Muleskinner

Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Drew Woolery: Muleskinner A simple basketball lesson has the No. 4 Mules playing better defense.

Tyler Oakley noticed the blue tape before the three-game road trip. Just before the fourth-ranked Mules traveled to face Truman State on Jan. 20, coach Kim Anderson wanted to make sure defense became a priority again.

So, the blue lines were back on the court once again for practice, each to divide up the half-court into four sections. Oakley, a forward, knew why the blue lines were there: The Mules weren't really stopping anybody from scoring against them.

At this point in the year, with the conference season already past the midway point, going back to the basics might be an alarming sign for a team that is second in the regional rankings while still trying to win the MIAA title. For these Mules, though, reinforcing fundamentals on defense was just what they needed.

"Everybody has bought into defense and the blue-line system the past couple of weeks," Oakley said. "The last two games we've been able to do better on defense."

Oakley is being modest. The Mules haven't been just better on defense - they've shut down teams since the blue lines made their appearance. In the Mules' past two road wins over Truman State and Southwest Baptist, the Mules (17-1, 10-1 MIAA) have held their opponent to 60 and 62 points, respectively. Before the blue-line method, the Mules had given up more than 70 points in five of the previous seven games.

Based on the blue-line strategy, the half-court being divided into four sections allows the defense to see where the ball is in relation to playing strong- or weak-side defense. It also shows when the defender needs to give help to his teammate on defense. And if the concept is played correctly, most shots by opponents will be taken from behind the line that is marked on the free-throw line - forcing jump shots rather than attempts near the basket.

"I do think it gives you a reference point on the floor of where you need to get defensively," Anderson said.

The blue-line approach by Anderson was one he learned from coach Norm Stewart during his time as a player and assistant coach at Missouri. Although the tape back then was white instead of blue, Anderson has kept the lesson and uses it frequently.

What made seeing the blue lines a bit of a surprise for Oakley and the rest of the Mules was that Anderson usually only implements it early in the year just to get his team thinking about defense.

"I just never really used it this late in the year," Anderson said. "But I thought our defense needed it because we were giving up too many easy baskets."

There's no timetable as to when the blue lines will disappear at practice, but for now, the Mules know the lines are working.

"At times it's hard, because he (Anderson) wants me to focus on my defense," said guard Nate Fuqua. "At the same time, if he wants me to play defense, that's what I want to do for coach."

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