My Game Plan VS Wisconsin

[MUCrisco]

It has been mentioned on here that some want to see us play a zone against Wisconsin, in order to take their bigs out of the game, and make them beat us from the perimeter.  In my opinion, this is not the way to go.  The strength of our team is our defensive pressure.  We put a ton of pressure on the ball, and due to our anticipation and our athleticism, we get a lot of tips off the ball.  If we sat back in a zone, we do not get as many deflections.  You are still able to defend and clog up the paint in a man to man defense, if you sag in your help defense.

The way I would take the bigs out of the game, is to make it a full court game.  I would bring back our 2-2-1 three quarter trap defense.  Wisconsin still doesn't have a true point guard.  I would put their players in a position in which they are uncomfortable by forcing them to make plays that they are not use to.  Also, by putting on a 3/4 court trap, it would take time off the shot clock.  Therefore, when Wisconsin finally got into their swing, they have less time to be patient by moving the ball and reversing it.

Next, I would change the defenses as much as possible.  Go to a full court press.  Pick them up and half court.  Go to a trapping defense.  Sag back in a zone.  I wouldn't change it up too many times, but I would do it enough in order to change the tempo of the game.  Wisconsin's Swing offense, is a rythm offense.  Guys on the court have to be feeling good an comfortable in order to get their shots.  If their patience isn't there, the Swing won't work. 

Finally, on offense, I would create mismatches.  In my opinion, unless he can completely shut down Tucker like Grimm did, I wouldn't start Lott.  Instead, Fitz or Hayward, or even Cubillan should get the start.  Make the slower team come out and defend our quickness on the perimeter.

Defensive Matchups-

When they beat our press, I would fall back to a man to man.
James on Chris Rock
McNeal on Flowers
Matthews on Tucker
Hayward on Chappell He is not an offensive threat. So why not creat the mismatch on offense?
Barro on Butch

When Stiemsmsmsmsmsmsmsma is in the game got Chapell, we can still go small. Just keep him off the boards.

[MUfan12]

It's possible to play a zone without "sitting back," like I mentioned on the Scout board the way MU handled the Georgetown bigs should be a model. When the GU big men caught the ball, the guards collapsed and pressured them into turnovers. If this happens it will be imperative that our guards recover well on the perimeter, but I'd rather gamble on UW beating us from outside.

The only problem I have in relying on the trap defense is that it is critical to actually make a basket to set the trap. With our shooting woes, it remains to be seen if that is possible.

I'm interested to see how TC approaches this one.

[MUCrisco]

The only problem I have in relying on the trap defense is that it is critical to actually make a basket to set the trap. With our shooting woes, it remains to be seen if that is possible.

I'm interested to see how TC approaches this one.

Well, hopefully, we will be able to score or we will be in for a long day.  The thing about playing a 3/4 trap defense is that we can create more turnovers and get easier scores.  You score, get a steal, and get another score.  Now, the crowd is more into it, the team has more energy, and the opposition has a little bit more panic. 

Now, of course, this can't happen all of the time, but if it happens 2, 3, 4...times it would be a huge momentum changer and would do wonders for our offense.  Let our defense create more open court oportunities for our guys.

[The Lens]

10:45am Bloody's and burgers at Buck Bradleys to create a solid base
11:45am Switch to Miller Lite to to get ready for the BC
12:15pm Start slamming Lites to get ready for nausiating Badger fans
12:45pm Last Miller Lite for walk over to the BC
12:55pm First of many over priced BC beers
01:01pm Hear 1st Badger fan complain about fouls
01:02pm Hear 101st Badger fan complain about fouls
01:32pm Get so drunk that I think I actually see UW Alum Alando playing in what would be his 5th MU-UW game
01:56pm Watch as UW Academic advisors actually suspend 3 players during mid game
02:26pm Get call from my housesitter...UW football player has broken in & stolen my Atari
02:40pm Argue w/ poor guy from Tosa Lions club about how he could get me 1 more beer if he really wanted to
02:55pm DJ dunks over Butch to seal the win
03:10pm Head to Turners with no memory of NDSU and no memory of 11am either
03:11pm Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy
10:39pm Wake up at Real Chili with no idea how I got there
10:40pm Order a Marquette Special
10:41pm Go home and watch it all over on TiVo

[rocky_warrior]

Let our defense create more open court oportunities for our guys.

It's like you're inside Crean's head on this one.   He knows, and I hope he has (now) convinced most of the team that they'll win a lot of games this year if (and only if) they play with a consistently aggressive effort on defense.

After watching the end of the UW/Winthrop game, I would say we do need to zone UW some - especially if we get into any trouble. But we also have a significant speed advantage that we need to use in our favor too.  Crean typically has switched defense a lot.  I especially liked it last year (was it Pitt?) that he played zone off a miss, and man off a make (or the other way around?).  Took a few possesions before the opponent realized the strategy.  Maybe not rocket science, but creative even if it is a bit gimmick.

02:55pm DJ dunks over Butch to seal the win

I hope it isn't that close of a game, but the rest of your itinerary sounds fine. 

[SoCalstu09]

Im stoked to see a packed house! First sell out of the season. And you better believe that every student is going to be there screaming. Of every student i've talked to there isn't one that IS NOT going! Should be fun.

[Djgoldnboy]

I can honestly say this feels like "Senior Week" to me....I'm having such a hard time staying focused already at work, and it's only Tuesday...oh boy..

[Mayor McCheese]

my game plan for Wisconsin would be the same that was used against Duke, make the big men beat you, because I don't think Butch/Stiemsma and Chappell are all that great, in fact I know they aren't.  Tucker is going to get his points, I think James will handle Taylor/Chris Rock easily, however Flowers looked good against Winthrop, and he is riding on some mad MO, but I think McNeal will shut him down.  It comes down to offensive rebounds and who can knock down their threes, which scares me a bit, not the rebounds, the knocking down threes.

[MarquetteDano]

I don't know why everyone is so worried about their big men from a non-rebounding standpoint.  I am more worred about layups from other people like Tucker and the guards.  That's how they get you.  Let their big men try to score inside.  The key is not to let the backcourt get easy baskets and threes.

In terms of the Zone vs. Man-to-Man thing: I think we stick with mainly man-to-man.  First, to limit the backcourt and second, rebounding.  We have to limit their offensive boards... that's how their big men will burn us.

Finally, I don't think we should pressure too much.  Wisconsin does not cough up the ball very much, whether they have a true point guard on the team or not.  We are not going to get 20+ turnovers against them.  Let's not give up easy baskets by overplaying and playing into their hands.

Just MHO.  Go Warriors.

- Dano'

[OfficeLinebacker]

actually the Badgers do struggle against pressure.

[MUCrisco]

In terms of the Zone vs. Man-to-Man thing: I think we stick with mainly man-to-man.  First, to limit the backcourt and second, rebounding.  We have to limit their offensive boards... that's how their big men will burn us.


- Dano'

I hope Murph doesn't read this.  He thinks its easier to rebound defensively when you are in a zone, rather than man to man.

[MarquetteDano]

Well, I have only seen them play once this year.  According to KenPom they are 10th best in the country in turnovers per possession.  If they do struggle against pressure it must throw off their offense because they are not turning it over much.

[TVDirector]

I sure wonder about our post play vs. their big guys.
and if our guards can change the way uw gets the balls down low.