I really don't think rebounding is the main problem.  Let me dive into some numbers for comparison...

In 09-10 Ohio averaged 37.1 Rebounds per game with 11.9 of them coming on the offensive glass.  At the same time Opponents averaged 37.8 rebounds per game with 12.7 coming on the offensive glass.  This year we are averaging 38.7 rebounds per game with 13.3 on the offensive glass(and increase on offense and in total) while our opponents are averaging 38.7 rebounds per game with 12.3(down .4) coming off the offensive glass.  I just don't see how we can blame things on rebounding when it hasn't varied significantly from last year.  Also, DJ Cooper's 5.8 boards per game are up only .4 from last year.  Him being the leading rebounder is not ideal, but i don't think it is as big a red flag as some think.  He just happens to be a ball magnet and is playing an insane number of minutes while the big man are sharing a lot of minutes.  KVK averaged 6 plus last year, but this year we have more guys at 5 plus.

When looking and comparing the stats, the things that stood out to me most were points we are giving up per game, and FT's attempted by opponents per game.  Our average points scored per game this year is 75.5(up .8 from last year), but our opponents are averaging 75.1(up 5.7 from last year).  You give up more points, you lose more games.  Now the points per game is a nice stat, but where is it coming from?  Well, I believe one source is FT's.  Last year opponents attempted 20.7 per game while this year they are attempting 25.7.  that means our opponents, averaging 68% from the line, are getting 3.4 points per game more from the charity stripe! 

Now, there are some other areas that I believe are impacting the remaining 2.3 points per game.  While I can't directly connect them like I did with FT's, we are averaging 14.7 TO's per game compared to 12.8 last year and we are allowing our opponents to shoot 44% from the field compared to 41% last year.  What is the cause and what is the effect?  Part of that 3% increase is caused by more turnovers leading to more easy buckets!

Conclusion:  We are not as smart or disciplined on defense and we are not taking care of the ball as well.
Outlook: I will attribute the difference in turnovers to a lot of young guards making young mistakes and an experienced guard trying to force some things at times(because I think he has to!).  However, I fully expect this area to improve as the young guards get more experience and mature and as a result are able to take some pressure off of Coop.

Defensively....I think we will get better.  Remember, Reggie and Ivo are still fairly inexperienced big men.  TJ is a bit lazy on D and Rico is over eager at times and trying to make things happen to often(silly fouls).  They will improve!  DeVaughn we are just gonna have to learn to live with because he isn't changing at this point(and he may not be part of the problem...although he has fouled out of a few games)  I think they will get better and smarter as the season progresses and we will become a better defensive unit!

If you have ever read the book Tipping Point you know how much little things matter.  I believe that if we the little things above, we will be back on track!  Now, shoot some holes in this theory!

Great post.  

I will add that we were complaining about rebounding last year as well, and overall we were < .500 in the MAC.

Perhaps our offensive mindset of getting lots of possessions and speeding up the game leads to our guys heading to the opposite goal as soon as the shot goes up.  If you watch Tommy, he's often heading the other way before we get the rebound, looking to push things and get a spot up three.

I hope you are right about the increase in fouls being a result of the young guys needing more time to learn the system.  I'd guess the increase in fouls is a result of guys having to react and cover up for a teammate's missed assignment.  That missed assignment could be one of two things, a lazy lack of effort, or not knowing the system.  Could be both.  I hope the fouls decrease as the defense level increases the rest of the season.

Rebounding is the problem.  Without 2nd chance points, we win a lot more games this year (and last).  Size is a problem, so is the zone defense.  I like zone to cover the shooters and to pressure the shots, but it is a lot harder to rebound out of a zone.  Anyone that has played basketball knows that is one of the general downsides to zone.  We have to play zone due to being undersized, but it hurts on the boards.  One intimidating big man that is 6'10" or so would be a huge addition.  Our bigs are 6'8", 6'8". and 6'7".  Two are leapers with Reggie being the only real big wide body on the floor.  This is not just an effort issue.  It is more about matchups and technique.

Reason...the last two games we've given up 20 and 16 ORB.  That is above our average the last two years.  So, yese, we need to be better here.  Actually, we won one of those games and lost one of those games.  The big difference was our ability to hit the threes in the win.

I think we win or lose the rest of the year based on hitting 50% of our threes or 25%.  Guess which games we might win?

Those are listed heights. Anyone know what their actual heights are? The same? Less?

As it turns out, rebounding really is the problem. 

We currently rank dead last in the league at rebounding defense by giving up an average of 38.8 per game. We're also second to last in scoring defense by giving up 74.7. On the bright side we are tops in the league at scoring offense with 74.9 points per game. Tim O'Shea would be pleased with that.

For those that love Tommy (and he has been a good Bobcat) he has an average of less than one rebound per game in 4 years!

Sorry, I misspoke, the actual number is 1.46 rpg.  169 boards in 115 career games.

To this point in league play, missed shots by Ohio opponets are almost 50-50. The Bobcats get just 54.6 percent. Ohio gets offensive boards at a rate of 24.7 percent.

Miami, which ranks as the worst rebounding team in the MAC overall, is tops in MAC play, but of course that is inflated a lot by the Ohio game.

MAC only O-rebounding:
WMU 45.2
Miami 39.6
Kent 38.9
EMU 35.5
BG 34.0
Akron 33.9
CMU 32.7
Buff 29.9
Ball 28.8
Ohio 24.7
Tol 22.0
NIU 18.0

D-rebounding:
CMU 75.9
NIU 71.6
Buff 70.3
Akron 70.3
Miami 70.0
Ball 69.9
BG 69.8
EMU 65.7
WMU 63.4
Kent 62.9
Tol 62.1
Ohio 54.6

BG has fairly average rebounding numbers, but they haven't played us yet, so if we rebound like we have been, that will moved them up near the top.