Aren't we getting a visit from a JMU portal player?
I know a lot of people have been looking at Dawson's stat line. I get that. But I think it is about time that Marshall men's basketball has a freakish athlete that can come in a game and lock down on defense on the opposing team's 1- , 2- or 3- player. Yes, he may have only averaged around 5 to 6 points a game at Akron. But he played a lot of minutes which tells me he can play good defense. You don't play a guy 28 minutes a game with that type of scoring average if he can't play defense.
It is good if we have a player that can take an 18 ppg scorer from the opposing team and limit that player to 9 to 10 points under his average. We not only take away points from the other team but a quality defender can take a team out of the flow of their offense which is generally built around their top scorer. We have gotten so use as a fan-base to no defensive adjustments in both game planning and in-game adjustments that I just don't think our fanbase appreciates a good defender. We NEVER adjusted our defense to how an opposing player was scoring in a game. When the guard from App State kept scoring and scoring and scoring in the same manner at the Henderson Center, did you ever see an adjustment? I sure didn't. Jackson wants his defenders to get more up into the ball handlers and opposing players. His philosophy is to push the offense further from the basket and make them start their sets further from the basket. You have to have good athletic defenders to do that.
I also think Dawson may get a little more offensive production playing in our style of offense. Our offense, which Corny said he is keeping, tends to open up the floor for athletic players. I think that could help Dawson a little bit more.
Count me in as someone who really likes this approach. Of course, I might be different in that I am a firm believer in that defense wins against the better competition.