Open Practice: Defense & Rebounding Drills

Tom Izzo is considered one of the best defensive coaches in college basketball. His teams have always played with a physicality and intensity that is hard to match and a chore to score against. In this open practice, you will learn about Coach Izzo's man-to-man defense through unique interview segments, markerboard sessions, and the practice drills used to establish this perennially dominant defense.

`Defense Wins Championships' Approach

Coach Izzo explains the program's philosophy as it pertains to

• team defense
• versatility
• side and top screen and roll coverages
• "Hit, Find, Fetch" approach to rebounding
• transition defense
• the six eye approach to half-court defensive positioning

Live Practice Session

Coach Izzo motivates and pushes players through defensive drills, as well as implementing program core principles such as defensive positioning and toughness that are at the heart of an all-defense approach to playing winning basketball.

Through 10 practice drills, you will see how this man-to-man defense is established with on-court instruction by the Michigan State coaching staff. All of these breakdown drills will build essential defensive principles by quickly getting players numerous repetitions in short, focused drills. Drills include:

• Jump to the Ball and Negaunee drills - Players work on adjusting their defensive positioning, pressuring the ball, and denying cutters.
• Three Man DHO Switching drill - Learn two strategies for defending dribble handoffs based on the player positions involved in the action.
• Pin Down & Flares drill - Coach Izzo teaches how to defend against two common off-ball screens
• Beat and Belt drill - Challenge players to deny flash cuts into the high post and quickly adjust to stop the back cut.

You also get to see several variations of Michigan State's Shell Drill through a whiteboard segment by Coach Izzo, accompanied with on-court demonstration showing each layer to the drill being run.

Defending Ball Screens

Shut down pick & rolls with multiple defensive tactics that will allow you to counter the talents of your upcoming opponent. Coach Izzo provides options for you to limit your opponents' effectiveness versus shooters off the dribble, drivers, or stretch bigs. The Ball Screens drill focuses on the two defenders committed to the ball screen action and gives them several repetitions to refine their technique.

The Continuous Ball Screens drill gets your whole team quick repetitions to work on defending ball screens. This will help you work on multiple ball screen coverages without taking too much of your practice time.

Rebounding and Transition Defense

Using both the whiteboard and on-court demonstration, Coach Izzo shares his two favorite rebounding drills: the 2-on-2 and 5-on-5 versions to his famed War Drill. You'll get a chance to see these concepts in action with the War Drill into Live Break drill. All of Coach Izzo's defensive emphases are put together in a 6-on-5 defensive scrimmage segment to end practice.

With all the drills, Coach Izzo looks to instill a tough, hard-nosed mentality within his players by challenging them both mentally and physically to form a presence that will never be outworked by an opponent. The energy on the court throughout the video is unmatched!

Coach Izzo shows you the concepts and practice drills that form the base of his defensive system and can immediately help you improve your team's defense.

68 minutes. 2015.