I'm trying to think of a scenario where it's a good idea for a press team to play uptempo. It seems to me that ALL of the following have to be true at the same time:

1. I have the better overall team,
2. I have better bench players, AND
3. I have a decided advantage in stamina.

Anything short of this, and it seems that the rapid increase in fouls committed and stamina lost is going to outweigh the advantage of more possessions and potentially more turnovers caused. And yeah, maybe I win a game playing uptempo FCP, but I would've won that game anyway playing normal tempo, and I would've introduced less variance in the outcome playing normal. Thoughts?

People who recruit for the FCP generally run 12 deep (or 11 w/ a redshirt).  So if I see someone who only plays 9 or 10, I'll usually go up tempo.  I want to get to those walkons if possible.

If your team has much better stamina, or more players on the roster, the other teams ratings, even if they are better become less effective as they get tired.  So you want to get them tired quickly, to take advantage.

i think #3 definitely needs to be true.
and probably #2.

but i dont think you necesarily need to have the better overall team for uptempo to be your best choice.
if 2 and 3 are true,  (yet their starters are better than yours) it would seem that wearing down thier starters and or getting into their less talented bench would be your best chance.

Good point on simply having more players on your team - a Sim opponent with 2 walk-ons would be ripe for playing uptempo against.

#4 - it's a trick question, whether you meant it to be or not.
tempo is an offense setting. FCP is a defense - and by definition, full court press indicates pressure all the way down the court...i couldn't begin to imagine a slow pressing team - it kind of defeats the whole purpose of FCP.
even if you're playing an offense that allows you to slow down your offensive tempo, i would think that the defense would 'step up' the pressure, or pace - or why bother with pressing a team?

Posted by crazyivan on 9/10/2015 1:36:00 PM (view original):
#4 - it's a trick question, whether you meant it to be or not.
tempo is an offense setting. FCP is a defense - and by definition, full court press indicates pressure all the way down the court...i couldn't begin to imagine a slow pressing team - it kind of defeats the whole purpose of FCP.
even if you're playing an offense that allows you to slow down your offensive tempo, i would think that the defense would 'step up' the pressure, or pace - or why bother with pressing a team?

Not a trick question at all. I understand that tempo works on offense and press on defense. But both uptempo and press will impact fatigue, and so my question was whether the exacerbated effect on stamina (and associated fouling) was worth it in exchange for generating more possessions and opponent TO's. You're right that FCP will inherently be fast; my question was whether (and when) it makes sense to, in effect, double-down on that pace.

i'll take my chances w/ uptempo. fb/fcp is meant to be played fast.

Posted by crazyivan on 9/10/2015 1:36:00 PM (view original):
#4 - it's a trick question, whether you meant it to be or not.
tempo is an offense setting. FCP is a defense - and by definition, full court press indicates pressure all the way down the court...i couldn't begin to imagine a slow pressing team - it kind of defeats the whole purpose of FCP.
even if you're playing an offense that allows you to slow down your offensive tempo, i would think that the defense would 'step up' the pressure, or pace - or why bother with pressing a team?

watch Rick Pitino's Louisville teams

makes entire sense to run slow tempo O and fast tempo press D

You apply extreme pressure on defense, get the ball, then slow it down and run a methodical offense.  I don't find it hard to visualize at all.

no one was asking you to visualize a slow off/fast def...it was 'i couldn't begin to imagine a slow pressing team'.....which means a slooooow pressing def....which ain't possible.

Posted by crazyivan on 9/17/2015 7:29:00 PM (view original):
no one was asking you to visualize a slow off/fast def...it was 'i couldn't begin to imagine a slow pressing team'.....which means a slooooow pressing def....which ain't possible.

My original question was what situations you would play uptempo. The decision to play uptempo is totally independent of playing press, so you saying it's a trick question is just flat wrong. Of course you're going to be running around on D while pressing - no one was implying otherwise. That doesn't mean you have to have fast possessions once you get the ball on offense.

If I have superior depth, I will consider going uptempo - although one also should look at a more detailed level than merely how many players one has

I run every game on my Iba FCP team uptempo. I don't elsewhere where I'm not as dominant. Here's my rule of thumb:

1- Am I deeper? (If I play 12 and they play 11 or less that's a slight advantage. My fcp/ tempo tires them out as well. Bigger advantage with 10, 9, etc)
2- Is my bench better (maybe we both play 12. And our starters are similar. But my bench is vastly superior. I wanna get to my advantage as quickly as possible)
3- Is my team overall better (if so, I want more plays so there's less random chance I lose) 
4- Significant Stamina advantage. 

* I do it when multiple of those have significant advantages. Remember, my press and tempo will wear you out as well. 

Posted by stewdog on 9/18/2015 2:53:00 PM (view original):
I run every game on my Iba FCP team uptempo. I don't elsewhere where I'm not as dominant. Here's my rule of thumb:

1- Am I deeper? (If I play 12 and they play 11 or less that's a slight advantage. My fcp/ tempo tires them out as well. Bigger advantage with 10, 9, etc)
2- Is my bench better (maybe we both play 12. And our starters are similar. But my bench is vastly superior. I wanna get to my advantage as quickly as possible)
3- Is my team overall better (if so, I want more plays so there's less random chance I lose) 
4- Significant Stamina advantage. 

* I do it when multiple of those have significant advantages. Remember, my press and tempo will wear you out as well. 

That's really well-put. Thanks stew.