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the Nation

Posted March 12, 2002

Discipline has taken Rochester deep into March
Mike Neer has been in this position before. In 1990, Rochester finished second in the University Athletic Association to Emory, got an at-large bid, and won the national championship. So he knows what it takes to get here.

"It is very tough, but we were fortunate that we were good enough to even got a chance,'' said Neer. "I think we made a good case, not only for us, but for all Pool C teams.''

Not that there was that big of a difference between Rochester, which goes to the Final Four under Neer for the third time, and UAA champ Washington, which swept the season series, winning the second game on a tip-in at the buzzer. This is a team that knew it would contend for the league title, but didn't have expectations of making the Final 4 when the preseason began.

"We started the season with two of the three qualities that I think you need,'' said Neer. "One is a solid, solid core of competitive people, who compete both on the court and in the classroom. We'll battle and fight you whether we're up or we're down. Two, we have discipline in how we play. The third is one I wasn't sure we had, but it was one we needed. Poise. That's a product of experience. We have eight freshmen, two of whom (Seth Hauben, right, and Gabe Perez) have started in the playoffs, and only one senior, so our collective poise was slow in coming together."

Evidence that it did come together can be found in one statistic — free throw shooting. TheYellowjackets were on pace to be the worst foul shooting team in Neer's 26-season, 403-win tenure through February but have shot better than 80% from the line in the postseason.

Rochester has a unique method of practicing free throws, where Neer has the players do wind sprints before they shoot. Then each player shoots four 1-and-1s, with the goal being for each to score at least six points.

"That's about confidence and poise,'' Neer said. "You shoot pressure free throws, so we see where everyone lines up. I like to think that this works for us."

What's also worked for the Yellowjackets has been their defense, which has held people to 58 points per game and 40% shooting, the former of which ranks among the best nationally. Part of that is the product of a patient offense, a sharp contrast to semifinal foe Elizabethtown. Rochester only takes an average of 56 shots per game, but takes advantage of its strong inside game and its ability to hit the 3-point shot.

Top scoring forward Brian Jones came up big from the inside, making eight of nine shots in the quarterfinal win at Brockport, but Neer said that the key in postseason play has been how junior guards Tim Sweeney and Jeff Joss have
improved their play.

"Tim Sweeney doesn't get a lot of ink, but he's the ultimate gym rat,'' Neer said. "He was thrown to the wolves early but he's made himself into a good point guard. Joss was a high school power forward who converted to guard, so we kind of had the blind leading the blind in our backcourt for a while.

"His shot selection has gotten much better. He's shot 44% from 3-point range and that includes a game where he went 1-for-10. I like to call these the dividend producing years. In their junior and senior years, you should get back what you invested in a player his first two years."

Neer is hopeful that an even greater payoff is reachable. The Rochester philosophy has proven to be a sound investment.

"The postseason is about teams that play tough, smart, halfcourt basketball,'' Neer said. "The game comes down to the pits, and who sticks with it offensively and defensively deep into the shot clock. We play that way and our league plays that way. It's an explanation for our success."

Notes for Around the Nation are compiled with the help of sports information directors across the country. If you have suggestions or information for this column, please send it to mark@d3hoops.com.

2008-09 columns
Feb. 20: York (Pa.), no cliche
Feb. 13: St. Thomas writing history
Feb. 6: George Fox on hunt
Jan. 30: Brother, brother
Jan. 23: Growing a program
Jan. 16: Dudek's rare feat
Jan. 9: Ravin' about Anderson
Dec. 18: Chicago marooned at 0-9
Dec. 12: De Luca back on track
Dec. 4: Ithaca surprises
Nov. 21: Augie gets some delp
Nov. 13: Is repeat possible?

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