This team will face a zone all year long.

[TheLivingLegend]

If im playing UC, there is no reason im not playing a zone.

We simply cannot shoot the basketball. Talk about getting very old, watching this team with wide open looks shoot 17 % from deep and 55% from free throws.

Practice. Learn to shoot. Do something.

Man do I miss a steve logan, a feild willams, a darnel burton. Hell ill take my boy muhammad right now.

 

[JasonS]

If im playing UC, there is no reason im not playing a zone.

We simply cannot shoot the basketball. Talk about getting very old, watching this team with wide open looks shoot 17 % from deep and 55% from free throws.

Practice. Learn to shoot. Do something.

Man do I miss a steve logan, a feild willams, a darnel burton. Hell ill take my boy muhammad right now.

Here is why they won't see the zone all year long: You have to know how to play a zone in order to play it well and be effective. If you typically play man to man and don't play zone much, the rotations will not be crisp and will result in a lot of easy baskets.

Why is Syracuse so good at the zone? Because that is all they play and practice.

Why are mid-majors so good at the zone? Because they don't have the athletes to match up with the major programs and thus have to play it out of necessity.

I do expect that the Bearcats will see quite a bit of zone this year, but not all zones are created equal. UC moved the ball well against the zone and nearly every shot they got was a quality shot. They didn't go in. The ball switched sides effectively. Went from the top of the key to the block to the wing, across the court, back up top, etc. on basically every possession. You have to make shots and this team didn't do it. If they can't make shots from the outside, it is going to be tough no matter how well you execute the plays against the zone.

 

[psax889906]

I thought UC did a poor job of getting the ball into the post after IPFW went zone. They were running the entire offense through Gates and the post in the 1st half (which they should against a team they were bigger, stronger and faster than) but the 2nd half was a completely different story and as a result I believe Yancy only scored 2 points in the 2nd half which were off of an offensive rebound.

 

[JasonS]

I thought UC did a poor job of getting the ball into the post after IPFW went zone. They were running the entire offense through Gates and the post in the 1st half (which they should against a team they were bigger, stronger and faster than) but the 2nd half was a completely different story and as a result I believe Yancy only scored 2 points in the 2nd half which were off of an offensive rebound.

Every time they seemed to get it into the post against the zone it was going into Thomas or Jackson. IPFW did a really good job of doubling Yancy by packing in the zone before he even had the ball. If this team makes a few from the outside, it opens Yancy up. They didn't and as a result Yancy was swarmed. The few possessions that IPFW went man, the team didn't get Yancy the ball. It should have gone into him immediately on those possessions.

 

[psax889906]

Every time they seemed to get it into the post against the zone it was going into Thomas or Jackson. IPFW did a really good job of doubling Yancy by packing in the zone before he even had the ball. If this team makes a few from the outside, it opens Yancy up. They didn't and as a result Yancy was swarmed. The few possessions that IPFW went man, the team didn't get Yancy the ball. It should have gone into him immediately on those possessions.

Unfortunately that's the problem... who's going to make shots? If Dion Dixon shoots another three I'll have a serious problem with it. He's developing a seriously good mid-range game. Use it.

 

[JasonS]

Unfortunately that's the problem... who's going to make shots? If Dion Dixon shoots another three I'll have a serious problem with it. He's developing a seriously good mid-range game. Use it.

Cash is going to need to penetrate the zone. That is my biggest issue with the zone offense. The one time there was penetration, SK gets an easy runner off the glass. Cash is quick enough to pentrate. They also need to use ball fakes better. Everyone used a shot fake but no one faked a pass and went the other way. Cash could fake a pass and immediately drive to the middle of the zone. I would have been happy to see Yancy flash to the foul line against the zone too. Mick needs to tweak it a bit. They were getting good shots off of what they were running but unfortunately all those shots were from three.

 

[psax889906]

Cash is going to need to penetrate the zone. That is my biggest issue with the zone offense. The one time there was penetration, SK gets an easy runner off the glass. Cash is quick enough to pentrate. They also need to use ball fakes better. Everyone used a shot fake but no one faked a pass and went the other way. Cash could fake a pass and immediately drive to the middle of the zone. I would have been happy to see Yancy flash to the foul line against the zone too. Mick needs to tweak it a bit. They were getting good shots off of what they were running but unfortunately all those shots were from three.

Yeah also I didn't like Jackson getting the ball in the low block when IPFW went zone... he definitely looks a lot more comfortable right now catching the basketball in the high post where he has shown to be a very effective passer. I understand some of that was because of how IPFW was doubling down on Yancy, just thought Justin looked uncomfortable. I thought Yancy got a little frustrated as the second half wore on too... after getting position and calling for the ball and not having it delivered to him he gave Cronin a few looks...

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Its like when they see a zone the entire team forgets how to play basketball....still look absolutely clueless against the zone and have for the past 5 years.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

Bottom line:

Zones lead to open threes. We cant shoot open threes. Matter of fact, we cant shoot period which then = Problems.

 

[Thegreatone]

Relax our guys are better shooters than your saying. Bad game though no doubt. Parker, Cash, Killer, and Dion can hit open shots. They will be fine.

Majority of big schools dont like to play zone.

 

[psax889906]

Relax our guys are better shooters than your saying. Bad game though no doubt. Parker, Cash, Killer, and Dion can hit open shots. They will be fine.

Majority of big schools dont like to play zone.

I think SK and Cash can end up shooting decent percentages... but I disagree about Dion. His 3 point shot is just down right poor. Parker is okay in stretches but I'm not sure how many he's going to take.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Guys #10 Florida beat Morehead St. by 6 and Syracuse beat Wm. and Mary by 3 today. Both scored 61 pts.. Just chill.

 

[psax889906]

Guys #10 Florida beat Morehead St. by 6 and Syracuse beat Wm. and Mary by 3 today. Both scored 61 pts.. Just chill.

I'm as big a proponent of letting the season play out and supporting this team as anyone. I think the people that post here know that. With that said, I don't buy the comparisons of those teams winning close games against mid majors for this one simple fact:

Those teams (and their coaches) have proven over the past few years their teams develop as the season progresses and offense has not been an issue. That has yet to happen at UC for Mick. I'm certainly not saying it won't and it's unfair to compare the two situations because of what Mick walked into- but I say leave all the, "This perennial power just beat the sisters of the deaf and dumb by only X amount of points" at the door. None of it matters. Syracuse beating William and Mary by only three shouldn't make us as UC fans feel better, it has no bearing on the program. Just as when the Duke's and Michigan St's of the world beat those teams by 40+ it shouldn't upset or concern UC fans. Different situations and all that matters is one thing: Development.

 

[cincinnati insanity]

Relax our guys are better shooters than your saying. Bad game though no doubt. Parker, Cash, Killer, and Dion can hit open shots. They will be fine.

Majority of big schools dont like to play zone.

No offense, but maybe SK and a little bit of Parker can hit a shot period.... UC has to get a zone buster type player, maybe Eppensteiner can come out and show them how to shoot...

 

[bearcat jeff]

I'm as big a proponent of letting the season play out and supporting this team as anyone. I think the people that post here know that. With that said, I don't buy the comparisons of those teams winning close games against mid majors for this one simple fact:

Those teams (and their coaches) have proven over the past few years their teams develop as the season progresses and offense has not been an issue. That has yet to happen at UC for Mick. I'm certainly not saying it won't and it's unfair to compare the two situations because of what Mick walked into- but I say leave all the, "This perennial power just beat the sisters of the deaf and dumb by only X amount of points" at the door. None of it matters. Syracuse beating William and Mary by only three shouldn't make us as UC fans feel better, it has no bearing on the program. Just as when the Duke's and Michigan St's of the world beat those teams by 40+ it shouldn't upset or concern UC fans. Different situations and all that matters is one thing: Development.

The obvious point is that it isn't uncommon to lose or be played tough by inferior talent early in a season. We have no ideal how this team will develop as the season progresses. We have no ideal to how Dixon and Cash respond to a starters role. How Thomas and Parker will respond to expanded roles. How much will SK's game improve as he gets more and more comfortable. What about Jackson's defensive iq? If all these issues are there toward the end of non conf I'm going to worry. Till then I'm going to watch and see and enjoy every win.

 

[waterhead]

The obvious point is that it isn't uncommon to lose or be played tough by inferior talent early in a season. We have no ideal how this team will develop as the season progresses. We have no ideal to how Dixon and Cash respond to a starters role. How Thomas and Parker will respond to expanded roles. How much will SK's game improve as he gets more and more comfortable. What about Jackson's defensive iq? If all these issues are there toward the end of non conf I'm going to worry. Till then I'm going to watch and see and enjoy every win.

Amen! It's not fair to guys like Killa and Jackson to point to past trends...they had nothing to do with them. We have some fans (on other boards) jumping ship after two games THAT WE WON!

 

[psax889906]

I think SK and Cash can end up shooting decent percentages... but I disagree about Dion. His 3 point shot is just down right poor. Parker is okay in stretches but I'm not sure how many he's going to take.

I'm convinced now that Dion Dixon is a member of Bearcattalk. Thank you for shutting me up Dion. I'll take my crow medium well please.