One positive from Albany game

[AlaskaSU]

We all know most of the defensive reasons why JB prefers zone. Don't forget that there is one very important offensive reason to prefer zone. With the guards always out top they are always in position to run in transition. Everyone knows their routes because everyone knows their starting positions. The zone enhances our transition game.

Sure it would be nice to play both defenses. But it is better to master one before playing two.

 

[AZOrange]

Sure it would be nice to play both defenses. But it is better to master one before playing two.

I agree, and I would say that 98% of teams in college hoops spend 98% of their time in one defense, mastering it. How is JB any different from a coach that spends the majority of their time in M2M?

 

[BlueCurtain]

I agree, and I would say that 98% of teams in college hoops spend 98% of their time in one defense, mastering it. How is JB any different from a coach that spends the majority of their time in M2M?

Because playing a zone exclusively lets the opponent slow the game if they choose and that's what they are comfortable doing. What sets Syracuse apart from most schools is their athleticism and ability to get out in transition. Our biggest fails have been plodding low scoring games where it comes down to the last possession against some mid-major, 63-60, and everyone is praising the defense because look ma! we held em to 63 points... player X turned it over too many times, and our shooting sucked a$$. Well guess what? Our players are more prone to screwing up when they have to rely on precise execution in halfcourt sets. Halfcourt sets are all about crisp passing and ball movement - that's never been a Syracuse strength. If we see more than 2 passes in a possession, we call it unselfishness.

Elite programs that stay in the top 5 wire-to-wire and compile 30+ wins almost never defer - they dictate and squeeze the guts out of the opponent. SU more often than not is quite beatable when the game becomes a half court sludge fest.

 

[AZOrange]

Because playing a zone exclusively lets the opponent slow the game if they choose and that's what they are comfortable doing. What sets Syracuse apart from most schools is their athleticism and ability to get out in transition. Our biggest fails have been plodding low scoring games where it comes down to the last possession against some mid-major, 63-60, and everyone is praising the defense because look ma! we held em to 63 points... player X turned it over too many times, and our shooting sucked a$$. Well guess what? Our players are more prone to screwing up when they have to rely on precise execution in halfcourt sets. Halfcourt sets are all about crisp passing and ball movement - that's never been a Syracuse strength. If we see more than 2 passes in a possession, we call it unselfishness.

Elite programs that stay in the top 5 wire-to-wire and compile 30+ wins almost never defer - they dictate and squeeze the guts out of the opponent. SU more often than not is quite beatable when the game becomes a half court sludge fest.

You pretend that the zone defense is some passive defense. Couldnt be further from the truth. Ask any coach that plays against it. Even teams that beat it (say Uconn, or Ville or Pitt) do so because of execution, not because they drain 34 seconds off the clock. Additionally, it is the defense and the turnover it creates that gets us into transition and less in the half court.

All that said, you still havent answered the underlying question here which is if M2M is the defense that allows "elite" programs to "squeeze the guts of of the opponent" then how do they ever lose? How does Michigan State lose? How does Kentucky or Unc lose? They should be too busy squeezing guts.

 

[BlueCurtain]

You pretend that the zone defense is some passive defense. Couldnt be further from the truth. Ask any coach that plays against it. Even teams that beat it (say Uconn, or Ville or Pitt) do so because of execution, not because they drain 34 seconds off the clock. Additionally, it is the defense and the turnover it creates that gets us into transition and less in the half court.

You only see what you want to see. The zone is active or passive depending on what the opponent is doing - and that's the problem. If the ball stays outside the 3 point line, the zone will not extend out and everyone takes a watercooler break to stretch or do jumping jacks. I'm not saying you need to contest shots at half-court - it's about disrupting offensive rythm. If the ballhandler needs a breather all he has to do is step outside the zone and wait till his teammates are in position to run through their sets. There's no stress when you create space between the ball and a defender. It's like there's this imaginary wall that prevents JB's 2-3 from going any further. Even if the shot clock is being milked and we need to speed up the pace of the game, the zone sits and waits. And waits some more. That's incredibly frustrating to fans when we feel the sense of urgency but the defense is handicapped by design.

All that said, you still havent answered the underlying question here which is if M2M is the defense that allows "elite" programs to "squeeze the guts of of the opponent" then how do they ever lose? How does Michigan State lose? How does Kentucky or Unc lose? They should be too busy squeezing guts.

Why doest thou tempt thee? Where did I say any team goes undefeated if they do X, Y, and Z? I'm saying there's a reason we never have those 35-3 seasons that Duke, UConn, North Carolina have posted over the years. And there's a reason they have a combined 15+ elite 8's and we have 2 in the last 20 years and change. Even with great personnel, our system is content to play the percentages, while their system burns all the villages as they march through.