Defense/rebounding is about effort. Our effort, collectively is embarrassing.
Just a matter of sematics, but actually OUR rebounding - the number of rebounds we get - isn't embarrassing. There are 220 teams in D-1 that rebound less than we do - we get 36.2 boards a game. What is embarrassing is our inability to keep the opponents off the boards. If we were getting as many as we give up, we'd be in the top 35 in D-1.
But I certainly see encouraging signs:
Chris Obekpa? First 7 games, averaged 4.0 rebs per game. Last 5 games, 7.0 rebs per game.
Jakarr Sampson? First 7 games, averaged 5.6 rebs per game. Last 5 games, 9.0 rebs per game.
Amir Garrett? FIrst 6 games, averaged 4.6 rebs per game. Last 6 games, 6.4.
Interstingly, the DROP in our rebounding has been coming from our guards, not our bigs. D'lo, Phil, Felix and Sir Dom have all shown significant drops in their rebouding numbers from first 6 games played vs. last 6 games played (tho significant for a guard means about 1 board a game - but those 1 per game WOULD reverse our rebounds/rebounds allowed totals).