Zone D

[jonny09]

Do we start the game in zone tonight?

[fjm]

Perhaps.

[We R Final Four]

No, but we definitely go to it.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

In a zone or in the zone?

[fjm]

In a zone or in the zone?

AutoZone.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Will we be on highway? Perhaps to some sort of zone? Maybe one of danger?

[Windyplayer]

Do we start the game in zone tonight?

Yes. Two words (well actually proper names...well, double actually, one proper name and one word fronting as a proper name): Shamorie Ponds

[denverMU]

We should.  If we play zone a majority of the time I will give all the credit to Wojo. 

[Floorslapper]

We should be exclusively in zone the rest of this season.  I'll be scratching my head if we see ANY M2M tonight for four reasons:

1) We got great results at Creighton with the zone. (Granted it wasn't perfect and there were some holes in the middle at FT Line, but it stopped the layup line at the basket that had become customary against MU.)

2) We have no real back up PG.

3) Need to keep Rowsey as fresh and foul free as possible.

4) Our foul rate and free throw rate yielded dropped markedly against Creighton - all the more important with Markus out.  Buzz used to like to make more free throws than the opposition attempted.  Teams have been abusing us at the FT Line with attempts and percentage shot.  FT rate and subsequent percentage made matta.

[Its DJOver]

We should be exclusively in zone the rest of this season.  I'll be scratching my head if we see ANY M2M tonight for four reasons:

1) We got great results at Creighton with the zone. (Granted it wasn't perfect and there were some holes in the middle at FT Line, but it stopped the layup line at the basket that had become customary against MU.)

2) We have no real back up PG.

3) Need to keep Rowsey as fresh and foul free as possible.

4) Our foul rate and free throw rate yielded dropped markedly against Creighton - all the more important with Markus out.  Buzz used to like to make more free throws than the opposition attempted.  Teams have been abusing us at the FT Line with attempts and percentage shot.  FT rate and subsequent percentage made matta.

1) Just because something worked once does not mean it will work again.  See the Otule Davante line-up
2) Elliott
3)True but he's not playing 40 anyways
4) Don't make me go get JayBee
I agree that we should be playing more zone than we have, but matchups and how well other teams are playing against the zone are factors to consider.  Saying we should only play zone the rest of the year is the same kind of thinking that Wojo had when he first got here but with man.  He threw that out the window within 6 months.  No one system should be done exclusively on D.

[KampusFoods]

1) Just because something worked once does not mean it will work again.  See the Otule Davante line-up
2) Elliott
3)True but he's not playing 40 anyways
4) Don't make me go get JayBee
I agree that we should be playing more zone than we have, but matchups and how well other teams are playing against the zone are factors to consider.  Saying we should only play zone the rest of the year is the same kind of thinking that Wojo had when he first got here but with man.  He threw that out the window within 6 months.  No one system should be done exclusively on D.

Greg is not a real backup PG.

[Its DJOver]

Greg is not a real backup PG.

What position did he play in high school?

[tower912]

I understand why Wojo would start in a zone.    To make the blanket statement that MU shouldn't play man the rest of the season is something that ners would have said.    Oh........wait.........     

The zone worked against Creighton.   There have been times this year when it has been absolutely shredded.    If MU starts in it tonight and it is effective at keeping Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble,  and SJU from controlling the offensive boards, keep at it.    But don't be surprised if SJU has a game plan for the zone.   At which point,  gonna have to go man.   

[CTWarrior]

We should be exclusively in zone the rest of this season.  I'll be scratching my head if we see ANY M2M tonight for four reasons:

1) We got great results at Creighton with the zone. (Granted it wasn't perfect and there were some holes in the middle at FT Line, but it stopped the layup line at the basket that had become customary against MU.)

2) We have no real back up PG.

3) Need to keep Rowsey as fresh and foul free as possible.

4) Our foul rate and free throw rate yielded dropped markedly against Creighton - all the more important with Markus out.  Buzz used to like to make more free throws than the opposition attempted.  Teams have been abusing us at the FT Line with attempts and percentage shot.  FT rate and subsequent percentage made matta.

This.  I think we went zone against SJU primarily to keep Rowsey on the floor with three fouls.  Think we'll need to do the same tonight.

[Windyplayer]

I understand why Wojo would start in a zone.    To make the blanket statement that MU shouldn't play man the rest of the season is something that ners would have said.    Oh........wait.........     

The zone worked against Creighton.   There have been times this year when it has been absolutely shredded.    If MU starts in it tonight and it is effective at keeping Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble,  and SJU from controlling the offensive boards, keep at it.    But don't be surprised if SJU has a game plan for the zone.   At which point,  gonna have to go man.

Is there a breakdown somewhere that shows how the zone does when only one of Rowsey and Howard are on the floor? That's really the question here.

[MUBigDance]

remember Syracuse Zone...some people beat it...we did a couple of times. But it was effective as a primary defense. Something to be explored by Wojo.

Good point on Rowsey foul trouble...not saying he will get there...but if he does, it will be a problem.

and whatever we do, cane we keep ponds under 30 please.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Is there a breakdown somewhere that shows how the zone does when only one of Rowsey and Howard are on the floor? That's really the question here.

painttouches.com

[denverMU]

I understand why Wojo would start in a zone.    To make the blanket statement that MU shouldn't play man the rest of the season is something that ners would have said.    Oh........wait.........     

The zone worked against Creighton.   There have been times this year when it has been absolutely shredded.    If MU starts in it tonight and it is effective at keeping Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble,  and SJU from controlling the offensive boards, keep at it.    But don't be surprised if SJU has a game plan for the zone.   At which point,  gonna have to go man.

What I don't understand is the people who say if the zone doesn't work let's go play our "great M2M", like that is going to work so well.  Why don't you say when our M2M sucks let's play zone?

[fjm]

We should.  If we play zone a majority of the time I will give all the credit to Wojo.

And if we do that... and we lose... will you still give credit to wojo for doing what YOU (some of us fans as well) want him to do?
Or will you rip him for losing the game?

[denverMU]

And if we do that... and we lose... will you still give credit to wojo for doing what YOU (some of us fans as well) want him to do?
Or will you rip him for losing the game?

Yes, I will be the first one to post my full support for Wojo.  I already have said I want him to be our Coach.  I just would like to see him coach to the talent on the team.  We know our current team does not play M2M well.  So we can keep playing M2M or we try something different. Go Wojo, Go MU, Go Warriors!

[tower912]

What I don't understand is the people who say if the zone doesn't work let's go play our "great M2M", like that is going to work so well.  Why don't you say when our M2M sucks let's play zone?

I have no problem with playing zone.   I don't believe it is a panacea.    MU's man has been adequate against teams that don't run pick and roll (Seton Hall).   It has been adequate when the two small guards aren't in the game.   It has been lousy against pick and roll teams with two small guards in the game.    Our zone looked good against Creighton.   It has been lousy at other times.    Playing two small guards at the top of the zone does not solve problems, it merely exchanges one set of problems for another.   As I wrote earlier, if the zone is able to keep Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble, and SJU off the boards, don't stop.

[denverMU]

I have no problem with playing zone.   I don't believe it is a panacea.    MU's man has been adequate against teams that don't run pick and roll (Seton Hall).   It has been adequate when the two small guards aren't in the game.   It has been lousy against pick and roll teams with two small guards in the game.    Our zone looked good against Creighton.   It has been lousy at other times.    Playing two small guards at the top of the zone does not solve problems, it merely exchanges one set of problems for another.   As I wrote earlier, if the zone is able to keep Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble, and SJU off the boards, don't stop.

Yes I agree, let's play the defense that works best.  My issue is we play 95% M2M and expect a different outcome=insanity.

[Floorslapper]

I understand why Wojo would start in a zone.    To make the blanket statement that MU shouldn't play man the rest of the season is something that ners would have said.    Oh........wait.........     

The zone worked against Creighton.   There have been times this year when it has been absolutely shredded.    If MU starts in it tonight and it is effective at keeping Ponds out of the lane, Rowsey out of foul trouble,  and SJU from controlling the offensive boards, keep at it.    But don't be surprised if SJU has a game plan for the zone.   At which point,  gonna have to go man.

Repetition breeds consistency. We've been consistently bad in M2M defense. Okay..maybe a couple of outlier performances against Seton Hall.

We are 340ish in the country in 2pt FG percentage. We are undersized and generally out athletic-ed every game. You don't keep matching up man to man when the opposition tends to be physically superior and you have 25 games of data to show your M2M D is horse crap.

Wojo got the horseshoe of horseshoes with what happened at Creighton. He was essentially forced to stay zone all 2nd half due to foul trouble and no back up PG and to be saved from his own devices of playing Markus and Andrew together.

[esotericmindguy]

I predict Sacar on Ponds, the zone isn't the answer. Plus Theo will be playing, they missed him in NY. Marquette by 10.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

AutoZone.

Bo Ryan killed a woman there.