Cincinnati - The Perfect Modern Defense?

Cincinnati boasts the eighth best defense in the country according to Torvik. They are above average in nearly every analytical measure while being an elite shooting defense. The only thing that they struggle at, defensive free throw shooting...

In addition to the defense on free throws, I am not going to mention anything about their offense. Why you may ask? Because I am pushing a narrative and the Bearcats refusing to make shots disrupts my narrative. In summary, offense bad and defense awesome!

No Three Pointers?

Cincinnati only allows 32.7% of teams shots from three, an elite number compared to teams like Louisville who shoot over 50% of shots from the three point line. Add in the Bearcats holding teams to 28% on those threes and you have an elite three point defense. Is the shooting numbers just luck?

When watching the Bearcats, I wanted to explain how Cincinnati dampens opponents shooting to an extreme degree. The answer is multi-faceted so I am going to break it down into three tenets that have led to Cincinnati's elite modern defense.

They stay connected to matchups and anticipate passes.
They are ALWAYS moving their feet.
Five is greater than fifteen.

Staying Connected

Before we dive into Cincinnati specifically, I wanted to briefly define "gap defense" for those unfamilar with the term. Gap defense refers to the help responsibilities for players that are one pass away, or the closest perimeter defenders on either side of the ball. Those responsibilities will look different based on the team, so let's look at Cincinnati's

Off the ball, Cincinnati plays connected to their matchups. They look to deny passes and take away shots instead of showing help on drives. This helps them avoid closeouts and takeaway threes.

In the clip above, notice the help defenders on the perimeter and how little they commit towards the ball despite Morehead State attempting multiple drives. One of the reasons they can do this is because of Aziz Bandaogo providing rim protection.

Bandaogo is an under-appreciated rim protector in the country and because of his athleticism, Cincinnati can trust him at the rim to be connected on the perimeter. When they do have to help, Cincinnati is fantastic at anticipating passes to start closeouts before the offensive player receives the ball.

This defensive style isn't the perfect answer, it forces Cincinnati to be really good defending the ball. If Cincinnati can't keep the ball in front, they are not going to succeed.

I won't spend much time on guarding the ball but I like this clip because it shows the dangers of not being committed to pressuring the ball. On the catch, #5 is 1-2 feet away and can pressure the dribbler into picking a direction. On the retreat dribble, #5 is now 3-4 feet away which allows the offensive player to crossover.

The strengths of applying ball pressure and staying connected on the perimeter are great. You can shut down the three point line and stay out of rotations while still creating havoc for opponents. But in playing this style, it exposes defenders individual defense and can burn teams that aren't full committed.

Just Keep Moving

As some may know already, Cincinnati doesn't want to switch off the ball at all. They want to keep matchups and chase players around the court. An amazing idea, but how does Cincinnati actually do it?

The answer to my perfectly setup question is their feet. Cincinnati is constantly moving with little hops. Some coaches argue against hopping but I don't think the hops are what matters. It is more about Cincinnati being mentally engaged and ready to move at full speed.

Another area that it helps is navigating screens on and off the ball. Here's back to back clips of Cincinnati drawing illegal screens against Baylor due to their activity.

Another example of Cincinnati guarding the ball. Again, notice how many times they take mini steps or hops to stay engaged and ready for anything the offensive player tries.

Fouling Without Free Throws

In a defensive scheme that puts immense pressure on defenders to guard without help, Cincinnati utilizes hand checking to help stay in front. Think of a cornerback jamming receiver off the line. Cincinnati does the same thing to divert drivers while fighting to get back in front.

They can play physical without fouling because of their technique and understanding what refs want to call. First, they use hand furthest from the ball to make contact with the driver. Refs don't like calling every bump and using the furthest hand further dissuades foul calls because it is harder to see. The simple rule of thumb: jam with the same hand as the offensive player dribbles with.

Second, the timing from the individual Bearcat defenders is exquisite. Any non-shooting or non-bonus fouls are acceptable because the offense has to reset. Where Cincinnati thrives is not fouling shooters, they are disciplined at contesting without invading the offensive players space.

Author's Note

I am finishing this article later in the season with the knowledge that Cincinnati has free fallen in conference play. Both three point percentage and three point rate went up but their defense is still top 25. I love how they constructed their defensive scheme but Wes Miller will have to address the pitiful offense if he wants to utilize his defense.