Anyone just hear Tom Izzo say he has to play a lot of people to develop a bench

[Alsacs]

His team almost got mercied by Detroit Mercy.

His team beat Duke at Duke on Wednesday.
So what.

 

[blust2i3d4]

His team beat Duke at Duke on Wednesday.
So what.

I hope SU, Louisville, VA Tech, Florida State, Clemson and NC State finish top 6 in ACC. Let Duke, UNC and Virginia sweat on Selection Sunday.

 

[Alsacs]

Isn’t it fun when the bench gets to play and we get to see what type of talent we have on the team.

 

[City of Cuse]

Isn’t it fun when the bench gets to play and we get to see what type of talent we have on the team.

Sure is, just get the starters to get up by 20/30 every game and you will see the full complement.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Sure is, just get the starters to get up by 20/30 every game and you will see the full complement.

Well, I think part of the issue is that JB needs to use some of those athletic bench guys earlier in the game. Playing 3 defensively challenged guys in your starting 5 is one too many. That should be the lesson we take from these first 3 games.

We have a better chance of getting up early, if our defense can really give the other team trouble at the beginning of the game. We can start 2 of 3 of Buddy, Joe and Marek as a center. You can play two, but not all three, especially against better teams. We're going to be playing from behind, jacking too many early threes if that's how we start games.

If we start with one more athlete who can defend at the top of the zone (take your pick among 3 of them), teams will be less likely to be able to trade buckets with us at the beginnings of games.

Like Gminski said on the broadcast, "Give the other team a knockout blow early. Don't let them get comfortable playing in your building." I would love to see us surprise teams once in a while and start the game in a press with some of these athletic young guys. Wouldn't that be a shocker!

 

[City of Cuse]

Well, I think part of the issue is that JB needs to use some of those athletic bench guys earlier in the game. Playing 3 defensively challenged guys in your starting 5 is one too many. That should be the lesson we take from these first 3 games.

We have a better chance of getting up early, if our defense can really give the other team trouble at the beginning of the game. We can start 2 of 3 of Buddy, Joe and Marek as a center. You can play two, but not all three, especially against better teams. We're going to be playing from behind, jacking too many early threes if that's how we start games.

If we start with one more athlete who can defend at the top of the zone (take your pick among 3 of them), teams will be less likely to be able to trade buckets with us at the beginnings of games.

Like Gminski said on the broadcast, "Give the other team a knockout blow early. Don't let them get comfortable playing in your building." I would love to see us surprise teams once in a while and start the game in a press with some of these athletic young guys. Wouldn't that be a shocker!

So what is your lineup to press at the start of the game based on your above thoughts?

 

[IthacaMatt]

So what is your lineup to press at the start of the game based on your above thoughts?

OK, let's say it's the Rutgers game. What would happen if we started Woody guarding the in-bound pass and playing forward, Frank at Center in the back of the zone (so Marek doesn't get cheap fouls), Kadary ar PG, Griffin at the two and Guerrier at the other forward, so we have someone to get defensive rebounds?

Just press until the first timeout. Then swap out guys and go back to a more normal lineup. We might catch them out and open the game with a 10 point blitz. I'd like to see us do something like that, especially against a team who doesn't see much of the zone. Rattle 'em early, get them throwing the ball away, and then we go to the zone, and they're all discombobulated.

 

[City of Cuse]

OK, let's say it's the Rutgers game. What would happen if we started Woody guarding the in-bound pass and playing forward, Frank at Center in the back of the zone (so Marek doesn't get cheap fouls), Kadary ar PG, Griffin at the two and Guerrier at the other forward, so we have someone to get defensive rebounds?

Just press until the first timeout. Then swap out guys and go back to a more normal lineup. We might catch them out and open the game with a 10 point blitz. I'd like to see us do something like that, especially against a team who doesn't see much of the zone. Rattle 'em early, get them throwing the ball away, and then we go to the zone, and they're all discombobulated.

I like the idea of switching in and out of press depending on the situation. Whether it is on a made basket, dead ball, etc. I'm trying to think of good teams that do this effectively though. I'm not talking about a straight man to man with switching, but a coffin corner type press like we have. Maybe I don't watch enough basketball anymore, but are there teams doing that from the jump in the P6? I think of WV, Pitino Ville, the crazy man Martin, maybe Cronin?

My worry is we get into foul trouble and let them score quickly to start the game. Rutgers I'm not so sure I'd try that on because they don't see the Cuse zone often anymore.

I like your idea, but not putting our best players in the game makes it a pass for me.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I like the idea of switching in and out of press depending on the situation. Whether it is on a made basket, dead ball, etc. I'm trying to think of good teams that do this effectively though. I'm not talking about a straight man to man with switching, but a coffin corner type press like we have. Maybe I don't watch enough basketball anymore, but are there teams doing that from the jump in the P6? I think of WV, Pitino Ville, the crazy man Martin, maybe Cronin?

My worry is we get into foul trouble and let them score quickly to start the game. Rutgers I'm not so sure I'd try that on because they don't see the Cuse zone often anymore.

I like your idea, but not putting our best players in the game makes it a pass for me.

I agree with that. And it would seem crazy to start a game that way.
But that's why I kind of like it.
The announcers would be going nuts.
Imagine a crowd of 25,000 seeing that!