What type of defense do you play in this situation? For the topic, i said up 2 points because if you are up 3, you should always try and foul.
First off, i think the team that is ahead should call timeout and set up their defense. I feel you use a zone press, pick up at 3/4 court and use a 1-2-2 look. Here is why. I have seen a handful of times this year where teams play man to man, the offense runs a bunch of screens and they end up catching the ball around halfcourt. That is too easy.
Isu let Texas burn all of 1.0 seconds to advance the ball past halfcourt and call a timeout. Too easy. Michigan was trying to foul Wiscy this past weekend, but couldnt. The Wisky player caught the ball about 4 feet from midcourt. Now his 40 foot prayer was a lot of luck, but you cant let him catch the ball at midcourt on the run.
Play a 1-2-2 where you pick up at 3/4 court. The point on the press should play about 13-15 feet in front of halfcourt. The middle 2 should play about 5 feet in front of halfcourt. The back 2 should be about halfway between the top of the key and halfcourt. This would force the offense to throw the ball in and catch it a good 15-20 feet from halfcourt.
The 3 guys in the front of the press just need to make it difficult for the ball to be dribbled or passed up the floor. Against OU, Kstate almost did this by accident. After the ball was thrown into Osby, Shane stayed close to halfcourt, as did Nino (who was guarding the in bounds guy). Now Angel was denying Grooms, but the point is we made it very difficult to get the ball across halfcourt, and OU got off an off-balance 30 footer.
I also said call timeout to set the defense up. Earlier this season, St Marys gave up a hoop and was down 2 with a couple of seconds left. Other team did not call timeout. I saw Dallavedova catch the in-bounds pass, it took only one dribble to get past halfcourt and he got off a 30 footer to win the game. Now it was a tough shot, but no way should he have been 30 feet from the goal. Vandy also failed to call timeout with under 5 seconds left and Marshall Henderson got a clean look at a 30 footer. And he drilled it.
Anyway. That is my thoughts. I am sure there can be arguments for playing man, but i just dont like it.