Rick Pitino stresses defensive activity and timely closeouts beyond the three-point arc.

“We have a defensive chart that if we get 35-plus deflections, which encompasses five different areas of defense — steals, tips from behind, blocked shots, actual deflections and loose ball recoveries — if we get 95 percent of that, don’t allow the opposition to shoot a high percentage from the 3-point line, we’ll win 95 percent of our games,” Pitino said.

Louisville ranks 17th in three-point field goal percentage defense and 8th in steal percentage.

“If I’m forcing 23 turnovers and only turning over 13, and I have that 10 differential, that’s meaningful,” said Pitino.

Anthony Davis has been studying the shot-blocking skills of Serge Ibaka, who leads the NBA in blocks per game (3.3) and block percentage (8.8).

“I started to watch Serge Ibaka from the Thunder,” Davis said. “He’s a great shot-blocker, and I just try to see what he (does) to block shots in the NBA. It’s very hard to guys block shots in the NBA because guys are so talented, and I think he does a great job of doing so.”

Davis leads all NCAA players in blocks per game at 4.5; his 13.8 block percentage is second among players averaging at least 20 minutes.

In three games this season Syracuse allowed nearly 10 more points per 100 possessions without Fab Melo, who has been ruled ineligible for the NCAA tournament.

Melo averaged 2.93 blocks per game while accounting for 37.6 percent of the Orange’s total blocked shots this season.

Syracuse excels at creating points off turnovers, as the Orange averaged 1.23 points for every forced miscue, which is the second highest rate among schools in the Big Six conferences.

Aaron Craft last week was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, joining Greg Oden and Ken Johnson as the only Ohio State players who have won the award.

"Growing up it's something I always enjoyed doing and took great pride in and it was something I could do well in any game regardless of how well offensively everyone else was doing," Craft said.

Thad Matta isn’t sure how Craft became a great defender.

"I don't think we've ever had the discussion of what did you do as a kid (to make yourself a great defender). To me he has a unique body. It's probably his Hawaiian ancestry that does it," Matta joked. "I don't know, but he's got a gift for it. He's got quick feet and great strength, and No. 1 he's got a great mind for it."

Craft, a pre-med student, is known to pore over scouting reports like a text book. During the regular season finale at Michigan State, which Ohio State won 72-70 to earn a share of the Big Ten championship, Keith Appling hit a 3-pointer on Craft who in turn had a message for the bench as he brought the ball up the court seconds later.

"He turns and mentions that was not in the scouting report," Matta said. "He knows. That's one of the beauties of having him out there."