Our defense is stifling

[Dcuse]

We'll see a ton of low scoring games this year as teams go deep into the shot clock every game. I am not seeing the learning curve this year for this team to learn different tweeks for different teams. It extends, it recognizes the shooters , it recovers when the ball gets down low, it doesn't give up the quick pass down low from the high post,Fab is blocking the short jumpers from the elbow,the off guard is stealing the pass to the foul line, a dribble or pass to the corner is sure death for the other team.

They got it covered

 

[AZOrange]

We'll see a ton of low scoring games this year as teams go deep into the shot clock every game. I am not seeing the learning curve this year for this team to learn different tweeks for different teams. It extends, it recognizes the shooters , it recovers when the ball gets down low, it doesn't give up the quick pass down low from the high post,Fab is blocking the short jumpers from the elbow,the off guard is stealing the pass to the foul line, a dribble or pass to the corner is sure death for the other team.

They got it covered

The defense has been as good as I remember in a long long time.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I must be a Negative Nelly. All i remember is how the last two teams were able to stifle US.

Our D at this stage seems just 'okay.' Plenty of headroom.

 

[OrangeFoo]

So you guys missed the 10 minutes or so in the second half where Stanford scored on just about every possession? I agree our zone is better than most years but once it's solved it's solved. JB almost waited too long to get out of the zone.

We shouldn't be allowing weaker opposition to dictate tempo against us and forcing us to play low scoring grind it out games.

 

[dash-30-dash]

You do know that even in man to man, teams are able to hold the ball. You do know that, right?

 

[AZOrange]

So you guys missed the 10 minutes or so in the second half where Stanford scored on just about every possession? I agree our zone is better than most years but once it's solved it's solved. JB almost waited too long to get out of the zone.

We shouldn't be allowing weaker opposition to dictate tempo against us and forcing us to play low scoring grind it out games.

When did we come out of the zone? We pressed a little at the end, but I dont remember coming out of the zone. There are no comfortable shots this year. They made a few in a row but we stole about 20 balls, blocked shots again, etc.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Our zone CAN be stifling, which is not to say that it always is.

 

[NKR1978]

You do know that even in man to man, teams are able to hold the ball. You do know that, right?

Seriously. I wish these people blaming the zone for every trouble that befalls Syracuse's OFFENSE would watch some scintillating B1G basketball games where all they play is man and limit possessions and score in the 50s and 60s.

 

[HoustonCuse]

We have given up some threes this year but a lot of them have been well contested and some others have been 30 footers and/or lucky bank shots, etc. I think they are doing well in the defense overall. The 4 game losing streak last year, I am still convinced, included an insane amount of lucky shots. I know that will get pilloried, but if you go back and watch those games again, teams shot about 75% on off-balance, 1 second on the shot clock, heaves from 25 - 35 feet, in other words: F-Bombs. It was insane. The worst example was Marquette during the regular season.

 

[Knicks411]

We're turning teams over on about 30% of possessions. Amazing.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Seriously. I wish these people blaming the zone for every trouble that befalls Syracuse's OFFENSE would watch some scintillating B1G basketball games where all they play is man and limit possessions and score in the 50s and 60s.

It's amazing how intellectulayy lazy people can be sometimes.

This isn't a black and white "play 40 minutes of zone or become a grinditout big 10 team" arguement. Why can't JB be a litle more proactive when we are OBVIOUSLY struggling to switch up the D, try to speed up the game and maybe a get a few easy buckets. Because God knows our half court offense sucks right now.

But the zone was effective right? Except for that stretch where they scored on EVERY POSSESSION? In that scenario what's the point?

 

[HOFCeluck]

Seriously. I wish these people blaming the zone for every trouble that befalls Syracuse's OFFENSE would watch some scintillating B1G basketball games where all they play is man and limit possessions and score in the 50s and 60s.

It's amazing how intellectually lazy people can be sometimes.

This isn't a black and white "play 40 minutes of zone or become a grinditout big 10 team" arguement. Why can't JB be a litle more proactive when we are OBVIOUSLY struggling to switch up the D, try to speed up the game and maybe a get a few easy buckets. Because God knows our half court offense sucks right now.

But the zone was effective right? Except for that stretch where they scored on EVERY POSSESSION? In that scenario what's the point?

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I still worry about a backline of Fair/Joseph/Melo with regard to defensive boards. Sure, it worked ok against the Stanfords of the world.. but, I worry about Fair and Joseph getting boards against decent size front lines. I wish Christmas was an option, but it appears he will see about an average of 1 minute per game against decent D1 schools. Fair is very good for his slight size, but, he will get muscled again in the Beast.

 

[NKR1978]

It's amazing how intellectually lazy people can be sometimes.

This isn't a black and white "play 40 minutes of zone or become a grinditout big 10 team" arguement. Why can't JB be a litle more proactive when we are OBVIOUSLY struggling to switch up the D, try to speed up the game and maybe a get a few easy buckets. Because God knows our half court offense sucks right now.

But the zone was effective right? Except for that stretch where they scored on EVERY POSSESSION? In that scenario what's the point?

Sometimes teams score. You can't stop them from scoring every possession. Defensive lapses by a bunch of 19-23 year olds are to be expected. My problem with most of the people critical of JB is that they seem to be under the impression that we should never lose a game or be close in a game. Last night Syracuse had 19 steals and the vast majority of them came in the zone. That's pretty aggressive defense.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Its the OFFENSE that needs work- which is why James Southerland has to play a bigger role.

 

[BlueCurtain]

Seriously. blaming the zone for every trouble that befalls Syracuse's OFFENSE .

The zone lets the other team milk the shot clock with no on-the-ball pressure. That in turn slows the game down and plays into our weakness. It is a huge flaw, not to mention it puts everyone to sleep watching thoroughbreds do jumping jacks instead of getting after it.

 

[HOFCeluck]

. My problem with most of the people critical of JB is that they seem to be under the impression that we should never lose a game or be close in a game.

Oh hello strawman arguement.

 

[HOFCeluck]

It's going to suck when we lose in the 2nd round of the tourney to some bad of 10 seed because we let the other team dictate the tempo the whole time and some future CPA nails a three late in the game with three ticks on the shot clock. But I guess "Defensive lapses by a bunch of 19-23 year olds are to be expected."

 

[Orange Barrel]

We'll see a ton of low scoring games this year as teams go deep into the shot clock every game. I am not seeing the learning curve this year for this team to learn different tweeks for different teams. It extends, it recognizes the shooters , it recovers when the ball gets down low, it doesn't give up the quick pass down low from the high post,Fab is blocking the short jumpers from the elbow,the off guard is stealing the pass to the foul line, a dribble or pass to the corner is sure death for the other team.

They got it covered

Our zone has been quite good. We have a handful of posters here, some new, some same old same old, who are obsessed with bitching about it. If you really hate JB and the zone that much, why not become a UCon fan?

 

[310Pigpen]

If the zone really bothers you that much then why bother watching?

 

[BlueCurtain]

If the zone really bothers you that much then why bother watching?

Because - like being gay or straight - you don't decide to suddenly wake up one morning and choose to follow a different team. It's in your blood. I could care less what the name of our head coach is. If he's putting his ego ahead of the best interests of the players that's what I have a problem with.

 

[Cuse117]

If the zone wasn't creating tons of turnovers, then you could blame the zone for the offensive stuggles. However we are getting plenty of run outs from the zone, the problems are:

1. The half court offense isn't creating good shots for the most part, and we end up seeing too many 1 on 1 moves deeper in the shot clock

2. The guys (aside from dion) have been making terrible decisions when we are getting run outs from turnovers.

 

[Orange Barrel]

If he's putting his ego ahead of the best interests of the players that's what I have a problem with.

Can you cite one instance where that has happened? I've been watching intently for 35 years and I honestly can't. You seldom post without bashing the coach or defense or whatever else might be bothering you.

 

[orangehipfan]

re UCONN - you mean a team with 3 (count them) national championships since 1999. There is good and bad with every defense. The zone can keep lesser teams in the game if they shoot well and shorten the game (ie: Vermont, Marquette, Richmond, Navy, Duke, Mich St, Texas A & M, Ga Tech, Alabama and the dagger 3 in the Butler game off zone in bounds et al).

Since the 1996 run we have won 18 games in 15 years in the NCAA tournament (including 6 in 2003). We are consistent, win one - two games in the tourney when we manage to make it, not much more. The zone came in to the limelight in the 96 run. It was a necessity then. It is not now.

Not a real good comparison.

 

[HoustonCuse]

re UCONN - you mean a team with 3 (count them) national championships since 1999. There is good and bad with every defense. The zone can keep lesser teams in the game if they shoot well and shorten the game (ie: Vermont, Marquette, Richmond, Navy, Duke, Mich St, Texas A & M, Ga Tech, Alabama and the dagger 3 in the Butler game off zone in bounds et al).

Since the 1996 run we have won 18 games in 15 years in the NCAA tournament (including 6 in 2003). We are consistent, win one - two games in the tourney when we manage to make it, not much more. The zone came in to the limelight in the 96 run. It was a necessity then. It is not now.

Not a real good comparison.

UConn won three ships. They had to defeat 18 teams in NCAA tournament play to do this. Guess what defense all 18 were playing when they got beat?