Texas Tech and the Morphing Zone



  • Will Self go back to M2M for the Red Raiders?

    Or will Self show zone again to keep coaches preparing for it?




  • jaybate 1.0 said:

    Will Self go back to M2M for the Red Raiders?

    Or will Self show zone again to keep coaches preparing for it?

    I would like to see the zone again tonight although we have to be careful because Tech shoots the ball well from 3 land. The biggest reason it could be used is to limit fouls. Tech is an aggressive team and gets to the FT line on average 11 times more then KU does a game (23 to 12). If the zone protects our limited front line from foul trouble and can force some misses it could have a positive impact again.



  • You might see some maybe, just to mix it up. Texas Tech is really deep, they go 10 deep off the bench with all ten averaging over 10 minutes a game with the lowest being at 13.4 minutes per game.

    You play some zone against them , you just have to take you chance, just like any other club. - -They are an average shooting team from 3 - not great - -not real bad. - They rank 5th I the Big 12 shooting 37.6 % - that’s not really scorching the nets BUT not that bad either.

    They rank 5th in the Big 12 in overall fg% at 49.4 - -that’s pretty good

    Overall stats for them and us for the Season National wise: - - fg % -KU 51.7 % - -3rd in the nation - - - - -TT 49.4%- -27th. - - - -3 pt %- -KU 42.2 % - - 8th in the nation - - -TT 37.6 % - - 82nd - - - -ft % - - -KU 78th - -in the nation - - - - TT 271 st . - but don’t let that crappy placing fool you for them

    Looks like their starters go 79% - - -69.7 % - - 75.6 % - -84.6 % - -& then Zach Smith @ 42.9 % - -another Doke lol.

    Looks like they start 4 Seniors and a Freshman: - -they go 6’3 - -6’5 - - 6’5 - -6’6- - & 6’8 - Doke should have hght advantage -they do have a kid that comes off the bench and averages 21.2 minutes and I think he is 6’ 11

    Should be a good game hope we come out ready to go - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • Unless Dok is in foul trouble I do not see Self going to zone in this one, perhaps a few possessions here and there but not much. On Fridays game against TX Bamba was on fire and TX had trouble getting him the ball when KU went to zone D. Now this Tech team does not rely on any one player like TX does so this is the main reason why I believe Self will use his preferred man D.



  • @AsadZ

    Yeah Tech is a balanced team this season. We’ll see whether their rotation tightens up playing better teams and having to go on the road as they are tonight. Last season they were 0-9 on the road in B-12 play and tonight is their first true road game. I think Self could get away with the 2-3 look regardless of foul trouble if Tech struggles to deal with the road environment. Crowd should be juiced given its the home opener and our guys should have high energy level getting to play at home for only the 3rd time in over a month. More than likely Self sticks to M2M unless we are struggling to guard and limit them getting to the hoop/foul line. This Tech team has 9 guys that have attempted 20+ FT’s on the season compared to KU’s 3 which shows you the opposite in style of play between the 2. We could simply use the Zone as a disruption of tempo and keeping them from establishing rhythm in their sets



  • FYI Fran is calling the game tonight. Over under is set at 25 times he mentions KU losing to Washington



  • @BeddieKU23 well he can’t brag on isu. He could bring up their win in AFH last year? I’m sure he’ll be talking up OU.



  • @Jayballer54 “-they go 6’3 - -6’5 - - 6’5 - -6’6- - & 6’8”

    This looks like a game tailor-made for Mitch to have a coming out party.

    Self will probably use Doke to dunk on their 6-8 big, until they bring their 6-11 big; then Self will counter with Mitch to pull their 6-11 big out. Let’s see if Mitch pulls the trigger on some treys to pull their 6-11 guy out.

    The other possibility is that the Tech coach starts his 6-11 big; then Self will face a decision. Stay big, or go small with Mitch to pull their 6-11 big out.

    We are definitely going to see some strategy regarding the bigs yet again.

    If Tech is ten deep, then it seems like Self has to either go zone extensively, OR Self has to break down and use Sosinski, and maybe De Sousa, if he were to have been cleared by game time.

    Self HAS to start getting Sosinki some minutes, if Preston and De Sousa are not going to clear.

    Its crazy that he hasn’t gotten him more than four minutes already.

    But Mr. Win Now aka Bill Self knows what is best.

    He has made very clear that he is not playing for March.

    He is playing for a 14th conference title and he will burn his 5 starters to a crisp, if that is what it takes.

    No one will ever be able to accuse Self of building for March this season.

    14 or bust.

    That’s the motto.



  • @Crimsonorblue22

    We could start Fran Bingo!



  • BeddieKU23 said:

    FYI Fran is calling the game tonight. Over under is set at 25 times he mentions KU losing to Washington

    Is that over or under how many times he mentions Trae Young and the potential of OU?



  • @drgnslayr Well, OU is bound to be better without a Franspawn on their bench.



  • @mayjay

    The Fraschilla kid has been gone for a couple of years now. He was All Conference though…Academics, second team…couldn’t even make first team. Just kidding, he was obviously a good student.



  • @mayjay

    Almost swallowed my Jolly Rancher when reading your post! Hilarious!