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KU vs. Syracuse
KU vs. Syracuse
Kansas City, Mo. — In this life, three things are certain: death, taxes and Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim running the 2-3 zone.
Boeheim’s match-up zone defense, about as tried and true as anything in the sports world, made its appearance yet again inside Sprint Center on Tuesday night during Syracuse’s 89-81 overtime victory against Kansas University
Boeheim has perfected his defensive craft so well, he has even released an instructional video on the intricacies of the 2-3 match-up zone. The 57-minute video, readily available online, currently is on sale for $57.95 on Amazon’s Web site. It’s the same zone Boeheim used in the 2003 national championship game to fluster Kansas into 4-for-20 shooting from the three-point line in a game the Jayhawks lost, 81-78.
Which is why Tuesday’s performance was so shocking. Against Kansas, Boeheim’s 2-3 match-up zone didn’t work.
It didn’t work to the point that the fourth-decade Syracuse coach painfully was forced into switching to man-to-man.
Perhaps more startling, however, was this fact: The Orange’s second-half and overtime comeback was fueled by what traditionally has been the team’s secondary defense.
“We couldn’t get back in it playing zone,” Boeheim said. “They were attacking the zone well. They’ve got good shooters. They’re probably better against zones than people would give them credit for because those kids can shoot out there on the wing.”
All too often in the first half, Boeheim struck a familiar pose: arms folded across his black suit jacket, staring listlessly in front of him and shaking his head as Kansas attacked the zone and scored on easy transition buckets.
Jayhawk guards Tyshawn Taylor and Sherron Collins combined to shoot 11-for-18 in the first half, scoring 25 of KU’s 41 points.
For the first few minutes of the second half, very little changed. KU guard Tyrel Reed’s three-pointer from the corner with just over 15 minutes left in the second half pushed the KU lead to 51-38, and the Jayhawks appeared primed for a runaway.
That’s when Boeheim changed strategies. And the Orange slowly chipped away at the lead behind an intense, in-your-face straight man defense.
The move worked so well that Syracuse took its first lead since the opening minutes of the contest with 81⁄2 minutes left. Syracuse guard Andy Rautins buried a three from the corner to push the Orange ahead, 57-56, capping an 18-6 run and briefly quieting the pro-Kansas crowd.
“We work on man-to-man defense every day in practice,” Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf said. “To tell you the truth, we mostly work on the man-to man-defense, so whenever we switch to it in a game, we’re all real comfortable with it.”
Syracuse briefly went back to the zone in a tie game with under a minute remaining in regulation. KU center Cole Aldrich promptly scored a bucket inside the zone to put KU ahead, 71-69.
When Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn nailed a three with six seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 72 and send the game into overtime, there was little debate about which defense to apply in the extra session.
Using man defense, the Orange (5-0) took control of overtime, outscoring KU, 17-9.
For the fifth consecutive game, Flynn led the Orange in scoring with 25 points. Devendorf finished with 20, Arinze Onuaku had 19, and Paul Harris added 14. Flynn earned MVP of the tournament.
“Coach made a great call to go to man-to-man because it was all or nothing,” Flynn said. “In that timeout, we said, ‘This is it. We’re either going to lose in the man-to-man or we’re going to win in the man-to-man. And we won the game.”
Behind the Lens: Game Over April 19, 2012
Jeff Withey says he considered leaving early April 9, 2012
Final thoughts following KU's run to national championship game April 3, 2012
Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor post-game interviews April 3, 2012
Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson: Linked through their KU careers April 2, 2012
Comments
FlaHawk (anonymous) says…
Boehem out coach Self tonight with the man-to-man. Coach Boehem is one of the greats and he usual has KU's number. Flynn had a much better game when coming out of the man-to-man. Syracuse is very well coached and had superior floor presence. They also did not play Frosh!
DrRoach (anonymous) says…
DrRoach (anonymous) says...The problem with most of you people (KU people) is your completely uninformed? Seemingly low basketball IQ? Bi-polar? Ignorant?We didn't lose due to being out coached. We didn't because the Orangmen are a better team (there not), and not due to most other reasons i have read on here. We mainly due to playing 3 freshmen this early in the season. With all there greatness, (they will be awesome come tourney time; with a capitol A baby), come untimely freshmen mistakes, poor second half foul shooting, pissing down there leg when 'Cuse made there run etc. Still, this game we could of overcame that. Mr. Collins, your a different story and you need to keep your head on the team instead of personal showdowns; which you lost tonite. Your lack of mental toughness cost us as Im sure by now you have gotten an in your face ass-chewing.That said, everyone's allowed mistakes, Sherron will right his ship, the freshmen will continue to improve, and the Jayhawks will be a monster in March. I look forward to one hell-of an exciting season.
ESUjayhawk (anonymous) says…
"The problem with most of you people (KU people) is your completely uninformed? Seemingly low basketball IQ? Bi-polar? Ignorant?"I think you were trying to spell YOU'RE... Not YOUR... Are you just completely uninformed? Bi-polar? Ignorant?
jpstrayer (anonymous) says…
DrRoach: It is also "their not", their greatness", "their leg"...you said it yourself..everyone is allowed mistakes...just not ignorant uninformed internet posters.
63Jayhawk (anonymous) says…
jpstrayer, it should have been "they're not" rather than either "there not" or "their not". It does appear, however, that DrRoach has succeeded in pointing out his own ignorance wtih his very poor writing skills.
KU (anonymous) says…
I don't know why it was "shocking" that Syracuse played man last night. It's plain knowledge that they have been playing more man this season than ever before.In the first half, especially, I thought KU did a great job of attacking the zone. Our high post passers did a nice job of moving the ball and we had open shots.I thought there was a stretch in the second half after we got up by 13 where Syracuse turned up the pressure with the man defense and we didn't punch them back soon enough. We got flustered and couldn't get off the ropes. That's bound to happen with a team this young. It will be a good learning experience.Tyshawn......whew!
DrRoach (anonymous) says…
ESUjayhawk (anonymous) says..."The problem with most of you people (KU people) is your completely uninformed? Seemingly low basketball IQ? Bi-polar? Ignorant?"I think you were trying to spell YOU'RE... Not YOUR... Are you just completely uninformed? Bi-polar? Ignorant?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------jpstrayer (anonymous) says...DrRoach: It is also "their not", their greatness", "their leg"...you said it yourself..everyone is allowed mistakes...just not ignorant uninformed internet posters.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------63Jayhawk (anonymous) says...jpstrayer, it should have been "they're not" rather than either "there not" or "their not". It does appear, however, that DrRoach has succeeded in pointing out his own ignorance wtih his very poor writing skills.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Oh, that's how the Hawk's can improve there game. You guy's know everything. Move along now and go find a spelling bee.Don't clutter our site, a basketball site with topics other than b-ball.I get it, you guys were the the team manager/waterboys at your respective high schools. that so explains everything.Regards to each of you,From all of us
lrahardja (anonymous) says…
Syracuse has more mature players with balance scoring across their starters (I think they average in double digits or so). Their man to man was definitely working against us, we sort of ran out of gas toward the end, noticeably for Collins after he got fouled hard. And in the second half, we played not to loose, instead of keep attacking the basket. Very valuable lessons for all.
Keckadek (anonymous) says…
Tyshawn is THE MAN no matter how you spell it. That guy plays to win.Holla!!!