Grand Canyon University Head Women's Basketball Coach;
Drury University Head Coach from 2014 to 2020;
2x WBCA Division II Coach of the Year (2019, 2020);
Undefeated season (32-0) in 2020;
2019 NCAA D II Final Four;
Second-highest career winning percentage among active women's Division I coaches (.873);
In 2020-2021 season, GCU ranked 2nd nationally for steals per game (13.4 per game) and finished 3rd nationally in steals per game in 2021-2022 (12.6 per game);With a well-earned reputation as one of the best defensive coaches in all of women’s basketball, the head women’s coach has guided every program she’s been at to the top of the rankings in defense. Whether it’s her impossibly gaudy 67-1 record over two seasons at Division II Drury University, to posting an .873 winning percentage in two seasons at Grand Canyon University, it’s hard to argue against this truth - Miller’s defense has wreaked havoc in college basketball!
In this highly detailed video presentation, viewers are treated to a special inside look at the drills that Miller uses to build and refine her defensive system – including, individual defensive drills, team defense drills, build-up drills and a valuable lesson in defensive terminology that goes hand in hand with the coaching points and teaching aspects of each drill.
Terminology Lesson, Drills For On-The-Ball Defense
To begin the video presentation, Miller provides viewers with a rundown of her defensive terminology and explains the ‘why’s behind the what’s.’ Throughout the entire video, the coach continuously outlines the rationale behind what they do and how they do it for each drill. This overview on terminology is a terrific way to kick off the presentation, as it helps viewers to understand the concepts that get reinforced in subsequent drills. Miller also shares some teaching tools to get your players focused on the skills being utilized and the tasks-at-hand that are emphasized in each drill, which allows the players to work with high levels of intensity.
Miller shows three phases of on-the-ball defense with a truly unique version of the Zig-Zag Drill. Through each phase of the drill, a different aspect of her defensive philosophy and the step-by-step build-up to the defense is shown as a process. Viewers will also learn how to teach players excellent techniques for guarding crossover dribble moves in the full court, how to get turns for sudden traps and how to avoid fouling.
Best of all, the great drills shown in this segment are universally applicable and serve as a way to build up your defense – regardless of the defense you play!
Drills For Half-Court Defense
Next, Miller shows off the key drills she uses for creating a relentless half-court defense, as well as what she calls ‘skinnies’ – or drills and skills work emphasized within a drill.
The Denial Drill gets your players working ‘on a string’ in unison and teaches how to deny entry passes once the ball is picked up. The Super Denial Drill is a ‘skinny’ that teaches your players how to guard and how to recover against backdoor cuts, as well as techniques needed to guard the high post and wing. Another ‘skinny’ shown within the denial drills is the proper technique players must use when jumping to the ball and taking charges.
The One Pass Away drill is broken down into 5 defensive phases and illustrates how Miller builds her half-court defense. The phases are broken down into 1) stunting, 2) stunting-and-tracing the ball, 3) stunting-and-stealing, 4) securing a steal, and, 5) converting from defense to offense.
Miller wraps up this stellar defensive drill showcase by showing viewers the ‘Take Mine Drill,’ which is guaranteed to add a deeper layer of intensity to your defense, with concepts emphasized that include pressuring passing lanes, taking away backdoor cuts, keys to switching and preventing an on-the-ball defender from getting beaten off the dribble.
If you want an array of tools that will ramp up your team’s defense and add more turnovers to your defensive stat column, then this is the video for you. Miller shows why she is considered a defensive mastermind in this jam-packed instructional video!
79 minutes. 2022.