re: Michigan State has only ran a zone defense on 5 possessions all year

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Personally I would try a 2-1-2 if I'm MSU

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why?

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Yeah, this is meaningful.

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It certainly can be. It’s not a given, but defenders can lose track of players cutting along the baseline when they are focused on a zone instead of a man.

They'll work on some type of zone all week trying to have something to throw at LSU.

It may or may not work but LSU has shown when focused they will frick up a teams man to man.

So you better have something to try and they will.

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Playing Zone is considered sissy to a guy like Izzo. Man defense is their identity.

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This. Coaches are stubborn in a way. I’m sure they’ll be practicing some zone as they have all year. But they are going to continue to hang their hat on man to man defense and only use zone if absolutely necessary

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Michigan St. has a great defense and is loaded with better players than Maryland. I doubt we get up 15 on State

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It's going to be a very tight game no doubt. I think it'll come down to whoever's better at the line.

They won't open in a zone but they are working on one right now.

If LSU is focused they'll need that zone cause the Tigers will frick up a teams man to man.

Guard size concerns me. Izzo knows ALL the tricks.

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You don’t all of a sudden switch to zone for a half when you haven’t all year.

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Maryland, on average, had run zone for one possession per game all year. That changed on Saturday.

I would bet the team is discussing strategy for beating the zone right now. It isn’t a silver bullet.

He won’t do it much if at all. Of course he will if he feels they needs to play catch up but it’s just not their style so it’ll be man for the most. LSU will have to play it’s toughest game of the year inside in this game and not have TO’s. Have to try to create some at the same time and the effort on the glass will have to be 10 fold in this game. Bigby Williams will have to be a patient shot blocker and not jump on first move. We will need both he and Naz for most of the game. Of course I think Days and Smart could have huge games in this one if they play them. I love Emmitts energy also. This game will be about who gets playing time and when. Hopefully the staff has the right recipe. Need to be on our game from 3 as well. If we can hit 40 plus from 3, not foul out and limit TO’s while attacking the glass and creating them we’ll win this game. It’s going to be close unless we are on fire from 3 and everything goes our way. This team is built for these games but so is LSU. I like LSU bc we are so darn versital. We can play big, small, inside or out. We can play full court running the court and half court slow ball. Of course we prefer to play fast but we can do both pretty darn well. Go Tigers!!!