Improving the defense

[Wrinkle]

We have to find a way to make this zone serviceable. I think it starts in the middle; Sidibe is possibly a worse defender than he is an offensive player. He cannot defend a tree stump at the rim and is consistently out of position. When Mack got going, he wasn't even able or aware to step out and contest his jumpers properly.

But what can we do? I like going small but we know we can't expose Marek to foul trouble. Guerrier is a foul machine as well.

In our last final four run, our weak paint defense made a drastic turnaround. At the tournament's start, Roberson and Lydon became major problems at the rim for opposing offenses. It's not outrageous to think a similar switch can be flipped at some point this season, we've seen it happen before. But that's kind of all we can hope for, because I don't see any clear tactical solutions.

 

[rrlbees]

We have to find a way to make this zone serviceable. I think it starts in the middle; Sidibe is possibly a worse defender than he is an offensive player. He cannot defend a tree stump at the rim and is consistently out of position. When Mack got going, he wasn't even able or aware to step out and contest his jumpers properly.

But what can we do? I like going small but we know we can't expose Marek to foul trouble. Guerrier is a foul machine as well.

In our last final four run, our weak paint defense made a drastic turnaround. At the tournament's start, Roberson and Lydon became major problems at the rim for opposing offenses. It's not outrageous to think a similar switch can be flipped at some point this season, we've seen it happen before. But that's kind of all we can hope for, because I don't see any clear tactical solutions.

To make it much better we’d have to do something different up top. That’s where we get hurt the most both with giving up 3s and penetration.

 

[Gabjon]

To make it much better we’d have to do something different up top. That’s where we get hurt the most both with giving up 3s and penetration.

The top of the zone has to deny middle when they have someone who can hurt us in there.

 

[blizz]

I got this.

Need to expand the zone.

3-3.

 

[Wrinkle]

To make it much better we’d have to do something different up top. That’s where we get hurt the most both with giving up 3s and penetration.

There's no doubt having jg3 and buddy up there is far from optimal, but you think that's been more of a problem than the interior D? We can't guard anybody one on one in the paint. We can help with the wings but that's when we tend to give up open 3s.

 

[ar inj]

Yes, Te top of the zone is worse than the interior D.

 

[Gabjon]

There's no doubt having jg3 and buddy up there is far from optimal, but you think that's been more of a problem than the interior D? We can't guard anybody one on one in the paint. We can help with the wings but that's when we tend to give up open 3s.

Yes. The top of the zone is allowing passes that should not get through our zone. Usually one or both of our guards are leading the league in steals.

 

[rrlbees]

There's no doubt having jg3 and buddy up there is far from optimal, but you think that's been more of a problem than the interior D? We can't guard anybody one on one in the paint. We can help with the wings but that's when we tend to give up open 3s.

We are used to having one of the best 3pt FG% defenses. We are usually one of the better ones in the country. Last year we were in the 20’s I believe. This year we are in the 70’s. You can’t compare straight percentage to percentage this year and last because they moved back the 3pt line and the percentages are down across the ncaa. But comparing ourselves to other teams, we have dropped a lot. But we do lead the country in two stars. Number of opponents 3’s taken and number made.

 

[Wrinkle]

Yes. The top of the zone is allowing passes that should not get through our zone. Usually one or both of our guards are leading the league in steals.

That much is certainly true, in the sense that you would rather deny the post entry all- together, and that is a strength of the zone. But no matter what defense you play, the ball is gonna get into the paint at some point, and you need to be able to body people up and defend the rim.

 

[Dave85]

We have to find a way to make this zone serviceable. I think it starts in the middle; Sidibe is possibly a worse defender than he is an offensive player. He cannot defend a tree stump at the rim and is consistently out of position. When Mack got going, he wasn't even able or aware to step out and contest his jumpers properly.

But what can we do?

We prop his eyes open like in the movie Clockwork Orange and make him every single game from the 2011-2012 season non-stop from beginning to end (maybe twice in a row):

The "new" government's solution for ending crimes.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

That much is certainly true, in the sense that you would rather deny the post entry all- together, and that is a strength of the zone. But no matter what defense you play, the ball is gonna get into the paint at some point, and you need to be able to body people up and defend the rim.

Well, there is your choice. Do you want Sid defending the rim, or the foul line, or the corners? Cause he can’t do all three. No one can. Our guards lack of speed forces the wings farther out than ever before, completely leaving sid to guard the entire paint area, plus the corners.

 

[bballbeadle]

We are used to having one of the best 3pt FG% defenses. We are usually one of the better ones in the country. Last year we were in the 20’s I believe. This year we are in the 70’s. You can’t compare straight percentage to percentage this year and last because they moved back the 3pt line and the percentages are down across the ncaa. But comparing ourselves to other teams, we have dropped a lot. But we do lead the country in two stars. Number of opponents 3’s taken and number made.

We lead the country?

 

[rrlbees]

We lead the country?

In those two stats yes.

 

[Wrinkle]

We are used to having one of the best 3pt FG% defenses. We are usually one of the better ones in the country. Last year we were in the 20’s I believe. This year we are in the 70’s. You can’t compare straight percentage to percentage this year and last because they moved back the 3pt line and the percentages are down across the ncaa. But comparing ourselves to other teams, we have dropped a lot. But we do lead the country in two stars. Number of opponents 3’s taken and number made.

Well, we're always amongst the last in the country in opponent's 3pt/fga. Granted, not the absolute last, as we are currently. But our 3pt% defense has improved relative to the rest of the country, from last year.

 

[Wrinkle]

We lead the country?

As in, opponents have taken and made more 3s against us than any other team.

*Opponents have taken more 3s against us than any other, but I haven't confirmed the latter.

 

[rrlbees]

But our 3pt% defense has improved relative to the rest of the country, from last year.

No it hasn’t . We were in the 20’s last year. We’re in the 70’s this year. I was actually surprised it was in the 70’s. That is better than I thought it would be and isn’t terrible. But it’s not near last year nor many other years.

 

[Gabjon]

No it hasn’t . We were in the 20’s last year. We’re in the 70’s this year. I was actually surprised it was in the 70’s. That is better than I thought it would be and isn’t terrible. But it’s not near last year nor many other years.

We packed it in on a couple of teams that just can't shoot...

 

[oTTo113445]

1-3-1 zone. Should of last game.

 

[Wrinkle]

No it hasn’t . We were in the 20’s last year. We’re in the 70’s this year. I was actually surprised it was in the 70’s. That is better than I thought it would be and isn’t terrible. But it’s not near last year nor many other years.

Unless Kenpom is incorrect, we ranked 87th last season and we're at 66 currently

 

[Cheriehoop]

No it hasn’t . We were in the 20’s last year. We’re in the 70’s this year. I was actually surprised it was in the 70’s. That is better than I thought it would be and isn’t terrible. But it’s not near last year nor many other years.

I think we were ranked 21st for overall FG% defense last year vs 37th so far this year. We were 94th in 3 point FG % defense last year vs 78th this year. It does appear that our 2 point shot defense has decreased some this year . However, we haven’t played Louisville, Duke, UNC nor FSU yet though this year so it may very well be too early to make true comparisons.

I’m not surprised that teams take the most 3 point attempts against us, that’s what our zone encourages - teams to take 3 point shots (hopefully fool’s gold). Proper execution of our zone though is supposed to limit who and where those 3 pointers are taken though effecting the % made. To date, our opponents are making 30.6% of the 3 point shots they attempt. At year’s end last year opponents made 32.9% of their 3 point attempts. (different 3 point lines though)

Stats won’t reflect it but I do think our zone has changed up top some with the guards staying more up top and rotating less back towards the elbow perhaps because of our guard speed in addition to the longer 3 point line. This forces our forwards to play higher - in fact against strong 3 point shooting teams it can almost look like we are playing a 4-1 zone at times. I know I forget that there’s a larger 2 point area to defend (16 and 3/4 inches more) and extending the 3 point line has forced zone teams to adjust spacing since there is more room to drive and a larger post area to defend which helps opponents with strong inside games.

Last year http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary

This year NCAA College Men's Basketball DI current team Stats | NCAA.com

 

[rrlbees]

I think we were ranked 21st for overall FG% defense last year vs 37th so far this year. We were 94th in 3 point FG % defense last year vs 78th this year. It does appear that our 2 point shot defense has decreased some this year . However, we haven’t played Louisville, Duke, UNC nor FSU yet though this year so it may very well be too early to make true comparisons.

I’m not surprised that teams take the most 3 point attempts against us, that’s what our zone encourages - teams to take 3 point shots (hopefully fool’s gold). Proper execution of our zone though is supposed to limit who and where those 3 pointers are taken though effecting the % made. To date, our opponents are making 30.6% of the 3 point shots they attempt. At year’s end last year opponents made 32.9% of their 3 point attempts. (different 3 point lines though)

Stats won’t reflect it but I do think our zone has changed up top some with the guards staying more up top and rotating less back towards the elbow perhaps because of our guard speed in addition to the longer 3 point line. This forces our forwards to play higher - in fact against strong 3 point shooting teams it can almost look like we are playing a 4-1 zone at times. I know I forget that there’s a larger 2 point area to defend (16 and 3/4 inches more) and extending the 3 point line has forced zone teams to adjust spacing since there is more room to drive and a larger post area to defend which helps opponents with strong inside games.

Last year http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary

This year NCAA College Men's Basketball DI current team Stats | NCAA.com

I’ll have to go back and look for the site i used. Think it was that basketball reference site.

 

[rrlbees]

I think we were ranked 21st for overall FG% defense last year vs 37th so far this year. We were 94th in 3 point FG % defense last year vs 78th this year. It does appear that our 2 point shot defense has decreased some this year . However, we haven’t played Louisville, Duke, UNC nor FSU yet though this year so it may very well be too early to make true comparisons.

I’m not surprised that teams take the most 3 point attempts against us, that’s what our zone encourages - teams to take 3 point shots (hopefully fool’s gold). Proper execution of our zone though is supposed to limit who and where those 3 pointers are taken though effecting the % made. To date, our opponents are making 30.6% of the 3 point shots they attempt. At year’s end last year opponents made 32.9% of their 3 point attempts. (different 3 point lines though)

Stats won’t reflect it but I do think our zone has changed up top some with the guards staying more up top and rotating less back towards the elbow perhaps because of our guard speed in addition to the longer 3 point line. This forces our forwards to play higher - in fact against strong 3 point shooting teams it can almost look like we are playing a 4-1 zone at times. I know I forget that there’s a larger 2 point area to defend (16 and 3/4 inches more) and extending the 3 point line has forced zone teams to adjust spacing since there is more room to drive and a larger post area to defend which helps opponents with strong inside games.

Last year http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary

This year NCAA College Men's Basketball DI current team Stats | NCAA.com

Yes it was the year before, not last year, when we were 17th and I thought around 20s.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We are 66th in 3 pt% defense this year and last year we were 87. They year before we were 17th, but the percentage against us was 31.8 compared to 30.6.

Our 2pt percentage defense has cratered a bit and I suspect that is because Chukwu was a bigger presence in the zone than Sidibe. This year it is 148 compared to 45 and 17. This tells me the Interior of the defense has been a bigger issue than the perimeter.

 

[Cusefan0307]

So right now this is the 2nd worst 2 point percentage defense going back to 1997 for Syracuse that is only surpassed by the 2017 team.

 

[Cheriehoop]

So right now this is the 2nd worst 2 point percentage defense going back to 1997 for Syracuse that is only surpassed by the 2017 team.

Difficult to make any direct comparisons this year considering the area for 2 point shots has increased because of the extension of the 3 point line.