Vic Schaefer preaches defense day in and day out. The first-year women’s basketball head coach came to Starkville known for his successful defensive strategy and has implemented the high-pressure plan of action with the Lady Bulldogs.
Sunday afternoon, the multiple parts of that strategy came together when the Dogs beat Arkansas 47-44, holding the Razorbacks to just 14 points on 5-24 shooting in the first half.
After the game, Schaefer said he could not be more proud of his kids for how hard they competed and their toughness.
“Forty-four points — it’s so hard to do, y’all. You aren’t standing around in a 2-3 zone. If you force 20 turnovers, you’re being the aggressor every possession; you’re not taking plays off,” Schaefer said. “I can find lots of things tomorrow to show them on film to try to keep them back on the ground a little bit, but they’re gonna go, ‘Coach, 5-24, come on,’ and they’re right. That’s a tremendous job that took tremendous effort.”
The Razorbacks turned the ball over on two five-second calls while inbounding the ball early in the game and failed to make a three-pointer the entire game.
Schaefer compared his defensive game plan to the work of a plumber. He said when he fixes two or three leaks, such as ball pressure, wing denial or denial back to the point guard, a fourth leak arises, such as the post player caught behind her opponent, which becomes the pressure release.
“It gives you some credibility when you’re out there trying to teach them to play that hard, and they’ve never played that hard before and they’re thinking, ‘Why am I doing this? I’ve never had to do this before in my life. What are we doing?’ You go show them this now – that’s why we’re doing it,” Schaefer said. “It’s not what we do; it’s how we do it that’s going to separate us.”
From the sidelines, Schaefer may be one of the most animated coaches in the league, constantly yelling directions to his players and critiquing them on mistakes. But lone senior Darriel Gaynor, who hit three big shots from downtown against the Razorbacks, said in the moment, Schaefer may seem too hard on them, but in the bigger picture, they improve from the intensity he brings.
“It’s definitely been a long journey, but I think we’re finally starting to put it together,” Gaynor said. “We weren’t used to working so hard and being disciplined, and I think we’re starting to finally get that now with team chemistry and focus and bringing that intensity to practice every single day.”
Sophomore Martha Alwal recorded her league-leading 11th double-double Sunday and played the game not feeling her best. She said last year she would have been done for the game at that point, but this year, she had managers telling her coach needed her and wanted her to come back and play.
Schaefer said he demands a lot out of the girls, but when they see results like on Sunday, they understand why he does what he does.
“I think I’m too hard on them sometimes, and their comment when I tell them that they say, ‘Coach we’re just not used to that, but don’t change,'” Schaefer said. “I feel like sometimes I’m really hard on them, but I tell them all the time, ‘I won’t ask you to do anything I don’t think you can do.'”
After the game, Schaefer’s players huddled around him and celebrated the win before talking to fans who had come watch them play. Sophomore Kendra Grant, who, along with Alwal, leads the team averaging 12.4 points per game, said the team all pulled together to come out with the win and enjoyed a special moment with Schaefer after the win.
“He was telling me and the rest of the team that he was proud of us and this is the type of defensive team that he wants, and I feel like this game was a perfect example of what he wants,” Grant said.
The Lady Bulldogs do not play again until they take on Missouri on Sunday. Schaefer said he will be recruiting some this week and plans to give the team today and Wednesday off before preparing for the Tigers, who upset the Tennessee Volunteers Sunday.
“I promise you it will be one heck of a week around here for my group and rightfully so. These kids deserve to feel good about themselves. I’m telling you, there’s not anybody in the country that works harder than those kids, I promise you. They work their tails off everyday,” Schaefer said. “I’m just proud to be their coach and happy that they’re earning some credibility and some victories with their hard work.”