“This game starts with our lack of awareness defensively,’’ Crean said.
“Communication, weak side, ball side, challenging shots, and block outs. The awareness never got where it needed to be until the end of the game.’’
Crean said he talked to his team before the game and throughout the week about how this was a step his team needed to take.
“They’re shooting the ball well and we’re getting a lot of attention for the winning and things like that,’’ Crean said, “but teams that take the next step totally get that defense is what comes first in every situation. Defense creates the offense, defense creates more opportunities, you name it. And the best teams create confidence from their defense.
“The easiest thing to do is to be sky high when you’re making shots. The hardest thing to do is to understand how committed you have to be to the game of defense and rebounding when you’re not.’’