Even if you've played all other previous installments in the NCAA March Madness series, you should know that 2008's NCAA 09 Basketball is different from the rest. For one thing, the focus right now is on team selection and game tempo above all things. Here are a few tips to help you understand this all-new but much-improved game!
Game Play Tempo
To play and win in NCAA 09 Basketball, you need to know the preferred game style of your chosen team. If you've gone for UCLA, you should know that perform better with balanced plays between running and half court games. Memphis, however, is a run-and-gun game, able to perform miracles when the adrenaline's pumping and the crowd is shouting their name.
Coaching Advice
Thanks to an exclusive deal between EA and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, you can now receive significant advice on how to play your game from NCAA Division I coaches. A meter will show whether you're playing a slow, moderate, or fast game tempo. Pop-up windows will reveal words of wisdom from your coaches, telling you how to best maintain, regain, or control the pace for the game.
Rival Matches
Do you study in Kansas? Then you probably hate Mizzou and everything related to it. Do you study in Duke? Then you probably detest everything that has to do with UNC. These rivalries add color to the league and NCAA 09 Basketball takes that into account by incorporating a new rival-centric matching feature in the game.
When you choose the Rival game mode, you'll be able to see which of your team's rival schools are online. Select your opponent, strike up a match, and you can kick the ball rolling!
Dynamic Post Play
New and improved post-play controls have been added to NCAA 09 Basketball to ensure that you're in the driver's seat at every part of the game. Your big man also has more offensive and defensive options to choose from. As it is, everything you need to win is virtually handed to you on a silver platter; you just need to know the actual playing strategies used by your chosen team.
An All-New Recruiting System
The acclaimed recruiting system used in NCAA 08 Football has finally been applied for NCAA Basketball as well. Every time you finish a task set by the team alumni or staff, you get to upgrade player performance and unlock new facilities. Scouting reports will also help you determine the best recruits for your team.
As you can see, NCAA 09 Basketball is different in a lot of things with its predecessors but the changes are all for the better, aren't they?
