(02-08-2018 11:00 PM)MotoRocket Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 03:44 PM)Rocket75 Wrote:  Many of us in the stands were wondering why Toledo did not switch to a zone. It is usually difficult to drive in for layups against a zone.

Does Coach K ever teach zone play in practice? It might just get the opponent off balance trying to play against a different defense. Even Bob Nichols would have the players zone now and then. I recall various zones: 3-2, 2-3, 1-3-1, and a box and 1 if there was one guy who was a super scorer that needed to be stopped.

You're absolutely right on how it should be difficult to drive on a zone defense, and if played correctly the zone collapses to cut off dishes to others down in the lane - and that makes them susceptible to kick-outs to the three point line. That's ok because those passes can also be picked off if the defense understands where to move to in the zone. Always force them to try to pass over the top of the zone.

But, the one time I saw Toledo go to a 1-3-1, German got around the point man with the dribble then drove past the next layer and went in for a lay-up while Knapke tried to adjust to put up some kind of defense under the basket. German scored on a lay-up that started above the top of the key. I cussed for awhile, got up and walked around - and wondered if they practice that defense for more than 10 minutes at a practice during the week.

K seems to use the zone as a change in look to maybe get a stop and cause a little confusion. German was just having his way Tuesday. Hopefully, we’ll resolve that in De Kalb.