Syracuse Basketball: 4 Keys to Beating UNC
By David Stone
No Transition Baskets
Going along with this idea is making sure that North Carolina can’t get out on the fast break. UNC loves to run and loves to get up and down the court quickly. Syracuse basketball can’t allow that to happen if they want to win. They need play smart with the basketball and not turn it over in bad positions. No lazy passes at the top of the key.
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Another component of this is that if SU misses a shot on offense, they need to have someone staying back to guard against the fast break. While offensive rebounds will be very important in this game, not getting beat off a missed shot for an easy basket will be even more important. Second chances on offense are great, but what happens if you focus too much on the rebound and don’t get it? You’re in a poor position defensively, and against North Carolina, they will make you pay.
Ideally, this should be Trevor Cooney’s job. Every time a shot goes up, Cooney should be back-pedaling. Let Gbinije help on the boards, and let Roberson, Lydon, and Coleman battle inside. That’s what they are good at. Cooney, on the other hand, is an outstanding defender, but not a great rebounder. So instead of trying to get an offensive board, get back and set up the defense.
North Carolina might still try and run, but it will be a lot harder if there’s already one player back and set. It’s a heck of a lot tougher to score a transition basket against someone who is already in a good defensive position. Even in a two on one situation, Cooney can win that by playing a smart angle, something that’s so much more effective when you’re out in front of the play and not chasing or backpedaling.
Limiting transition points will be a challenge against a team like North Carolina, but if they are preemptive about it instead of reactive, they could cut the head off of UNC’s offense and force them into a half court set which eats up more clock and allows that smothering defense to get into position.
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