Re: West Virginia

[bearheel]

Among WVU's frequent 3-point shooters are Gansey (.490 through 1/29), Pittsnogle (.429), Young (.351), and Beilein (.322).  Beilein, who doesn't start, takes 80% of his shots from 3-point range, while the others are balanced.  Among the starters, Herber is abysmal from outside (.215) and Collins doesn't shoot much.  Nichols, the 7th man, does not appear to be a shooter either.

This doesn't say what kind of defense will work, but my recollection of my days listening to Dean Smith was that it wasn't so much a choice between man-to-man or zone as it was identifying tendencies from shot charts and tape and trying to keep players from shooting from their comfort zone.

I like the idea of keeping someone inside (and didn't feel good about watching Hicks sometimes being forced to guard his man way outside last night), but I think the most important thing we can do is increase what we were doing in the second half last night: using half court/three quarter court pressure to keep them from getting into their offense.

By the way, what did Marshall do so successfully?

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Brock Schweitzer <address@hidden> 
There's a catch to playing the zone against WV too.  They can shoot the lights out beyond the arc.  UC hasn't exactly been playing solid perimeter defense (even in man-to-man) lately.  I would suggest some kind of matchup zone that keeps Hicks down low, and McGowen or White can cover Pittsnogle outside.  Everyone else should stick to their man. 


On 2/1/06, address@hidden <address@hidden> wrote:
Earlier in the year I was thinking: boy Kirkland is going to get burnt on the back door cut at least 5 times when they play WV. Don't have to worry about that now. If UC plays man defense it will be worse. Pittsnogle will take Hicks outside and WV guards will take UC's guards inside and get lay ups. Even though WV shoots the 3 well I think the only chance UC has is to play zone. Andy if you read this and play man it's going to be a long night. Don