GW Hoops / Defensive Breakthrough?

**Posted by The Dude** 11/17/2023 2:16 pm

More about us, our opponents, or some of both?

GW has limited all three of its opponents to 40% shooting or worse to begin the year, ranking first in the A-10 and 12th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 33.2%. The Revolutionaries are seventh in the country in 2-point defense, limiting their opponents to just 37.3% inside the arc.

Tuesday vs. Hofstra was the ninth time under Caputo that GW has held its opponent under 40% shooting as they remained a perfect 9-0 in such games.

NOT UP IN HERE
Babatunde Akingbola highlighted the defensive effort with two steals and three blocks on Tuesday. He has registered multiple blocks in each game this year. Akingbola is 10th nationally with nine blocks and sixth in the NCAA with 3.0 swats per game. As a team, the Revolutionaries have averaged 6.0 blocks per game this season, best in the A-10 and 29th nationally.

GW also registered 11 steals against Hofstra, its first game with double-digit steals since tallying 10 swipes against VCU on Jan. 13, 2021. GW has averaged 8.7 steals per game, 90th nationally.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 11/17/2023 4:06 pm

It’s early, but I really like the combo of positional size and versatility we bring on defense. We are going to keep getting better as these guys get used to playing better opponents in league play, but I like what I’ve seen so far.

And what a difference it makes to have a rim protector!

**Posted by The Dude** 11/18/2023 4:46 pm

And how... 5 more blocks today for Stretch

GW is now 10-0 in the CC era when holding opponents under 40% from the field

Much bigger tests now ahead of us

**Posted by GW0509** 12/21/2023 8:53 am

Checking in on our defensive stats we are still top 20 in defensive FG% and #2 in the country in FTA/FGA (aka, we don't foul).

One area that is lagging (on both defense and offense) is TO %. We are sub-300 in non-steal TO % on both ends of the floor.