Coaching move of the game

[MUWhistler]

The coaching move of the game was not the decision to do a 1-3-1 zone, as some people on this board have been screaming for for weeks.

The real move was going to what I will call "medium ball". We went to the zone, but were getting killed on the weak side boards with Rowsey and Howard. Nova was all over us and we couldn't stop them on that. The move was when Howard fouled out, Wojo did not replace him with Rowsey. We went to a lineup of mainly 4 medium sized players + Luke, or went to 5 medium sized players with Sam in there for Luke. We started to rebound the ball better, which didn't give them 2nd chance points. When Nova's outside shots started to not fall, that enabled our comeback.

We have gotten a lot of production from Howard and Rowsey this season, and Rowsey had some good production in the 1st half. But, moving to the medium size ball was a big move that we really haven't done this season so far. I give Wojo big props for making that switch.

Great win!

[Markedman]

Yes... only possible because Katin can play point guard.

What a game.....I am drained.

[MU_Iceman]

Well...Hmmm, I was one of the loudest advocates for this team playing zone, but as usual was told I was an idiot and it would NEVER work with this team...well lo and behold...Maybe I'm not so stupid after all. Great game, great win..what an atmosphere.

[ge1974]

Well...Hmmm, I was one of the loudest advocates for this team playing zone, but as usual was told I was an idiot and it would NEVER work with this team...well lo and behold...Maybe I'm not so stupid after all. Great game, great win..what an atmosphere.

MU_Iceman, I was thinking of you when MU went to the zone(something I have also believed they should do more of). I guess Wojo was saving it for Nova. Its great to see new wrinkles; especially in second half's when other teams do not have the luxury to discuss at halftime.

The 1-3-1 is hard to play against if a team is not used to it. Last year, Holy Cross installed it for the Patriot League playoffs and won 4 straight road games (and an NCAA play-in game) because other teams were not prepared for it. Xavier also uses it, at times.

I have to give MU_Iceman his props (and MU Crisco, as well). Oh, and also to Wojo and his staff!

[MUMac]

Well...Hmmm, I was one of the loudest advocates for this team playing zone, but as usual was told I was an idiot and it would NEVER work with this team...well lo and behold...Maybe I'm not so stupid after all. Great game, great win..what an atmosphere.

You keep repeating this, but it is not completely correct. The disagreements with you were with the Wisconsin game. As I recall, Wojo was an idiot for not going zone to beat the Badgers. Any point made against that train of thought was met with some histrionics (which is ironic that you feel people called you an idiot, reread some of the attacks you made on people in that thread).

I, as many others, disagreed that that was a smart play against UW. Doubling down on Happ might have been better. Employing a zone as a change of pace, maybe. You cited, as your sole proof, Creighton. Well, they doubled down on Happ. That was the difference. After that game, UW changed completely how they played zone. When they played Cuse, they crushed their zone. Handled it so much differently than against Creighton. Hayes was a completely different player and killed the zone with his passing (killed UW at Creighton with his shooting).

Getting to yesterday, even with a successful finish, MU's zone was absolutely destroyed when they played it for most of the game. Their passing and ball movement had wine open look after wide open look. When they missed, they had easy put backs, because of the zone. It worked out in the last 5 minutes, but that is in large part on Nova, with some to MU. If MU played zone against UW, it would not have mattered. UW was prepared for the zone and had the players on the inside to crush the zone.

So, no matter what happened yesterday, I still firmly believe you were wrong about UW.

[Phantom Warrior]

I thought our 1-3-1 had kind of a strange set up. At times we had three guys defending the player with the ball.

I was surprised that Wright did not put a player at the high post and try to get the ball to him at the free throw line.

Finally, no question it was a great win, but I doubt we will ever see Nova end up with Jenkins, Brunson, and DiVincenzo a combined 0 of 17 from behind the arc.

Then again, I think the odds of our shooting under 60% from the line again are pretty slim, too.

[MUWhistler]

The point of my thread, though, was that it wasn't just going to the zone. More importantly, it was the mix of personnel he had running the zone. Early on, Nova was trashing our zone. Easy baskets down low, and lots of offensive rebounds and fouls, especially when Howard and Rowsey were on the weak side. When we went without a true point guard and had more wings of size in the game, and even going without a true big man for the last 5-6 minutes of the game, that is when the zone worked and we finally could get some defensive stops and make our run.

Certainly agree that going to the zone was a nice change of pace. But, even Wojo said that when it came to the last possession, they went back to man-to-man to seal it. Early on, though, the zone was not effective. We needed the right personnel to run it to really make it effective. That is where we also went away from what we have done earlier this year in terms of personnel combinations.

[Nukem2]

The point of my thread, though, was that it wasn't just going to the zone. More importantly, it was the mix of personnel he had running the zone. Early on, Nova was trashing our zone. Easy baskets down low, and lots of offensive rebounds and fouls, especially when Howard and Rowsey were on the weak side. When we went without a true point guard and had more wings of size in the game, and even going without a true big man for the last 5-6 minutes of the game, that is when the zone worked and we finally could get some defensive stops and make our run.

Certainly agree that going to the zone was a nice change of pace. But, even Wojo said that when it came to the last possession, they went back to man-to-man to seal it. Early on, though, the zone was not effective. We needed the right personnel to run it to really make it effective. That is where we also went away from what we have done earlier this year in terms of personnel combinations.

Going small helped a lot offensively as well. MU was able to keep driving at Reynolds who had 4 fouls. The zone looked better also as you point out.

[IWB]

With the 1-3-1 they were also trapping very high and out. Traps weren't coming at the 3 pt line, they were coming about 8-10 beyond. Made it difficult for their ball handlers as the open targets were in the corners.

[Goose85]

I'm glad that Wilson was given key minutes last night. He was a key to our win, and I am really happy for him. That should really help him and the team going forward, as he is a leader on the team.

Coaching move of the game, I'd say Wojo not listening to Hamostradamus and keeping Reinhardt in the game going into the second half.