Why not mix in a 3-2 zone?

[HawgAdvocate]

We've been getting destroyed by the trey, and we don't have the depth or size to press or play M2M consistently.

So why keep Welsh (or any three) on the baseline when we could be putting another guy on the perimeter to stop the long-range bombing?

I'm not even saying we should run it 90%+ of the time, as we are the 2-3, but I don't see why we can't use it to stifle the three point barrage when it begins to take shape. When Varnado went out today, we should have gone right into a 3-2, as we should when we play Kentucky and Patterson sits.

I'm all for giving Pel more time to build his team, since we're getting better players than we were when Heath took over. But our inability to mix up our defenses is killing us.

Our poor perimeter defense has been our Achilles heel for weeks now. Clarke and Fortson just aren't long enough to cover it all.

[want2be]

I agree with trying the 3-2 and mixing up the defense more often to keep teams off balance.

Unfortunately no matter what defense we would have run in the last 10 minutes of the game would not have worked yesterday. Everyone on the team except Henry had played so much they couldn't move.

[HawgAdvocate]

The zone is meant to allow players to rest on defense, especially when team depth is a concern, and a 3-2 would have kept the three point barrage from happening to the extent it did.

We have our zone press that we use once in a blue moon, and the 2-3. But that's about it as far as I can tell.

[want2be]

The zone is meant to allow players to rest on defense, especially when team depth is a concern, and a 3-2 would have kept the three point barrage from happening to the extent it did.

We have our zone press that we use once in a blue moon, and the 2-3. But that's about it as far as I can tell.

That is one problem with zones.........The players mentally think they get a rest when in reality you exhaust more energy IF you play the zone correctly.

With that said, I agree  again the 3-2 would be a good alternative if we can't man up.............and with the short guards we have, I don't see many opportunities to effectively man up. As much as l like Forston and Rotnei, playing them at the same time is a major defensive weakness.

[Conway Hog]

I agree with trying the 3-2 and mixing up the defense more often to keep teams off balance.

Unfortunately no matter what defense we would have run in the last 10 minutes of the game would not have worked yesterday. Everyone on the team except Henry had played so much they couldn't move.

I too agree mixing up the defense would be good and the 3 - 2 is something that needs to be used.

As for "everyone on the team played so much they could not move" this could have been solved if moore, clark and britt each were subbed just 5 mins more.  Just these few minutes could have made a significant difference.  wonder why..

[ChicoHog]

My team in HS used to play the 3-2 quite a bit.  It's tough and I think that's why few teams play it.  Sometimes you will see a 1-2-2.  In the 3-2 the player on top in the middle is responsible for moving along the entire foul lane perimeter.  If the ball is in the corner then the middle guy rotates to the low block, ball side.  The top guys on the wings try not to let the ball go to the corner via dribble but it can be passed there fairly easily.  Also it's harder to rebound out of a 3-2 than a 2-3.

Our guys yesterday did a poor job hedging and/or switching on ball screens around the arc also.  Too many times we left the ball handler open for a three after a ball screen.  MSU did a much better job defensively than we did.  Of course they shot well also.

[HawgAdvocate]

Also it's harder to rebound out of a 3-2 than a 2-3.

That's the thing. Welsh playing on the baseline in the 2-3 isn't getting us any extra boards as it is. You obviously know the negative to rebounding in the zone is that it's hard to block out when bodies aren't already on bodies (ala M2M).

Obviously the added depth we'll have, along with another year of experience and strength training for Moore and Clark will improve our defense next season. Let's hope it's enough to compete for the West title.

[jonesark™]

just have to watch the corners on the 3-2 zone, along with the lane. These become weakness in this type defense...