“Just because we were adding Tanner, we weren’t adding what we really needed, which was defense and rebounding,” Nagy said this week.
“I think we’re a worse rebounding team actually. I’m not blaming that on Tanner because they’re all involved in it. But, in my opinion, this should be a really good rebounding team, and it has not been. It’s one of my frustrations.”
The Raiders, who are 14-12 overall and 9-6 in the league, have a paltry plus-1.6 rebound margin per game, which is the second-worst average in Nagy’s eight years.
Even more disconcerting is that they’re giving up 10.3 offensive rebounds per game while averaging 8.9 themselves. That’s led to a bundle of second-chance points for opponents.
“I was right in that assessment that just adding more offense wasn’t going to make us better,” Nagy said.
The Raiders’ scoring has gone from 79.9 points per game to 85.0 — which is what everyone envisioned when Holden made his decision — but the defense has gotten worse. Way worse.
After giving up 73.7 points per game last season, their average has soared to 81.1.
Asked about his focus in practice this week, Nagy said: “It’s not any different than what it’s been. We’re still just pressing in on defense — because it’s not about the X’s and O’s. It’s more about the desire.
“If we had been in a zone all year instead of man-to-man, I don’t think it would have changed a thing because of our (lax) approach to how important it is. I just haven’t done a very good job of getting that point across.”
The Raiders are 352nd out of 362 Division-I teams in defensive efficiency, giving up 1.127 points per possession.
Nagy’s goal is to hold foes under one point per possession each game, but the team has done that only a handful of times.
That figure is by far the worst since he took over. They were 12th nationally in 2017-18 and 16th in 2020-21.
Their last NCAA tourney team in 2021-22 was only 229th, but, considering how proficient they’ve become on offense this year, the Raiders probably would be the league title favorite with an efficiency rating in the 229 range.
As Nagy pointed out, though, his top teams had shot blockers. Grant Basile had a program-record 59 in 2021-22, while Loudon Love is the school’s career leader with 138, nine more than Basile.
A.J. Baun leads the team with 28, and Brandon Noel is second with 20.
“Grant was a good shot blocker, and we don’t really have anybody that’s a shot blocker,” Nagy said.
“We just don’t have the rim protection we had with Loudon and Grant. But you don’t always need that. We’ve had great defensive teams that didn’t have shot blockers.”
The team’s best individual defender might be its most athletically challenged player.
Alex Huibregtse draws the toughest perimeter assignment most games. And while the 6-4 junior doesn’t always win those battles, his commitment to defense is never in question.
“He’s been our most consistent guy on that end. He’s had to guard some people he probably shouldn’t be guarding. Other people should be. But we feel like he’s probably putting the best effort in,” Nagy said.
Trey Calvin, a 6-foot fifth-year player who leads the team in scoring with a 19.8 average, has exhibited the quick hands and feet needed to be an elite defender, but Nagy still usually opts to go with Huibregtse.
Asked if he’s trying to preserve Calvin’s stamina for the offensive end, Nagy said: “No, I’m not worried about that. We know Trey can do it. Look what he did in the Northern Kentucky game.”
Calvin contained one of the league’s top guards in Marques Warrick, who had 20 points but went 6 of 17 from the field and 0 of 5 on 3′s in a Raider road win.
Calvin had 21 points himself.
“It’s just making sure our players look at (defense) as the most important thing. Most them just don’t,” Nagy said.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Robert Morris at Wright State, 1 p.m., ESPN+, 101.5, 1410
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