Syracuse talks their 2-3 zone and how it will be tough for Burke
Disclaimer: It's a freep article and sorry if this has been posted. Didn't see anything yet.
The video clip is benign, but the comments in the article could possibly add some extra motivation for Burke and company in tomorrow's game.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130405/SPORTS06/130405059/michigan-basketball-final-four-syracuse
Trey's playing it right. Just let your play do all the talking. It'd make a victory and watching them walk off the court in defeat that much sweeter. And honestly, if Syracuse hasn't watched any of our film until tonight, then I really like our chances.
Also we've faced the Big Ten all year. If we come out and shred it, it will put a nail in the coffin of the big ten overrated thing once and for all. That shit may work in the big east but not here.
Timmy's response is great! It's actually a little cocky right back. Reminds me of Zuckerberg's comment in The Social Network where he says, "If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you would have invented Facebook."
Has anyone else encountered an abnormal amount of trash talk from the Syracuse fans? Could just be me, but they seem to be everywhere, and are beyond cocky about this game.
A zone D by name allows that different defenders will be responsible for guarding Burke once he enters their zone. This switching - or help in the instant the switch begins - is what Burke thrives on. This switch invariably creates a lane for a slashing GRRR or Son of Gary which is usually then followed by a Spode from 3B. They can say all they want that they'll shut him down, but if they know in the back of their heads that they're suppose to have help, then unconsciously their D slacks near the switch point. BOOM, you're beaten > defensive help comes > Spode and a dunk!
Teams need a lock-down defender to slow Burke down, defenders who know they and they alone are responsible with no help coming - ala Craft and Oladipo.
Zone defenses, like fixed-fortifications, are monuments to the stupidity of man.
(At least this is what I keep telling myself)
Go Blue
Grabbing, holding and bumping him all the way down the court.. Oh wait, that's right, those two got knocked out of the tournament already. And didn't Craft get schooled consistently in his last game this year? Now why might that be? Maybe because he couldn't grab his man and knock him off the ball the whole game.
People that are the most scared,talks the most shit.
It's been 75% zone and little focus on us. The media is helping take all the pressure off the freshman. Keep it coming.
the anti-thesis of trash talk. that's a michigan man. go blue!
A defense only has so much pressure it can distribute over the floor. It can concentrate it, and if the opposing team can't deal with the concentration, then the opposing team is in trouble.
But if the opposing team can make it through the concentration to spots from which the pressure has been transferred from, then the offense can be in an advantageous situation, provided it makes good basketball plays from that advantage.
We got by VCU's press and then played easy basketball.
Syracuse extends the 2-3 zone well out into the perimeter, but to do so it leaves the foul line area. I expect Beilein will find ways to get Trey and THJ the ball at the free throw line, from where they both can do damage, especially Trey. Shoot (money), drive, draw, & dish, or kick out for the open three.
After this causes Syracuse problems, I expect Syracuse will adjust by paying more attention to the foul line/paint and less on the perimeter.
Indiana got the ball into Cody Zeller at the high post multiple times. But I don't remember him scoring from any of those entries. Each time, Zeller would ignore the open 12-footer in favor of driving at the Syracuse bigs and trying to go over them. That failed each and every time that I can recall, in the form of either a blocked or missed shot. And so there was no reason for Syracuse to adjust.
Which brings us back to my opinion that there will be plenty of space for Michigan to play good basketball. If we play better basketball than Syracuse, we win. If we don't, and Syracuse has a great deal of talent, then we don't win. But it won't be because of some magic zone.
Projected NBA draftees from teams in the Final Four
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/prospect-rankings
| Goodman's 2013 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings | ||||||
| Rank | Player | School | Year | POS | HGT | WGT |
| 6 | Trey Burke | Michigan | Soph. | PG | 6-0 | 190 |
| 13 | Michael Carter-Williams | Syracuse | Soph. | PG | 6-6 | 185 |
| 23 | Glenn Robinson III | Michigan | Fr. | SF | 6-7 | 210 |
| 28 | Gorgiu Dieng | Louisville | Jr. | C | 6-11 | 245 |
| 46 | Jerami Grant | Syracuse | Fr. | PF | 6-8 | 220 |
| 49 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | Michigan | Jr. | SG | 6-6 | 205 |
| 69 | Nik Stauskas | Michigan | Fr. | S | 6-6 | 185 |
| 73 | Lloyd Christmas | Syracuse | Soph. | C | 6-9 | 240 |
| 82 | Russ Smith | Louisville | Jr. | PG | 6-0 | 165 |
| 93 | James Southerland | Syracuse | Sr. | SF | 6-7 | 215 |
teams started to figure out that if they could use a ~late first round pick to grab a future lottery pick, then they would be picking up value over going for the career journeyman.
I wonder where they make the cutoff?
On this list, GRIII was a ~#10 pick in January. So his lack of B1G regular season production caused his stock to drop in the eyes of the CBS prognosticator. But, yeah, his projected first round status is based on potential, not current production.
I've had the sound turned down all year
;)
Stauskas is ranked higher in draft-projections than Russ Smith? Whoa.
And there is the younger player favoritism factor. Stauskas has got that goin' for him.
I chose this list because it fills out the Top 100 with impactful college players, which is relevant to the Final Four (but likely just taking up space in regards to the draft).
Dude's name is really Lloyd Christmas? Bomb dot com.
Ah, that makes sense. I've seen 'Cuse play quite a few times this year and know of the player but wasn't sure of his first name. Lloyd didn't quite sound right but I was going with it!
But aside from McGary, which we all are well aware of, should a couple of games make a big difference?
I went with the CBS link because it goes down to 100 (and then even beyond by position). I saw the Chad Ford article on McGary, and was going to use his Top 100 list, but because I do not pay to be an insider, I can only see his Top 20. And McGary isn't in his April 2 Top 20. http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft/results/top100/_/year/2013
I'm so tired of reading about the "length" of this stupid zone. The court is, what, 50 feet wide? 600 inches? Adding 6 inches of wingspan isn't going to do shit. It's the most overrated bullshit I've ever seen.
I don't know, Prince made himself a pretty good defender with the Pistons largely because of his length. I think it does help Syracuse in terms of tightening passing lanes and angles and probably a bit when they are running at a shooter trying to disrupt their shot. Having said that, I think while Syracuse seems to be dreaming about their next game, Michigan is about to become their worst nightmare. Give Beilein time to prepare, give him shooters with some quicks (something he's not had against Syracuse in the past) and give him a game that requires fundamentals (right pass, patience, good shots) and I think he'll not only solve the zone but if his defense shows up, he'll do it comfortably.
and alot more talent than guysbeilein's had in the past, who probably aren't starting on their mens league team right now....
...it does matter.
As for the zone. Like the above poster said, it definitely affect passing lanes, it allows you to close out on the shooters more effectively and it make it harder to penatrate and dish.
Bitches.
This is VCU all over again. The opposing defense is getting all the hype but actually should play to our strengths.
...they wanted to speed the game up.
Syracuse is the opposite. They want to play halfcourt basketball.
People think it plays to our strengths because we like to shoot. But how many times (@ Ohio for example) did we fall in love with the 3-point shot and not make anything?
Our strength isn't shooting, it's transition. In order to get in transition we have to get stops.
DEFENSE is how we win this game. If you get stop and fast breaks you're A. playing to your strength and B. not allowing them to set their zone.
Play good defense and force them to miss shots, lots of them.