MBU – Classic Question

Does Great Defense Stop Great Offense

(St. Louis, MO) – A classic question will be answered Wednesday night. Does great defense stop great offense? When ninth ranked Missouri Baptist meets Loyola (Louisiana) in the Naismith Bracket of the NAIA National Tournament, two contrasting styles will be on display.

MBU (28-4) leads the nation in scoring defense and in defensive field goal percentage. The Wolf Pack (21-11) are 16^th nationally in scoring. Both teams have some gaudy defensive statistics. The Spartans are fourth nationally in blocked shots and Loyola is fourth in steals.

Loyola likes a fast-paced, helter-skelter kind of game. MBU is a bit more ‘old school’. Coach Matt Brock believes his offense works best from the inside out. The Spartans like to throw the ball into the post to All-American Pablo Hernandez and 6’9 Callum Barker. The fourth year head coach has surround his post players with very capable three-point shooters.

Kai Woodfall (99 threes), Jesus Castillo (79) and Jahmouri Robinson (46) all make over 40% of their long distance attempts. The Spartans are fifth nationally in three-point percentage (.402).

Great Defense on Elite Offensive Players

But can they stop the explosive Zach Wrightsil and Myles Burns. The ‘Texas Twins’ come into the contest with impressive numbers of their own. Both players hale from the Lone Star State and stand 6’5 and weigh just under 200 pounds. Both are high volume scorers and live at the free-throw line.

Wrightsil averages 18.8 points per game, and averages five MADE free-throws per contest. Burns contributes 16 points per game, gets to the line often and both players grab more than eight rebounds per game.

They crash the glass, get out and run and look for contact.

Great defense is the key to this first round NAIA game. If the Spartans can defend without fouling and not be pressured into turnovers they should prevail. In this contrast of styles, the team that can be as Matt Brock says, “the best version of ourselves” will win.

Loyola coach Stacy Hollowell has rebuilt his team. Wrightsil and Burns are two of three freshmen starters, but senior Ethan Turner the Wolf Pack’s most dangerous outside threat (77 triples).

You can hear this 8:15 p.m. game on MBUSpartans.com. Kevin Paulus and I have the privilege of announcing games for the Spartans.

A chance to reach the round of sixteen is at stake as we answer the question, ‘does great defense stop great offense?’

Do Good