Buzz Williams' zone offense needs work, but was it possible Marquette's old Big East opponents exaggerated those below-average numbers? We take a look:
http://painttouches.com/2013/07/18/analyzing-marquettes-zone-offense-numbers/
IMO, the struggles against the zone in 12-13 were due to a lack of outside shooting. Tough to penetrate, tough to get the ball to the foul line, tough to find angles to pass to the post against the zone, when the perimeter defenders get to sag. Buzz was able to find a heck of a twist against Syracuse at the Bradley Center, one that JB hadn't prepared for. Couldn't repeat it during the tourney. Florida, Pitt, Louisville all shut down lots of people with their zones. No shame there. Strotty, is there any way to differentiate MU's zone offense against those powerhouses vs. how MU did against teams that just put in zone against to play MU?
edit: Second, interrelated question. MU played teams with good zones. How did MU's performance against those good zones compare with other teams' performance against them? Were we the tallest midget, best looking ugly girl, fastest slow team, better bad zone offense team than other bad zone offense team?
Quote from: tower912 on July 18, 2013, 01:49:14 PM
IMO, the struggles against the zone in 12-13 were due to a lack of outside shooting. Tough to penetrate, tough to get the ball to the foul line, tough to find angles to pass to the post against the zone, when the perimeter defenders get to sag. Buzz was able to find a heck of a twist against Syracuse at the Bradley Center, one that JB hadn't prepared for. Couldn't repeat it during the tourney. Florida, Pitt, Louisville all shut down lots of people with their zones. No shame there. Strotty, is there any way to differentiate MU's zone offense against those powerhouses vs. how MU did against teams that just put in zone against to play MU?
edit: Second, interrelated question. MU played teams with good zones. How did MU's performance against those good zones compare with other teams' performance against them? Were we the tallest midget, best looking ugly girl, fastest slow team, better bad zone offense team than other bad zone offense team?
It also doesn't help when we try and run high ball screens to get a drive into the middle of the zone. That never works.
It is hard to pass the ball inside on a zone and that is why I think McGuire's theory was correct. Shoot the ball and go for the rebound. Of course he had great rebounders, but the team playing a zone is not in position to rebound so that increases the possibility of an offensive rebound. Taking the first open shot decreases the possibility of a turnover. Less turnovers and more rebounds should offset a lower shooting percentage from the outside. Add to that a potential three vs. a potential two and It should not be too hard to get the other team out of a zone. I think one of the reasons we shot so poorly (besides the fact we were not good shooters) is that Buzz has his players looking to make the next pass. That allows the zone to close on any open shooter. Against the zone you should take the first open shot. It use to make me crazy when Novak would pass up an open three and the ball would subsequently get turned over before anyone took a shot.