Wanted: Zonebuster

[4everwarriors]

Seeking traditional or non-traditional dude who can fill it for BE team who is going nowhere until 1 or more of same is found.

[tower912]

Half the time we run nice hi-lo/ in-out sets agaisnt the zone.    Need to commit to attacking off of the dribble for the rest of the year.   Because Steve Novak isn't walking through that door.

[GGGG]

We are actually scoring fine.  We will probably end up with near 80 points.  Our defense is the problem again.

[tower912]

You're right.  80 won't be enough

[4everwarriors]

Not just talking about this game.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

is djo non-traditional enough for you?

[NCMUFan]

They did fine against Huggy today.  Go Marquette!

[ChicosBailBonds]

They did fine against Huggy today.  Go Marquette!

The zone brought WVU back into the game. MU looked lost for quite awhile.  I agree with 4ever, we need shooters.  DJO was great today and I thought DB played nicely.  We still struggle mightily from beyond the arc in most games.  Hope Buzz adds a shooter or two to the mix moving forward.

[nyg]

The zone brought WVU back into the game. MU looked lost for quite awhile.  I agree with 4ever, we need shooters.  DJO was great today and I thought DB played nicely.  We still struggle mightily from beyond the arc in most games.  Hope Buzz adds a shooter or two to the mix moving forward.

He has one in Jones, well I guess, because the kid can't make it in the game to show what he has.

[4everwarriors]

is djo non-traditional enough for you?

Stephen Curry would be just fine.

[NersEllenson]

The zone brought WVU back into the game. MU looked lost for quite awhile.  I agree with 4ever, we need shooters.  DJO was great today and I thought DB played nicely.  We still struggle mightily from beyond the arc in most games.  Hope Buzz adds a shooter or two to the mix moving forward.

We did just fine against the zone...the idea that we aren't good against the zone is a myth.  The issue for opposing coaches is that we are TOO good off the bounce, too athletic to pick the poison of matching up man to man.  When you shoot 52% from the field (2 point shots)(as we did tonight) and are 50.2% oon the year from the field - you are doing just fine offensively.  38% from 3 is respectable.  Offense is the last problem this team has..we are ranked 8th in the nation in FG%, 11th in assists per game, and 15th in points per game. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

We did just fine against the zone...the idea that we aren't good against the zone is a myth.  The issue for opposing coaches is that we are TOO good off the bounce, too athletic to pick the poison of matching up man to man.  When you shoot 52% from the field (2 point shots)(as we did tonight) and are 50.2% oon the year from the field - you are doing just fine offensively.  38% from 3 is respectable.  Offense is the last problem this team has..we are ranked 8th in the nation in FG%, 11th in assists per game, and 15th in points per game. 

How did WVU get back into the game when we were crushing them early?

[nyg]

How did WVU get back into the game when we were crushing them early?

Obvious.  Three point shooting by Bryant and Mitchell.

In second half it was Jones and Kiceli with offensive putbacks.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Obvious.  Three point shooting by Bryant and Mitchell.

In second half it was Jones and Kiceli with offensive putbacks.

On the other end, what happened to our offense?  I think the announcers said it best.  "

WVU is back in this game because of the zone."

"MU is not attacking the zone well."
 
"MU is not an effective shooting team and it's allowed WVU back in the game."

[Blackhat]

We are actually scoring fine.  We will probably end up with near 80 points.  Our defense is the problem again.

Sultan, I wasn't able to catch much of the game but what I did catch it looked like MU wasn't hyper extending on the wings this game.  

What were the major problems with the D this game?

[mu_hilltopper]

Yeah, I'd like to see the numbers on our zone offense.  I wasn't keeping track, but it seemed the 2-3 zone worked very well on us -- as it should, and as it has.

Buzz just got done saying he didn't expect Huggins to play zone today.  

We should always be prepared for a lot of zone.

[NersEllenson]

On the other end, what happened to our offense?  I think the announcers said it best.  "

WVU is back in this game because of the zone."

"MU is not attacking the zone well."
 
"MU is not an effective shooting team and it's allowed WVU back in the game."

It is all the announcers could say..we got the lead because WVU had 6 turnovers on its first 6 possessions..and scored in transition.  Once the WVU turnover machine stopped and we were playing a half court game...of course the complexion of the game changed.  DUH.  Please make a case against our offensive execution given the stats and our national ranking.  

[NersEllenson]

Sultan, I wasn't able to catch much of the game but what I did catch it looked like MU wasn't hyper extending on the wings this game.  

What were the major problems with the D this game?

We probably played our best defensive game of the year.  WVU hit some highly contested shots - as the announcers said:  Casey Mitchell is a threat when he steps in the gym.  Dar Tucker also shot the 3 really well. 

[GGGG]

Sultan, I wasn't able to catch much of the game but what I did catch it looked like MU wasn't hyper extending on the wings this game.  

What were the major problems with the D this game?

I thought the rotations were bad.  We got caught in a lot of pick and pops and WVU buried the shots...or took it off the dribble to the hole.  Give them credit for the outside shots...at times we even closed out fairly well.

[NersEllenson]

To comment further on our defense...as we've had some here really complain about our lack of quality D..and intensity...we do not make stupid, overaggressive fouls that put the other team in the bonus.  Once again, MU as it almost always does under Buzz makes more free throws than the opposition takes.  We go 14-21 from the line, WVU 7-7.  Why?  Because we don't commit stupid fouls, that might make our overall FG% defense better..but ultimately kills us at the Free Throw Attempts stat.  Teams always shoot a higher percentage from the free throw line..so why put them there?

[AZWarrior]

The announcers were correct when they pointed out that we are best offensively when we dribble drive.  The defensive book on MU will be to zone us, until we prove to be effective from outside.  We won today because the 09-10 edition of DJO showed up, hitting from inside and out.

And gosh, I do so love to beat huggy!    

[OhioGoldenEagle]

Obvious.  Three point shooting by Bryant and Mitchell.

In second half it was Jones and Kiceli with offensive putbacks.

+++++1

In that stretch they hit 8 of 14 3's and finished 9 for 19!  Further, MU scored 79 pts and shot 53% for the game (39% from 3), so I disagree that they didn't do well against the zone.

[avid1010]

How did WVU get back into the game when we were crushing them early?

They stopped turning the ball over...MU wasn't killing them in the half court before the zone, they were killing them in transition.  Buzz did say he was shocked to see Huggy in a 2-3, and it was one ugly zone.  They attacked it well in the 2nd half I thought.

Their shooting percentage and pts scored were just fine.  They needed to take the 3 away from a couple of WVU players and they failed to do that. 

[NotAnAlum]

The zone brought WVU back into the game.

Chicos - UWV played the zone from wire to wire so its not like switching to zone keyed their come back.  For the first 8 minutes MU was converting on turn over after turn over so the we didn't have to play against the zone.  We didn't look "as bad" against the zone as we did against Vandy.  I agree I'd like to have at least one more dependable 3 pt shooter.  On the other side in my mind what got WVU "back in the game" was hitting everything they put up from behind the arc.  With 2 minutes left in the game they were 9-18 from 3 and several of those were tightly guarded.  Hard to beat a team when they are that hot from 3 but we did.

[avid1010]

I found Huggies game plan very interesting...  WV set up in a zone off of both makes and misses.  That obviously gave MU an advantage on the boards as it's already difficult to defensively rebound out of a zone, and if you want to set a zone up off of missed baskets you can't send players to the rim for offensive rebounds as they have to get back.