After watching us play year after year I have a question for basketball guys. What defense best shuts down giving up wide open 3 pointers? We will double the ball even if the opponent has a 45% 3 point shooter and we leave them wide open. It is what we do consistently. Just wondering?

I like man as well. Wish we played it.

Thanks, I think we need it in our tool bag. Ohio State two years ago and at least 2-3 games a year it would be a great change up. Not every possession but 10% of the game?

I'm not a huge fan of switching defenses except for some rare occasions, but especially to either play this hybrid zone or an elite man to man. I think you have to pick one and commit or you're likely to be mediocre at both.

There's still some really good man to man coaches out there, Beard especially, but seems like they're getting harder to find.

Meanmachine said:

---

After watching us play year after year I have a question for basketball guys. What defense best shuts down giving up wide open 3 pointers? We will double the ball even if the opponent has a 45% 3 point shooter and we leave them wide open. It is what we do consistently. Just wondering?

---

Buzz gives up the three to protect the lane. It's idiotic but he's clinging to 2010s decade "analytics".

Since we aren't good outside shooters historically other teams like to run a zone against us and pack the inside, give up the outside shot. Hence, we are still looking for that zone buster.

Quote:

---

Buzz gives up the three to protect the lane. It's idiotic but he's clinging to 2010s decade "analytics".

---

Actually, I think Buzz recalibrates NCAA stats since the inception of the 3 point play after every day to come up with his philosophy. Makes as much sense.

I think the philosophy holds up, but where it definitely falls apart is when you foul.

bobinator said:

---

I think the philosophy holds up, but where it definitely falls apart is when you foul.

---

It also falters against direct passes. It turns a three pointer into a long free throw. When the Ags are playing great defense you can see it by the passes that they allow. When you see a lot of direct line passes it usually means we are about to get cooked from the three point line.

txag72 said:

---

Since we aren't good outside shooters historically other teams like to run a zone against us and pack the inside, give up the outside shot. Hence, we are still looking for that zone buster.

---

I know it's early - but I think we will be a much better 3-point shooting team this year compared to past seasons.

We might even be average!

The wide open threes are also usually the result of a breakdown earlier in the play. Why it seems to happen more early in the season with new players figuring it out.

We're definitely not trying to just leave dudes wide open, we want them to shoot guarded threes from specific areas of the floor, but like on that late one the wrong guy followed the dribbler into the paint so we were out of position and Creighton made the extra pass to find the wide open guy.

That's a downside of this hybrid zone though is everyone has to make the right decision every time. Of course in a true man you could have weak link defenders. Pros and cons to everything.

I don't love our defense, but I get the idea behind it and don't agree that it's dated. Though last year and so far this year college basketball offensive efficiency has jumped up a bit so that's something to watch.

What's crazy is Buzz didn't start running this type of defense till teams started shooting more threes.