Mocs rely less on Fire defense

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's "Fire" has been reduced to little more than a pilot light.

"Fire" had been UTC's base defense during John Shulman's time as coach, but he's using it much less this year than ever before, and the Mocs have started 3-0 in the Southern Conference while using it just a handful of times in the three games.

"Basketball is changing a bit, and it's good to have it in," Shulman said. "It would be better to be using Fire, but not living in it like we have. But using it a few times a game is good."

He didn't call for it at all in UTC's 71-65 win at Elon on Friday.

Shulman may not call for it a time or two today when UTC plays Reinhardt at noon in McKenzie Arena - yes, noon on a weekday, but while school is out and many are on vacation.

"We're looking forward to it," UTC athletic director Rick Hart said. "It's going to be different. We're excited to see what it's going to be like."

Finding weekday games at noon that aren't part of a tournament are about as rare as other teams using some version of Fire.

The basic premise of the tricky defense is to double-team a post player when he gets the ball with the other three players playing specific roles in a zone. It's usually successful in preventing the post player from scoring, but with one or two passes, a guard can get an open look from the 3-point line.

"I've been so hard-headed that people started throwing it in the post just to hit the back side for a 3," Shulman said. "So we haven't done it really in the last three games."

One result of playing less Fire is that post players have to play more one-on-one defense before and after the ball gets inside.

UTC leads the league in field-goal percentage during SoCon games, and opponents are averaging just 36.7 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from the 3-point line.

"We're not getting lit up from the 3-point line as easy, and there aren't really any guys in the conference that can kill us in the post," power forward Chris Early said. "It's helping us on the perimeter without the Fire because they have to work for their 3-pointers."

Shulman's evolution away from Fire involves the premise that the SoCon doesn't have many strongo back-to-the-basket players. Former SoCon post players such as Kyle Hines of UNC Greensboro, Ola Atoybi of Elon and Zakee Wadood of East Tennessee State required double-teams.

"There's not the need for Fire," Shulman said. "There aren't that many guys, even in the NBA, with back-to-basket games. But Reinhardt has one."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP

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