Hoops Preview: How Will Oklahoma State Deal with Syracuse’s Zone?

STILLWATER — The Cowboys haven’t shot particularly well from 3-point range this year, and that could be a problem against a team like Syracuse.

Oklahoma State and the Orange will play Wednesday night in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn. Jim Boeheim has coached at Syracuse since 1976. For as long as OSU’s players have been alive, one word has been synonymous with Syracuse basketball: zone.

Hitting shots is one of the most effective ways to beat a zone defense. The Cowboys have shooters capable of doing so, but OSU has shot just 30 percent from 3-point range this year.

“After 50 years you would think you kinda know all the things you could see attacking you,” OSU coach Mike Boynton said. “Coach Boeheim’s been the only one calling the shots over there for a long time. There’s not going to be anything we can do from a schematic standpoint that he hasn’t seen at some point. Just being able to not only understand that their length is going to bother you, but they’re gonna adjust to how we attack them. Then it just kinda becomes a boxing match, who can make the best adjustments throughout the game.

“Then ultimately we’ll have to make some shots over it. There’s no question about it. We’re not going to kid ourselves and think we can shoot the ball as poorly as we have, certainly from 3 the last two games, and still expect to have success. But if we don’t, we’re certainly going to still try to find a way.”

Thomas Dziagwa, Lindy Waters and Kelyan Boone have all shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range this season. The rest of the Cowboys are a combined 6-for-41.

Dziagwa went 7-for-10 from deep in the Cowboys’ only game away from Gallagher-Iba Arena this year, their 73-54 victory against Charleston.

Dziagwa has struggled in OSU’s past two games, though, shooting 3-for-13 from 3-point range.

“For shooters like me, shooting mentality: shooters shoot,” Dziagwa said. “When you’re in a slump or if you’re not making any, you still shoot. And if you’re hot, keep on shooting.”

Attacking the offensive glass is one of those other ways the Cowboys will try to find success. Boxing out is more difficult when in a zone because players have to go find players to get their bodies on. In a man-to-man defense, it’s fairly easy to know who you are supposed to block out.

Boynton has said this year that he wants more of Cameron McGriff’s offense to come from second-chance points. Nine of McGriff’s 31 rebounds this season have been offensive. Yor Anei leads the team with 11 offensive boards.

Another way the Cowboys will attempt to handle the Orange zone is beating ‘Cuse down the floor before it gets set up. That will rely on good defense on OSU’s part so the Pokes can rip down rebounds and get up the floor quickly.

Western Michigan showed a zone for a few possessions Friday night against some OSU freshmen. After the game Boynton said the youngsters didn’t handle it well, but in prep for playing Syracuse, zone offense is something the Pokes have practiced much more.

It’s one thing to practice against OSU’s zone in practice, but it’s a different animal with Syracuse. The Orange starting lineup consists of a 6-foot-1 point guard, two 6-6 wing players and two 6-10 post players.

“It’s pretty much been all zone in practice the last couple days,” Boynton said Monday. “Have another opportunity tomorrow, but we can’t simulate the length that they have throughout.

“We’re trying to give Avery (Anderson) an idea. He’s going to go in there and literally disappear. You guys are not going to see him on the TV screen when he gets into the paint. Just figuring that part out will be something that he can’t do until Wednesday night.”

Viewing Info

Time: 6 p.m. Central
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
Watch: ESPN2

Oklahoma State’s Projected Lineup

Syracuse’s Projected Lineup