Does Defense Win Championships?

(St. Louis, MO) – If defense wins championships maybe we know why Northern Iowa and Wichita State are the odds on favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship.

The defending champion Shockers have the reputation, swagger and numbers to back up their ‘big bad boys’ reputation. Since 2010, they have the best winning percentage, and the best ROAD winning percentage in the country. Why? Not only are they skilled, but they ‘play angry’ and defend like their lives depend on it.

Northern Iowa doesn’t have the same ‘nasty boys’ reputation, but other than last year’s blip, the Panthers are traditionally one of the best defensive squads in college basketball. This year they are even better.

Ben Jacobson’s team leads the MVC in scoring defense and is fifth in the nation by allowing 54.7 ppg. Teams are shooting less that 38 % against the Panthers. 14 times in 18 games, UNI has held their opponents to 58 or fewer points. Wichita State is 14^th nationally at 57.5.

UNI leads the nation in scoring defense in league games (47.8 points per game) and WSU is fourth (52.0).

These two nationally ranked teams WSU (13^th) & UNI (19^th) are doing it on the muscle of defensive abilities and strategies.

Clearly the Valley has become a two horse race. Indiana State’s 5-1 record is a wonderful story, but their inability to stop opponents (69.9 ppg) will be their undoing. We thought Illinois State (12-7)(4-3) could be a contender, but injuries have stripped the Redbirds of the continuity they need to compete with the upper echelon.

What about individual defenders? Wichita State’s guards Fred VanVleet, Tekele Cotton and Ron Baker all rank in the top five in the MVC in steals. UNI’s guards Wes Washpun and Jeremy Morgan also rank in the top ten.

If you think nationally, the top two teams in the polls (Kentucky and Virginia) are also the top two teams in points allowed.

If defense wins championships then put your money on Wichita State or Northern Iowa.

Do Good