[Matt Velazquez] Postgame notes: Marquette breaks out zone to beat IUPUI

[MattVelazquez]

Postgame notes: Marquette breaks out zone to beat IUPUI


Marquette head coach Steve Wojciechowski wants to play a high-intensity, man-to-man defense. Last season, he didn't have the roster depth to make that happened and had to switch to zone defenses to keep the Golden Eagles competitive.

Source: Postgame notes: Marquette breaks out zone to beat IUPUI

[MattVelazquez]

Postgame notes: Marquette breaks out zone to beat IUPUI


Source: Postgame notes: Marquette breaks out zone to beat IUPUI

[MU82]

There is absolutely no sin in playing zone.

The sin is making a team play man if it would be better off playing zone.

Zone can be "lazy." But a good zone is not lazy. The team I coach plays an extremely active, high-energy zone. We get a ton of steals and deflections and our big is very good at protecting the rim. It is easier to play than man, it keeps kids out of foul trouble and it helps neutralize quickness disadvantages.

My main problem with zone is that it is more difficult to rebound effectively and it can be burned by an hot-shooting team. But even these can be overcome (or at least lessened) with effort and attention to detail.

I mean, even Bobby Knight used zone later in his career when he didn't have the right players to go man. More recently, K has used zone when the personnel dictated it.

I look at Marquette and I see a zone team. We need to have Luke and Henry in the game for 35 minutes or more but neither is a very good man defender, especially if matched against a smaller, quicker opponent. Our perimeter defenders are long and quick enough to be trouble at the top of the zone.

We need to get away from the whole notion that "real men don't play zone."

[Let's Go Warriors]

There is absolutely no sin in playing zone.

The sin is making a team play man if it would be better off playing zone.

Zone can be "lazy." But a good zone is not lazy. The team I coach plays an extremely active, high-energy zone. We get a ton of steals and deflections and our big is very good at protecting the rim. It is easier to play than man, it keeps kids out of foul trouble and it helps neutralize quickness disadvantages.

My main problem with zone is that it is more difficult to rebound effectively and it can be burned by an hot-shooting team. But even these can be overcome (or at least lessened) with effort and attention to detail.

I mean, even Bobby Knight used zone later in his career when he didn't have the right players to go man. More recently, K has used zone when the personnel dictated it.

I look at Marquette and I see a zone team. We need to have Luke and Henry in the game for 35 minutes or more but neither is a very good man defender, especially if matched against a smaller, quicker opponent. Our perimeter defenders are long and quick enough to be trouble at the top of the zone.

We need to get away from the whole notion that "real men don't play zone."

I absolutely LOVE teaching kids man to man defense.  If feel its the best most flexible defense in almost all situations.  That being said....
With the 30 second shot clock you have to consider the following if you have a taller team like MU where smaller teams are going to try getting Henry and Luke out on the perimeter on D:

Token press to burn some clock and slow the offense down
Fall back to a zone with the bigs protecting the paint.

Zones can be beat for sure.  But usually it takes some time to get the ball moving and rotating.  And if you burn clock against a 3/4 press.  You have less time.

[MUfan12]

The zone MU used on Monday was really interesting. Wasn't a straight 2-3, it almost had a spy following the ball that could cover the wings. Made getting the ball to the post, or the elbow difficult.

I'm not sure these guys know where they're supposed to be covering ball screens in the man to man. I'd have to look at the tape, but it sure seemed like Luke/Henry would go over the screen in a poor attempt to hedge, giving the screener an extra step or two when he rolled to the hoop.

[MU82]

I absolutely LOVE teaching kids man to man defense.  If feel its the best most flexible defense in almost all situations.  That being said....
With the 30 second shot clock you have to consider the following if you have a taller team like MU where smaller teams are going to try getting Henry and Luke out on the perimeter on D:

Token press to burn some clock and slow the offense down
Fall back to a zone with the bigs protecting the paint.

Zones can be beat for sure.  But usually it takes some time to get the ball moving and rotating.  And if you burn clock against a 3/4 press.  You have less time.

I love man, too. But I love winning -- or at least putting players in the best position to succeed -- even more.

And I love your idea of making the opponent burn some time before they can set up the offense. I would think guards/wings like we have could supply that pressure.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

With the 30 second shot clock you have to consider the following if you have a taller team like MU where smaller teams are going to try getting Henry and Luke out on the perimeter on D:

Token press to burn some clock and slow the offense down
Fall back to a zone with the bigs protecting the paint.

Zones can be beat for sure.  But usually it takes some time to get the ball moving and rotating.  And if you burn clock against a 3/4 press.  You have less time.

This makes a lot of sense to me.