime before falling 65-60.
Govs senior John Fraley said every game at halftime coaches go over statistics and set goals for the rest of the game. When the players see how poorly they?re playing and coaches challenge them to improve, both Fraley and fellow senior Josh Terry said it serves as motivation to pick up the intensity in the second half.
Loos said the best motivator when players aren?t defending well is to send them to the bench, but that?s been difficult to do this season with only three bench players who have played significant minutes. While it would help if more vocal leaders would emerge on the senior-laden team, Loos sees defense as more of an individual responsibility.
The defense-first philosophy has always been a staple of Loos? Austin Peay teams, and he said this season?s team has occasionally shown itself capable of buckling down defensively. Too often, though, Loos said the Govs are playing ?too casual? and making it too easy for other teams to score.
?The best teams we?ve had could get a stop,? he said. ?This is not one of those teams right now. We could do it and we can do it at times, but it?s not a priority every time we come down the floor to hold somebody to 60 points.?
Austin Peay travels to Nashville Monday night to take on Tennessee State, the only team the Govs played in the last three weeks that actually shot the ball better from the field in the second half during a 69-63 APSU win in Clarksville. The Tigers, who are tied with APSU for third in the OVC, are led by the league?s fourth-leading scorer, Robert Covington, who scored 30 points in that first meeting.
?We?ve got to do a better job of helping,? said Terry, who said he?ll be matched up with Covington at times, along with forward Melvin Baker. ?Somebody?s got to do a better job of helping Melvin out because I?m pretty sure he?s going to run through three or four screens before he gets the ball.?
Loos said the Govs can?t hope to completely shut down the 6-foot-9 forward, who averages 17.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. But like with any top scorer, Loos said the Govs must find a way to disrupt Covington?s rhythm every time he catches the ball.
Regardless of how Austin Peay plays tonight, Loos will continue to demand his players make defense a priority on the floor and stress the importance of every game, particularly after the Govs? dismal start to the season. Fraley knows he?s been among the Govs that haven?t always been consistent in their efforts, and the veteran coach is unwavering in his message.
?We can?t play cool,? Fraley said. ?We?ve got to play with a sense of urgency because it?s getting close to tournament time.?
Austin Peay may have won six of its last seven games, but coach Dave Loos said his team still hasn?t been putting in enough effort at the defensive end.
Since the Govs lost 87-75 at home to Murray State on Jan. 7, the improvement in offensive execution has been evident, helping APSU average nearly 74 points per game. The defense has been another story, particularly in the first half of games.
?We think we can kind of coast through it and we can turn it on when we need to and good teams won?t let you do that,? Loos said. ?But it?s exactly what happens.?
APSU?s last seven opponents are shooting better than 51 percent in the first half, but only 40 percent after halftime. It came back to haunt the Govs in their only loss during that stretch, when APSU faced a 17-point deficit early in the game and trailed by nine at halftime before falling 65-60.
Govs senior John Fraley said every game at halftime coaches go over statistics and set goals for the rest of the game. When the players see how poorly they?re playing and coaches challenge them to improve, both Fraley and fellow senior Josh Terry said it serves as motivation to pick up the intensity in the second half.
Loos said the best motivator when players aren?t defending well is to send them to the bench, but that?s been difficult to do this season with only three bench players who have played significant minutes. While it would help if more vocal leaders would emerge on the senior-laden team, Loos sees defense as more of an individual responsibility.
The defense-first philosophy has always been a staple of Loos? Austin Peay teams, and he said this season?s team has occasionally shown itself capable of buckling down defensively. Too often, though, Loos said the Govs are playing ?too casual? and making it too easy for other teams to score.
?The best teams we?ve had could get a stop,? he said. ?This is not one of those teams right now. We could do it and we can do it at times, but it?s not a priority every time we come down the floor to hold somebody to 60 points.?
Austin Peay travels to Nashville Monday night to take on Tennessee State, the only team the Govs played in the last three weeks that actually shot the ball better from the field in the second half during a 69-63 APSU win in Clarksville. The Tigers, who are tied with APSU for third in the OVC, are led by the league?s fourth-leading scorer, Robert Covington, who scored 30 points in that first meeting.
?We?ve got to do a better job of helping,? said Terry, who said he?ll be matched up with Covington at times, along with forward Melvin Baker. ?Somebody?s got to do a better job of helping Melvin out because I?m pretty sure he?s going to run through three or four screens before he gets the ball.?
Loos said the Govs can?t hope to completely shut down the 6-foot-9 forward, who averages 17.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. But like with any top scorer, Loos said the Govs must find a way to disrupt Covington?s rhythm every time he catches the ball.
Regardless of how Austin Peay plays tonight, Loos will continue to demand his players make defense a priority on the floor and stress the importance of every game, particularly after the Govs? dismal start to the season. Fraley knows he?s been among the Govs that haven?t always been consistent in their efforts, and the veteran coach is unwavering in his message.
?We can?t play cool,? Fraley said. ?We?ve got to play with a sense of urgency because it?s getting close to tournament time.?
