I am NOT suggesting that any team should implement the following actions on preparation. As a former coach, I am just drawing on some of my experiences for tournament play at this level.
1. Work hard to get your players to focus on what they can control. Difficult in this age of internet, social media and national media BB pundits, than it was during my time. What they can control is preparing and playing the next KNOWN opponent. There is no control over what the other teams in the bracket do or don't do.
2. Try do get your players to play with a "chip on their shoulder." For UM, this should be easier than expected. Nationwide, UM is the only #1 pick where only one national pundit has picked them to advance out of the regional. All others have predicted Florida State or Alabama. One has UM losing in the second round. Gonzaga, Illinois picked to be in the final game, Baylor in the final four.
3. Disregard national rating services. The games now are wholly based on the individual player match ups. Where do you have the advantage, where are you at a disadvantage. Also, some teams are playing better now than earlier, and visa versa
4. Take the "rose colored glasses off." Be honest and recognize what your team's weakness's are and try to anticipate how, a team you have not played, will attack your vulnerability. Some coaches will send a tape(s) of their last game (s), to a distant coaching colleague, and have them "scout" their team. A fresh pair of knowledgeable eyes is always a good thing. (Unwritten rule in coaches ethics, do not ask a coach to scout a conference team for you. Example---UCLA asking a BIG coach for a scouting report on MSU. )
5. UM BB, thus far has had an exceptional year. They have exceeded every ones expectations when the season began. But, now they must expect that the tournament teams will concentrate on the two vulnerable areas of UM---which they have had since the season began. No adequate depth at the guard positions and inconsistent 3 point shooting. Season wide, the 3 point average is not to bad, but the season average is balanced out by games where the team has exceptional 3 point shooting, opposed to games where it was spotty at best. Livers' injury does not help.
6. Do not make huge changes in game plans, as in changing an entire offense and defense. That never works out because the team spends more time thinking than playing. There are two types of coaches. Some are really good at game preparation---if they seen "it" by playing you or scouting, their team will be ready. Adjustment coaches have the knack to be able to adjust as the game goes on. Most of these adjustments are subtle and not recognized by most. One of the tactics adjustments coaches employ when playing a preparation coach is to have one or two new wrinkles in the game plan. No idea why, but preparation coaches usually do not adjust well on the fly. In the BIG, Izzo is a preparation coach. Doesn't really do well if his prepared game plan needs adjusting during the game. (Ex. Last year when UM's X was torching his team with 3's , he complained X wasn't suppose to be making 3's, but he did not adjust anything in the game to stop him.)
7. Tournament play is unpredictable. In the NCAA tournament, you have to win six games in a row against good teams. Unless a team is so much better than all the other 63 teams in the tourney, there are going to be stressful moments. I do not know why, but it seems like a team which makes run had a game they should have lost but won somehow during their run. Think UM and Huston, H got the lead with 4 seconds remaining in the game. UM takes a time out to plan a last play. Now, a player can can dribble the length of the floor in 4 seconds, but Houston utilized that UM timeout to change their defense into a full court press. That made UM lose seconds in advancing the ball, so with the clocking running out, Poole had to launch a shot from just across the mid court line, right next to the sideline, and the ball went in the net while the clock expired. It seems like every team making a run will have lost but won game.
8. Which brings us back to tournament focus. Get the team to only concentrate on what they can control, which is playing the next opponent. And during that game, get the team to focus on one thing. When the game is over, no matter the result, do not go back into the locker room with any "What ifs" ---what if I didn't miss my defensive rotation assignment, what if I would have hustled more on that ball going out of bounds, what if I did not realize we changed our offensive set, what if I did not line up right on an inbounds paly, etc. etc. Play Hard, Play Smart, Be Patient and Be There For Your Team Mates.
9. For us spectators, enjoy the games, maybe invest in a blood pressure testing machine.
1. Work hard to get your players to focus on what they can control. Difficult in this age of internet, social media and national media BB pundits, than it was during my time. What they can control is preparing and playing the next KNOWN opponent. There is no control over what the other teams in the bracket do or don't do.
2. Try do get your players to play with a "chip on their shoulder." For UM, this should be easier than expected. Nationwide, UM is the only #1 pick where only one national pundit has picked them to advance out of the regional. All others have predicted Florida State or Alabama. One has UM losing in the second round. Gonzaga, Illinois picked to be in the final game, Baylor in the final four.
3. Disregard national rating services. The games now are wholly based on the individual player match ups. Where do you have the advantage, where are you at a disadvantage. Also, some teams are playing better now than earlier, and visa versa
4. Take the "rose colored glasses off." Be honest and recognize what your team's weakness's are and try to anticipate how, a team you have not played, will attack your vulnerability. Some coaches will send a tape(s) of their last game (s), to a distant coaching colleague, and have them "scout" their team. A fresh pair of knowledgeable eyes is always a good thing. (Unwritten rule in coaches ethics, do not ask a coach to scout a conference team for you. Example---UCLA asking a BIG coach for a scouting report on MSU. )
5. UM BB, thus far has had an exceptional year. They have exceeded every ones expectations when the season began. But, now they must expect that the tournament teams will concentrate on the two vulnerable areas of UM---which they have had since the season began. No adequate depth at the guard positions and inconsistent 3 point shooting. Season wide, the 3 point average is not to bad, but the season average is balanced out by games where the team has exceptional 3 point shooting, opposed to games where it was spotty at best. Livers' injury does not help.
6. Do not make huge changes in game plans, as in changing an entire offense and defense. That never works out because the team spends more time thinking than playing. There are two types of coaches. Some are really good at game preparation---if they seen "it" by playing you or scouting, their team will be ready. Adjustment coaches have the knack to be able to adjust as the game goes on. Most of these adjustments are subtle and not recognized by most. One of the tactics adjustments coaches employ when playing a preparation coach is to have one or two new wrinkles in the game plan. No idea why, but preparation coaches usually do not adjust well on the fly. In the BIG, Izzo is a preparation coach. Doesn't really do well if his prepared game plan needs adjusting during the game. (Ex. Last year when UM's X was torching his team with 3's , he complained X wasn't suppose to be making 3's, but he did not adjust anything in the game to stop him.)
7. Tournament play is unpredictable. In the NCAA tournament, you have to win six games in a row against good teams. Unless a team is so much better than all the other 63 teams in the tourney, there are going to be stressful moments. I do not know why, but it seems like a team which makes run had a game they should have lost but won somehow during their run. Think UM and Huston, H got the lead with 4 seconds remaining in the game. UM takes a time out to plan a last play. Now, a player can can dribble the length of the floor in 4 seconds, but Houston utilized that UM timeout to change their defense into a full court press. That made UM lose seconds in advancing the ball, so with the clocking running out, Poole had to launch a shot from just across the mid court line, right next to the sideline, and the ball went in the net while the clock expired. It seems like every team making a run will have lost but won game.
8. Which brings us back to tournament focus. Get the team to only concentrate on what they can control, which is playing the next opponent. And during that game, get the team to focus on one thing. When the game is over, no matter the result, do not go back into the locker room with any "What ifs" ---what if I didn't miss my defensive rotation assignment, what if I would have hustled more on that ball going out of bounds, what if I did not realize we changed our offensive set, what if I did not line up right on an inbounds paly, etc. etc. Play Hard, Play Smart, Be Patient and Be There For Your Team Mates.
9. For us spectators, enjoy the games, maybe invest in a blood pressure testing machine.
