PoppyHart
All American
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
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The problem with the "switch to man" and "zone needs to go" crowd is that it's not the zone itself that is the problem it's the personnel. Last year the combination of JGIII, Buddy, Jimmy, and Cole Swider sucked defensively and would have sucked just as much playing man to man.
This year the issue is inexperience. The zone is at it's best when it's being played by players with lots of experience in it. Tough to have a good zone with 4 freshmen playing major minutes. The more you play the zone the better you get at it.
Syracuse zone used to be great because we recruited long athletic wing players who stuck around for the 3-4 years it takes to master it. If this same team returns intact next year the zone will be good.
Also the whole "the game has changed the zone is obsolete" argument is B.S. The zone was great two years ago in the tourney and was great during the Tyus Battle years. All of the major changes to basketball (more emphasis on the long ball) had already happened by then.
We shot 29-58 from 3 over those 2 games in 2021.
The SDSU game was over before halftime, and WVU shot 42% from 3. Offense was the reason for those wins, not the zone.
No need to discuss Houston.