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jkjsooner
3/22/2009, 04:37 PM
I sure hope we handle the Syracuse zone better than we did last time. It was embarrassing how Sampson did not have his team remotely prepared for the Syracuse defense. (Yes, Anthony played great but we looked like we had no idea how to play against Syracuse's zone.)

cjames317
3/22/2009, 10:52 PM
So, what's the strategy? Rain treys? Then I'm not optimistic. Is Blake gonna have to constantly muscle his way to the basket against a triple team in hopes of getting them in foul trouble?

StoopTroup
3/22/2009, 11:30 PM
We're probably gonna have to outscore them to win.

Curly Bill
3/22/2009, 11:31 PM
We're probably gonna have to outscore them to win.

This is inakkurat!

StoopTroup
3/22/2009, 11:33 PM
I hate orange too.

kevpks
3/23/2009, 06:12 AM
All I know is that after about 5 min of screen time Devendorf will move into the top 10 list of the most hated men in Oklahoma.

boomersooner28
3/23/2009, 06:31 AM
I'm not worried. Somebody said Crocker is gonna score 50.

JLEW1818
3/23/2009, 07:30 AM
can our guards keep up with theirs is the question.

Ton Loc
3/23/2009, 07:31 AM
All I know is that after about 5 min of screen time Devendorf will move into the top 10 list of the most hated men in Oklahoma.

That is absolutely true.

Also, I feel a little bit better in facing the Cuse Zone this year. We have Willie who should be able to drive the lane. Something we never had before. Also, we have Blake and they don't. ;)

OUSKINS
3/23/2009, 07:42 AM
This will be a great test for Capel. He has an entire week to prepare for one team, which is pretty rare in basketball. As we all know, the 2003 team gt destroyed by the Syracuse zone in the Elite 8, but that Syracuse team did have two NBA players, one of which is an All-Star (Carmelo). And that Syracuse team also won the National Title. This is certainly a less talented, albeit dangerous Syracuse team.

I've watched them a lot lately....Jonny Flynn is a stud. He runs that team on both ends of the floor. And they have some seriously good shooters from range. They are absolutely a perimiter-based team. Flynn drives and dishes all day long. They have a few decent big men, but they aren't major scoring threats at all. And Syracuse may be the most shallow team left in the tourney-- neither of us will play many guys off the bench.

Cuse is not overly athletic, they rely heavily on Flynn getting open shots for their guys. And defensively, everyone knows about the Boeheim zone. He's been doing it for almost 30 years and teams still struggle to figure out how to crack it.

In general, I think patience and having a guy who can drive to the hoop help defeat that zone. Willie will be a key. He needs to be active and get into the lane. If we just pass the ball around the horn, we play right into their hands. And Blake will need to make quick (good) decisions. They will swarm him the minute he gets the ball-- he needs to either make quick moves to the hoop or make good passes to open shooters.

This game is pretty simple: We don't have anyone to match up with Flynn and they don't have anyone to match up with Blake. It's up the coaches and the role players to figure out how best to contain the other.

I think this is a 50/50 game-- my gut is saying we're going to lose a tight one, but I wonder if that's just a little natural pessimism coming through? I really, really want a shot at UNC on Sunday, but I'm no fool-- beating Syracuse is a tall order. Excited about the game.

As others have the said, the biggest thing in our favor:

We have Blake Griffin. They don't.

My Opinion Matters
3/23/2009, 07:46 AM
can our guards keep up with theirs is the question.

No.

badger
3/23/2009, 08:01 AM
We're probably gonna have to outscore them to win.

:les: GARBAGE! [hairGel]

cheezyq
3/23/2009, 08:10 AM
Didn't we also play Syracuse last time somewhere in NY? Seemed like that was a pretty big disadvantage for a higher seeded team. We shouldn't have that going against us this time.

Teams have tried zone against us at times this year, and I think for the most part we've been successful against it. Granted, this is a team that's indoctrinated in the zone, but it's obviously not unbreakable. My guess is that we get the Griffins in the high post and use that spot as a distribution point with a lot of motion.

jkjsooner
3/23/2009, 08:52 AM
Teams have tried zone against us at times this year, and I think for the most part we've been successful against it. Granted, this is a team that's indoctrinated in the zone, but it's obviously not unbreakable. My guess is that we get the Griffins in the high post and use that spot as a distribution point with a lot of motion.

I like that idea. I just hope we execute it a lot better than last time. We tried to throw the ball into the high post the last time and threw it away or had it stolen from the post player almost every single time. I trust that either Griffin is strong and athletic enough to not have that problem this time around.

Last time it wasn't really about guys not hitting the outside shot. It was more about turnovers. I know Syracuse had a big lanky team who really got into the passing lanes but we just did not adjust at all.

The whole Big 12 had the same problem. It's funny because not too many Big East teams had a hard time with the Syracuse zone. I suppose it's one of those things that if you play it a couple of times you get used to it...

SoonerAcesUp
3/23/2009, 09:15 AM
My guess is that we get the Griffins in the high post and use that spot as a distribution point with a lot of motion.

I think this will be the key. Put Taylor in the high post and let him drive or pass from there. Taylor has been highly effective in taking it to the basket off the dribble and the weak part of most zones is in the middle so we have to take advantage of that.

badger
3/23/2009, 09:16 AM
Joking aside about inakuracies and garbage, the Big East has looked like complete and utter trash these opening rounds. The champion, Louisville, nearly lost to Sienna (???) yesterday. Another 1-seed outta the East, Pitt, nearly lost to the Pokes.

Hmmm... Marquette lost yesterday to Mizzou (tee hee at ragin' Coach Buzz), West Virginia lost to Daaaaaytonnnnn in the opening round, and while Villanova had a strong showing in round two, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY led them for a lot of the first round game.

OUMallen
3/23/2009, 09:17 AM
Didn't we also play Syracuse last time somewhere in NY? Seemed like that was a pretty big disadvantage for a higher seeded team. We shouldn't have that going against us this time.

Teams have tried zone against us at times this year, and I think for the most part we've been successful against it. Granted, this is a team that's indoctrinated in the zone, but it's obviously not unbreakable. My guess is that we get the Griffins in the high post and use that spot as a distribution point with a lot of motion.

This is what I was going to say, but you said it, and now I don't have to... High post is the key. Get the ball in the middle of the zone and you can pick it apart.

soonerfan28
3/23/2009, 09:46 AM
I think Syracuse will try to get Blake in foul trouble with charges and the way he battles down there it could happen. If he stays outa foul trouble then we could win this thing easily.

BillyBall
3/23/2009, 09:52 AM
Joking aside about inakuracies and garbage, the Big East has looked like complete and utter trash these opening rounds. The champion, Louisville, nearly lost to Sienna (???) yesterday. Another 1-seed outta the East, Pitt, nearly lost to the Pokes.

Hmmm... Marquette lost yesterday to Mizzou (tee hee at ragin' Coach Buzz), West Virginia lost to Daaaaaytonnnnn in the opening round, and while Villanova had a strong showing in round two, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY led them for a lot of the first round game.

Ok... 5 of the 16 remaining teams are Big East teams.

OUMallen
3/23/2009, 10:31 AM
I think Syracuse will try to get Blake in foul trouble with charges and the way he battles down there it could happen. If he stays outa foul trouble then we could win this thing easily.

I think that's probably going to be part of their gameplan, but Blake has a knack for NOT fouling, actually, so I don't think it's going to be all that easy for Syracuse to do that.

Bruiser53
3/23/2009, 10:33 AM
We really need Willie to be aggressive against the zone. You beat the zone by penetrating it off the dribble, and WW is the only guy on our team capable of doing that very well. Caple needs to tell him that he needs to look to drive the ball almost every possession and either finish at the rim, dish to the superhuman, or draw a foul, which leads me to the other key. If we aren't deep off the bench, Syracuse is kiddy pool shallow. They basically played with 6 guys the entire game against ASU. If Blake and Willie are drawing fouls and getting their guys riding the pine like Harris was against the Wolverines, it might be a long day for the 'Cuse.

LiveLaughLove
3/23/2009, 11:06 AM
We cant match up with Flynn and they cant match up with Blake. Except they arent going to try to match up with Blake. They will sink their zone in and double-triple team him and force us to win from the perimeter.

WW HAS to drive the lane and disrupt their zone. He can do it, but he hasnt done much of it lately. He is the X factor in this game to me. We win or lose depending on how the freshman does offensively.

Defensively, we have to guard the shooters tight, and leave Blake underneath virtually alone. Patillo is going to need to step up for us on the D end. Notice hes disappeared here lately. Blakes D is going to have to be agrressive (much more than lately), but he has to play very smart and not get in foul trouble.

Boeheim will work the refs big time to get a call or two, especially against Blake. Hes a wily veteran coach that knows what buttons to push, and probably will know the refs on some level. Capel needs to be more agrressive himself to counter him some.

Should be fun.

badger
3/23/2009, 11:17 AM
We really need Willie to be aggressive

Just this, without saying anymore. BE AGGRESSIVE! Willie needs to take more shots. He needs to start being the star we know he can be. No more hesitation, no more pass first (unless you're double/triple teamed), just take your shot. Nobody's going to call you selfish... well, maybe some in orange will, but nobody that matters :D

To quote Simpsons - MAKE WAY FOR WILLIE!!!!! ;)

bri
3/23/2009, 11:38 AM
Ok... 5 of the 16 remaining teams are Big East teams.

Meh, facts and logic are overrated.

soonerfan28
3/23/2009, 11:41 AM
I just wanted to say that I think we need to use Pattillo and Wright and maybe even Allen to get some fouls on the two Cuse big men. Arinze Onuaku is 29% from the FT line and Rick Jackson is 49%. I think if we just hammer these two all night then we can hold them to like 10 points in the first half.

starrca23
3/23/2009, 11:49 AM
I'm gonna respectfully disagree. You don't beat a zone with dribble penetration as much as you do with ball movement. In a zone, all five defenders are sitting there looking at the guy with the ball. IMO, beating a zone requires making the defenders move. You can do this by swinging the ball from side to side or inside and out. All zones are played to make the opposing team take an outside shot. Crocker, Davis, Warren, and Johson will have to move the ball and hit shots in order for us to win.

badger
3/23/2009, 12:02 PM
Ok... 5 of the 16 remaining teams are Big East teams.

Ok, fair enough... but most of them have had pretty easy roads so far. After all, 3 out of the 5 remaining Big East teams got 1-seeds. :)

fwsooner22
3/23/2009, 12:16 PM
The secondary space near the free throw line will be open but who is going to hit that shot on a regular basis. Syracuse gives that shot but it isn't too darn easy for today's player to drill over and over.

Its not the long 3 that's gonna win it. Its the medium range 12-15 footer that Coach B. knows kids can't hit. He is usually right. Let's hope he is wrong this time.

Maybe this is T.G.'s turn to shine.

ouleaf
3/23/2009, 12:18 PM
Syracuse is definitely going to be tough to handle. They definitely belong in the Sweet 16, there is no arguing that.

I'm hoping we can keep a low turnover and foul count like we did against Michigan. That will be a good start in helping us beat them. It's going to be hard for Blake to operate on the low post this game. He'll face immediate double and triple teams if he is camped out down there. So he'll either have to draw fouls or dish it out to an open Guard on the perimeter.

I say let Willie have his chance to create on his own early on. If that works, then stick with it. If not, we may have to release someone to set some screens for him and maybe play some pick and roll.

But if anybody is hot from outside (WW, AJ, Cade, Omar, or god forbid Tony) then we need to find a way to get them open shots. run the offense to that side of the floor they are on, draw their defender away from them or get them open with screens and let them fire away. That is the only way we are gonna free up the middle for Blake is if we can prove to them we are gonna hit our open shots from the perimeter.

Mudskipper
3/23/2009, 12:40 PM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/extra/article.aspx?subjectID=92&tab=ou&articleid=20090323_92_B1_NORMAN441665

Any chance these "515 pounds of beef" try to go at it with Blake without double teaming?

cheezyq
3/23/2009, 02:57 PM
The more I think about it, the more I think this is a game where we should try to get up and down the court. I think we can handle the zone fairly effectively if we run a decent motion offense with a big in the high post. But we would be much better off if we could get Syracuse running, preventing them from settling into that zone.

What's particularly irritating is the lack of respect for this OU team. I don't think I've seen anyone say that OU will win against Syracuse, much less against UNC. I don't normally care. But it would be nice, for just once, to get a remote ounce of respect out of the national media. Oh well. I guess even Kansas last year didn't get much respect or weren't given much of a chance.

Rabbie
3/23/2009, 03:43 PM
Classically from what I remember of my 20 years of watching Syracuse in the tourney their 2-3 zone is a standard unique obstacle. It is uusually beat one of three ways (or a combination thereof):

1). Great three point shooting (we might have trouble here)
2). Great high-low post offense with high post passing (Taylor seems tailor made for this roll, especially passing down to his bro or out to shooters/cutters like WW)
3). Great transition game to score before the zone sets up (we haven't done this tons)

If you don't do one or more of those three, then scoring against the Cuse 2-3 is very tough...

Anyone else have another general impression of the Cuse zone?

IronHorseSooner
3/23/2009, 04:16 PM
Anyone else have another general impression of the Cuse zone?


As the resident Cuse grad, and I follow them as my #2 team, they are getting WAAAY more credit than they deserve, and it has been a bit amusing. They are getting it because of their run in the Big East Tourney. Before that, they were freefalling in the rankings.

1. Devendorf is a turnover machine. People up there aren't exactly in love with him either.

2. Their bigs are average, at best. Both have been dogged for not working all year, and even last year. They can't keep up, and if you think Blake has trouble from the line, their bigs make him look like Reggie Miller. They also have a bad tendency to get into foul trouble against quality bigs. If that happens, it's lights out.

3. Remember, they have NINE losses. In those losses, it has been teams that have active bigs (uuhhhh, hello), and bigger and long-armed guards that get in Flynn, Devendorf, and Rautins's way that have the most success. We have those elements, and it took them 6 overtimes and having ALL of the UCONN bigs fouling out to finally pull it off.

4. SU has played A LOT more minutes here lately than any other team left in the tourney. Couple that with the fact that they only play 7 guys and Ongenaet has been ill, it will take it's toll with a physical team like OU.

They key to beating SU is not with stopping Flynn, it's stopping Rautins. He's the difference as to why they didn't make the tourney the last 2 years, and are now in the Sweet 16. He's a dead-eye from deep, and can pass almost as well as Flynn. Devendorf is a legend in his own mind, and guys like Crock, or AJ need talk him into bad shots. I guarantee he will take some questionable ones.

CatfishSooner
3/23/2009, 11:40 PM
I think we'll beat 'em by 15...

soonerfan28
3/24/2009, 09:53 AM
I know this is about the Syracuse zone, but like I said before we just need to foul the Cuse big men before they have a chance to shoot. Jackson shoots 49% and Onuaku is 29% from the FT line. Lets use the bench guys that won't see playing time anyway.

cjames317
3/24/2009, 03:31 PM
The secondary space near the free throw line will be open but who is going to hit that shot on a regular basis. Syracuse gives that shot but it isn't too darn easy for today's player to drill over and over....

Maybe this is T.G.'s turn to shine.

Well, Willie is supposed to be the "shooting" guard. Let's hope he shows up.

the_ouskull
3/24/2009, 03:52 PM
Joking aside about inakuracies and garbage, the Big East has looked like complete and utter trash these opening rounds. The champion, Louisville, nearly lost to Sienna (???) yesterday. Another 1-seed outta the East, Pitt, nearly lost to the Pokes.

Hmmm... Marquette lost yesterday to Mizzou (tee hee at ragin' Coach Buzz), West Virginia lost to Daaaaaytonnnnn in the opening round, and while Villanova had a strong showing in round two, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY led them for a lot of the first round game.

While I DO appreciate your opinion, what you just said, taking out all of the clever adjectives is: Louisville nearly lost, Pitt nearly lost, and Villanova had a strong showing.

How many of you would take a "nearly lost, but won" to Syracuse? Exactly. They (the Big East) won, sloppy or not. We're going to have to play better than we've played in the last 4-5 months to beat 'Cuse unless their shots are just not falling at all, and, somehow, I don't see that happening. They're not us in that regard.

-----

And, in regards to the thread topic, if you want to know a little bit about Syracuse's zone, read this:

http://coachingbetterbball.blogspot.com/2007/10/syracuse-2-3-zone.html

I, personally, worry about our guard's ability, collectively, to handle that kind of half-court pressure for an entire game. I think that, unless we're using Blake in the high post as the focal point of our offense, we're going to be in for a very, very long day. If they're able to double him up there without giving up easy shots in the low post to Taylor and Patillo, and, with their guard rotations, they should be, then we're going to be in for a long day.

I think we're going to be in for a long day, regardless, but our ability to keep it close enough to matter at the end will be predicated on our ability to handle their pressure and trapping. That relies on patience. I'm not sure that our guards are patient enough; A.J. is always prone to panic, Willie is a freshman, and Crocker can't handle or shoot right now...

I think we're going to be in for a long day. I desperately want us to pull this off, but I admittedly doubt our ability to do so... Everybody, please pray that I am an idiot. Thank you...

the_ouskull

Ton Loc
3/24/2009, 04:06 PM
While I DO appreciate your opinion, what you just said, taking out all of the clever adjectives is: Louisville nearly lost, Pitt nearly lost, and Villanova had a strong showing.

How many of you would take a "nearly lost, but won" to Syracuse? Exactly. They (the Big East) won, sloppy or not. We're going to have to play better than we've played in the last 4-5 months to beat 'Cuse unless their shots are just not falling at all, and, somehow, I don't see that happening. They're not us in that regard.

-----

And, in regards to the thread topic, if you want to know a little bit about Syracuse's zone, read this:

http://coachingbetterbball.blogspot.com/2007/10/syracuse-2-3-zone.html

I, personally, worry about our guard's ability, collectively, to handle that kind of half-court pressure for an entire game. I think that, unless we're using Blake in the high post as the focal point of our offense, we're going to be in for a very, very long day. If they're able to double him up there without giving up easy shots in the low post to Taylor and Patillo, and, with their guard rotations, they should be, then we're going to be in for a long day.

I think we're going to be in for a long day, regardless, but our ability to keep it close enough to matter at the end will be predicated on our ability to handle their pressure and trapping. That relies on patience. I'm not sure that our guards are patient enough; A.J. is always prone to panic, Willie is a freshman, and Crocker can't handle or shoot right now...

I think we're going to be in for a long day. I desperately want us to pull this off, but I admittedly doubt our ability to do so... Everybody, please pray that I am an idiot. Thank you...

the_ouskull

Pessimist. Coming all in here and ruining our collective thoughts and goodwill. ;)

soonerfan28
3/25/2009, 12:23 PM
This was written by the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette


Pitt Men's Basketball: Panthers take a bite out of Syracuse, 78-60
Young regains shooting touch; Blair dominates on the inside
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Pitt's Jermaine Dixon battles for a loose ball against Syracuse's Jonny Flynn, left, and Arinze Onuaku in the first half last night at Petersen Events Center.Syracuse is the No. 8 team in the country, had won 17 of its first 19 games and boasts one of the top offenses in the Big East Conference. But Pitt probably couldn't have asked for a better opponent coming off its first loss of the season at Louisville Saturday.

For some reason, the Panthers seem to own the Orange. Pitt bounced back from its disappointing loss to the Cardinals and whipped Syracuse, 78-60, before a sellout crowd at the Petersen Events Center. It was the Panthers' 11th victory in the past 14 meetings against Syracuse.

One of the reasons Pitt has enjoyed so much success over the years against Syracuse is the manner in which the Panthers dissect the Orange's 2-3 zone. Last night, after struggling against Louisville's zone, the Panthers picked apart Syracuse and shot 53 percent.

"We do well against the zone," senior point guard Levance Fields said, explaining Pitt's dominance over the years against the Orange. "Unfortunately, we didn't do the same thing against Louisville. I guess the thing we learned from that game was that we had to make sure we were patient and got high post touches. When we did that we got open shots. When you do that against zones, good things happen."

Instead of settling for outside shots like they did against Louisville, the Panthers got the ball inside to DeJuan Blair and Sam Young who had a field day against Syracuse's front line. Young broke out of his three-game shooting slump and led the No. 4 Panthers (17-1, 5-1) with 22 points and six rebounds. Blair added 20 points and 12 rebounds for his 12th double-double this season.

The Panthers scored 40 points in the paint and held a 40-28 edge in rebounding after getting outrebounded for just the second time this season at Louisville.

"They were challenged about the rebounding numbers and they responded," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said.

Blair was especially responsive. After playing only 20 minutes because of foul trouble against Louisville, Blair crushed the Orange.

He was 9 for 14 from the field, grabbed four offensive rebounds and had four blocks against Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku, one of the best centers in the league, who only managed eight points and nine rebounds.

"Blair is a tremendous rebounder," said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who is in his 30th season coaching in the Big East.

"He is as good a rebounder as I've seen in this league in a long time. Pittsburgh is a tremendous rebounding team."

Perhaps the most important thing to come out of this game was the fact that Young got back on track. He had been mired in a slump that saw him shoot 15 for 49 from the field over the previous three games.

He was especially bad against Louisville, going 6 for 20 from the field and 2 for 10 from 3-point range.

"A couple of shots can change a lot of things," Dixon said. "He was fine at Louisville. He just had a bad stretch at the end of the game. Don't read too much into a six- or eight-minute stretch. He's been pretty consistent all year long. There will be games when guys don't shoot well. You don't want to overreact."

Young made an effort to attack the defense more instead of relying on his jump shot. After not getting to the free-throw line against Louisville, he got to the line eight times last night and two-thirds of his shots came from inside the 3-point line.

"It was Sam attacking, not settling," Fields said. "That kind of got him going. It's always easy for scorers to get some easy ones at the free-throw line. He's a hard worker. He kept working through his struggles. He came through when we needed him most."

Pitt led most of the game, but a bad stretch near the end of the first half allowed Syracuse to trim a nine-point lead to three at halftime.

In the early moments of the second half, Syracuse took a short-lived two-point lead, but the Panthers finally started to click on all cylinders on offense and a 20-5 run gave them an insurmountable, 53-40 lead with 9:34 remaining.

The Orange never cut that deficit below seven points.

Syracuse came into the game averaging almost 83 points per game, but Pitt's defense held the Orange to its second-lowest scoring output this season.

"To come out and do what we did tonight speaks volumes for what we did on the defensive end," Dixon said. "They are very good offensively. We did a good job of making them take tough shots."

Thought it was interesting how they got that ball inside and dominated the infamous Syracuse 2-3 Zone. According to Travis Ford though Pitt has 2 or 3 Blake Griffins.

badger
3/25/2009, 12:52 PM
Everybody, please pray that I am an idiot. Thank you...

the_ouskull

Just to be clear (famous last words here, eh?). I am biased. I want the Big East to lose, so I'm going to find a way to make them lose-worthy, much like I made getting a 2-seed sound like the greatest thing to happen to OU when it was inevitable that it was going to happen.

For basketball insight and truthiness, I'm probably not the best poster to look at for analysis. Cuse is the enemy this week, so therefore, I'm going to find something, ANYthing to convince myself that OU will win. Once we get by them, look out for my many reasons why UNC basketball is overrated, starting with the fluke that is Michael Jordan ;)

So, let this be my confession: This game worries me beyond belief. I'm only dogging the Big East to make myself less nervous.

GrapevineSooner
3/25/2009, 02:02 PM
Just remember, nothing breaks a zone down better than dribble penetration. As soon as you get in the lane, options open up quickly, but can also close just as quickly.

Penetrate without the turnovers and we'll be fine.

Sooner13
3/25/2009, 02:50 PM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/extra/article.aspx?subjectID=92&tab=ou&articleid=20090323_92_B1_NORMAN441665

Any chance these "515 pounds of beef" try to go at it with Blake without double teaming?

I'm sorry but I failed to see the point of this article. It seems to me that all of the decent big men they have faced have dominated them inside.

Jacie
3/25/2009, 07:32 PM
The Big East bandwagon is counting on Syarcuse to win the whole regional to set up the all-B.E. Final Four. To read the local sports writers, no other school outside of the conference can stay with any of the tourney teams.

Well this year, the Orange don't have the next #1 NBA draft pick playing for them, the opposition does. Unless they can either get BG in early foul trouble or worse, hurt him, they won't beat OU.

8timechamps
3/25/2009, 10:18 PM
The weakest link in the Syracuse offense/defense is their bigs. They have a player (junior Arinze Onuaku) that has shown moments of greatness, but is not consistent enough to be much of a factor.

My guess is that the Orange plan to play physical down low in an attempt to get Blake in foul trouble. They were owned by most (if not all) the big men they saw this year, and they haven't seen anything like Blake (or Taylor).

I am not worried about their zone at all (this is not a stellar Syracuse defense). My concern is how the gaurds play. Both theirs and ours.

OU_Sooners75
3/26/2009, 02:03 AM
I can almost guarantee that Capel understands how to beat the zone.

badger
3/26/2009, 08:55 AM
I can almost guarantee that Capel understands how to beat the zone.

throw up a half court shot at the buzzer ;)

soonerfan28
3/26/2009, 09:06 AM
No badger that's how you tie UNC at the end of a game. Capel said he bought Boeheim's tape about how to beat the 2-3 zone when he was at VCU and he's studied that tape. I'm sure he'll use that tomorrow night.

NormanPride
3/26/2009, 11:06 AM
Well it's good to know Boeheim's told him how to beat the 'Cuse. ;)

soonerfan28
3/26/2009, 11:19 AM
Doesn't make a lot of sense that you would sell a tape that shows teams how to beat you. Maybe he's an arrogant ***.

badger
3/26/2009, 11:21 AM
He could have watched the OU women against Ga Tech a few nights ago. The lady bees did nothing but press and it got broken over and over :D

Rock Hard Corn Frog
3/26/2009, 02:56 PM
Just so we are clear Syracuse has a solid team but this year's group doesn't have Carmello Anthony or Hakim Warrick. A month ago a lot of people were thinking that Syracuse was going to be in the NIT.

Not saying that they can't knock us off but I'd rather play a 2-3 zone team all day than a team that full court presses, or plays in-your-jock man-to-man defense against our guards.

OU_Sooners75
3/26/2009, 03:06 PM
Good ball movement and penetration will defeat the zone.

To me a 1-3-1 is a better zone to run and OU ate that apart.

8timechamps
3/26/2009, 04:20 PM
Just so we are clear Syracuse has a solid team but this year's group doesn't have Carmello Anthony or Hakim Warrick. A month ago a lot of people were thinking that Syracuse was going to be in the NIT.

Not saying that they can't knock us off but I'd rather play a 2-3 zone team all day than a team that full court presses, or plays in-your-jock man-to-man defense against our guards.

Yep!

Like I said, this isn't one of The Orange's classic defensive units. They have struggled all year against inside talent. This is a run and gun team.

IronHorseSooner
3/26/2009, 04:24 PM
The real reason Coach Boeheim plays the 2-3 isn't because of some grand defensive plan, it is to keep his offensive-minded players out of foul trouble. It always has been, but people active like it is solving a Rubik's Cube.

BillyBall
3/27/2009, 09:00 AM
Ok... 5 of the 16 remaining teams are Big East teams.

The Big East is now 14-2 and have 3 teams in the elite 8 with 2 more still a possibility. Complete garbage...

cjames317
3/27/2009, 11:04 AM
The weakest link in the Syracuse offense/defense is their bigs. They have a player (junior Arinze Onuaku) that has shown moments of greatness, but is not consistent enough to be much of a factor.

My guess is that the Orange plan to play physical down low in an attempt to get Blake in foul trouble. They were owned by most (if not all) the big men they saw this year, and they haven't seen anything like Blake (or Taylor).

I am not worried about their zone at all (this is not a stellar Syracuse defense). My concern is how the gaurds play. Both theirs and ours.

I'm thinking that, based on what happened to Blake in prior games and the way he handled it, maybe he earned some hands-off treatment as far as the refs are concerned. Lotsa points for Blake, but that can't lull OUr defense to sleep. Remember what Eaton did to us in the Big 12 tournament?

Intown
3/27/2009, 11:17 AM
I like our chances much better now - the last matchup was practically a home game for them. It should all depend on how much the refs let cuse maul Blake.