Jamal Shead, one of many leaders for No. 1 UH, believes the Cougars have one other step they’ll take defensively to succeed in the subsequent step on the ladder. | Anh Le/The Cougar
Coming into Tuesday night time, Tulane led the American Athletic Convention with 87.8 factors per recreation in league play. Houston held Tulane to simply 60 factors however the Cougars’ gamers weren’t happy with their defensive efficiency.
“They scored 30 beneath their common, however in addition they scored 10 above our common,” mentioned UH level guard Jamal Shead.
Shead, who described his major position as being the one who units the tone for UH defensively, admits that he has not been enjoying to the usual he units for himself nor has he been assembly the expectation that head coach Kelvin Sampson expects from his level guard.
Throughout UH’s win over USF on Jan. 11, Sampson switched Shead off the Bulls’ main scorer Tyler Harris within the second half, opting to have Marcus Sasser guard USF’s finest participant.
After the sport, Sampson was blunt when requested why he made the transfer.
“(Harris) was kicking Jamal’s butt,” Sampson mentioned. “Jamal has guarded very effectively recently. He’s acquired to get his swagger again, get his mojo again.”
Shead is aware of he hasn’t been wherever close to his finest defensively and that this should change if UH is to succeed in its fullest potential.
“It’s extra of an effort standpoint, beginning with me,” Shead mentioned. “I don’t assume I’ve been giving my finest effort, particularly the previous 5 – 6 video games. My man, my matchup has had their profession excessive. I can’t permit that anymore and I acquired to do higher on the level of assault.”
Whereas UH presently permits the nation’s lowest quantity of points per game at 53.3 and rank No. 2 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency, Shead believes that defensively the Cougars are nowhere close to the extent of play they’re able to. The way in which for the Cougars to climb up one other step on the ladder comes by elevating their play on the defensive finish of the ground.
“Our subsequent degree comes with protection,” Shead mentioned. “I really feel like we will do rather a lot higher on protection. We quit plenty of simple baskets and plenty of stuff we’re not used to giving up right here.”
