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In 10 seasons as the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball coach, Bobby Lutz has made five trips to the NCAA tournament.
Those teams excelled in five areas that have become trademarks of Lutz's coaching style: A strong inside-outside game; unselfishness; the ability to change defenses; a deep bench and athleticism.
As the 49ers open the 2008-09 season at 8 tonight hosting UNC Greensboro, the Observer talked to Lutz about how those trademarks were important in his most successful teams and how this season's team stacks up under the same criteria.
1. STRONG INSIDE-OUTSIDE GAME: “Obviously, we utilize the 3-point line more than some teams do. Sometimes it's because we have to in order to make up for not being as proficient at scoring inside or passing to score.
“Having the ability to score inside and outside is the best balance, and it doesn't always mean having a strong post-up player who works with his back to the basket. Driving to the basket to score and drawing shooting fouls also shows that balance. I believe my best teams have always taken far more foul shots than their opponents.”
THIS YEAR: “We have the potential to have a good inside-outside balance. We will shoot the 3, but I don't think it will be as much as in some years. We have players like An'Juan Wilderness and Charles Dewhurst who can score driving to the basket. Charlie Coley can score inside and is a terrific defender. Phil Jones continues to develop as a solid post player.”
2. UNSELFISHNESS: “With the way we play, which is a good many set plays, other guys and their roles on the team become very important. You have to have players who are willing to do the things some guys just don't like to do – the ‘dirty work', so to speak.
“This isn't an equal-opportunity offense – not everyone is going to score 20 points a game or have the opportunity to. When I think back to players I've had in the past like Kelvin Price and Jermaine Williams, those are the types of guys I think every team needs. They will do anything you ask so long as it helps the team.”
THIS YEAR: “I think we will be very good in this area this year. Phil (Jones) is getting very good at doing things other than score that help the team. He's a great passer. He's also a great screener.
“Defensively, we ask so much of Charlie (Coley) and he comes through. Charles (Dewhurst) knows we need him to play some point guard this year and he has totally embraced the role.”
3. CHANGING DEFENSES:“Any team can change defenses, but there is no good in changing if you're not good at it. We haven't been as good in this area in the past few years. Last year we were better, but we were still young.
“Many teams with a lot of talent may pick one type of defense and excel at it, and that's fine if you can do that. Changing defenses is one way to make up a deficiency when you're playing a more talented team. For us, the past few years we've had trouble moving to a good zone defense because of a lack of size.”
THIS YEAR: “This team is experienced enough and athletic enough, I believe, to make great progress in this area. I think we will be the best at changing defenses since our last season in Conference USA (also Charlotte's last NCAA tournament appearance).
“It's an ongoing process and one that may show more results in January than in November. This team has a good basketball IQ and I like what I've seen so far.”
4. DEEP BENCH: “There are two ways to look at this. You can have seven great players and stick with those seven through the season if they are really good and stay healthy. Or you can have many talented players all the way through your eighth, ninth, 10th guy where everyone contributes something to the game.
“For us, it's generally easier to fall into the latter category. Our best teams are ones that utilized every player's strengths. Not everyone played 20 minutes a game, but it did wonders for team chemistry.”
THIS YEAR: “Even before we lost Shamarr (Bowden, freshman shooting guard) to his injury, everyone on this team knew they were going to get a chance to play. We have the experience and the talent where we should not drop off simply because we need to make a sub.
“And as we get better on changing defenses, we will be able make changes frequently on defense as well.”
5. ATHLETICISM: “I love shooters and I love athletes and I love athletes that can shoot the most. If you are not athletic, there are a lot of limits to what you can do defensively. It can also be very telling in how your team does in offensive rebounding.
“When we've had the best athletes, it has always made it easier for us to press and to force the tempo.”
THIS YEAR: “This is where many of these traits overlap. It takes good athletes to be able to change defenses effectively, also to score the ball inside. This team is good enough to contend for the Atlantic 10 championship, and if so we are also good enough to go to the NCAA tournament.
“We are as deep and as experienced as many of the best teams I've had at Charlotte.”
