How Ohio State Plans to Attack Syracuse’s Unique Zone Defense
COLUMBUS- As the Ohio State Men’s basketball team prepares for their anticipated game against Syracuse on Wednesday Nov. 28th, Syracuse’s zone defense seems to be the Buckeye’s biggest concern currently. Questions as to how the Buckeyes are going to prepare for Syracuse were answered at Tuesday’s press conference by Keyshawn Woods, C.J. Jackson, and head coach Chris Holtmann.
“The zone can be real frustrating, but you just have to be patient and pick your spots, get into the middle of their zone and break them down that way,” redshirt senior Keyshawn Woods says at Tuesday’s press conference.
Woods is speaking from experience, as he is a transfer student from an ACC school, Wake Forest, and has played Syracuse four times as a player there. He now knows what to expect and can go off what he already knows about the team and can use that to his advantage. It makes it even more unique because he also got injured facing Syracuse at Wake Forest, but he’s ready to go for this game.
As for the rest of the team, they are just trying to keep their focus, this game will determine if they keep their №16 ranking and their 6 game win streak, 6–0 for the season so far.
“You just got to go out there, approach it as any other game…attack the gaps, be confident that’s the biggest thing,” C.J. Jackson states.
Confidence will be another focus point with a zone defense coming in like Syracuse’s, especially for Ohio State’s shooting game because the past few games it has been noted that it hasn’t been as good as it could be.
“Every day we go through our progressions when it comes to being ready to shoot in practice. He [Coach Holtmann] doesn’t tell anyone to stop shooting,” Keyshawn Woods says, “we want everybody to just keep shooting because eventually somebody’s going to get hot.”
On top of their regular shooting game, it has also been noted that their 3-point game hasn’t been as hot as it could be, especially in the last few games. This is a key note for the Syracuse game because with the zone defense that they set up, 3-pointers could be Ohio State’s best friend.
“There’s no question that that’s an element of attacking them that we need to be good at,” coach Holtmann says. He also noted how well Syracuse can defend those shots with their zone, “they do a great job at challenging three’s now…you have to stay ready to shoot it.”
Head coach Chris Holtmann has noted his respect for Syracuse, their evolving team and their legendary head coach Jim Boeheim, who has been at Syracuse for 42 years.
Regarding the coaching Boeheim has done around his defense, coach Holtmann says, “he’s a defensive wizard, he’s a genius in some of his concepts, the adjustments they make, I don’t throw that around lightly.”
Boeheim is a wizard because of the way he lays out his defense, the reason they have gone far in the NCAA tournament most seasons. The threat is something Ohio State hasn’t quite had to look out for this season, but they know it’s a force to be reckoned with.
Coach Holtmann notes that their zone defense is so unique because of their “length, activity, the fact that it’s their base defense…they’ve seen every way you can possibly attack a zone…so they adjust really quickly to any type of scheme that you’re using to attack it.”
As the Syracuse game comes around the corner, the Buckeyes will definitely be preparing well and keeping their heads in the game. It is the game that could bring them up in the rankings and bring them to 7–0, but it could also bring them back down and leave them at 7–1. The Syracuse zone defense is one to look out for, but Ohio State knows they need to just attack the zone as best as they possibly can.
The Ohio State v Syracuse game is November 28th at the Schott, it’s also free student night and they will be welcoming back and honoring former head coach Thad Matta. It’s going to be a special but challenging night for the Buckeyes.
