Syracuse Orange: The Zone Defense Demystified

Jan 4, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Jim Boeheim talks to his team during a time out in the second half of a game against the Miami Hurricanes at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won 49-44. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

There are an increasing number of college coaches using zone defenses. Some use zones as a changeup or to protect a player from foul trouble and others have made the change and now play zone exclusively.

Zone defense is not new to Syracuse and Jim Boeheim. The Orangemen play 2-3 zone exclusively and it has helped them reach Final Fours and win the National Championship in 2003.

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Boeheim recruits players that would excel in any defense. So why have the Orangemen sold out to zone? We will look at reasons why Boeheim teaches zone over man-to-man and we will dive into the X’s and O’s of the Syracuse defense.

Advantages of Zone Defense

When you tune into a college basketball game, more likely than not you will see two teams playing man-to-man defense. There is a prevailing mindset among basketball coaches that man-to-man defense builds toughness and that zone teams are somehow “softer” than man-to-man teams.

Why would Boeheim depart from convention and rely on zone? As with any defense, there are weaknesses, but there are also several advantages:

There are literally thousands of secondary break options, set plays and man-to-man offensive systems and coaches spend a majority of their practice time implementing and perfecting them. When playing a zone team, a coach must lean on an offense he spends very little time practicing.

Further, while there are an infinite number man-to-man offensive attacks, there are very few ways to attack a zone. The zone defensive coach has to prepare his team for fewer offensive looks and when his team sees one they have likely seen it before.

Playing a zone defense allows a coach to protect a player from foul trouble. During the 2003 season when Syracuse marched to the title Carmelo Anthony did not foul out of a single game.

A zone can control tempo. Even teams that play fast will pass and probe the Syracuse defense for 20 to 30 seconds before taking a shot. This is a departure from a team’s normal offensive rhythm.

Teams will often settle for lower percentage perimeter jump shots versus a zone.

Syracuse has enjoyed all of these advantages with their 2-3 zone. There are some key principles that make the zone work. Let’s take a closer look at the Syracuse 2-3 and get a better understanding of how the Orange employ it.

Inside The Syracuse Zone

The Syracuse 2-3 zone has a few rules and some simple concepts that make it effective. Before diving too deep into the defense, let’s first look at the initial set up.

The two top defenders have two primary objectives: do not allow the point guard to split them with the dribble and do not allow the ball into the high post. They align themselves close enough to touch one another.

The wing defenders (X3 and X4) are set up just off the lane line. Syracuse uses long, athletic guys here with enough wingspan to contest shots. The post (X5) plays the middle of the lane. The Orange have specific rules to follow once the ball starts moving.

The most defining characteristic of the Syracuse zone is a concept Boeheim calls the “bump.” Most teams will use an odd number of offensive players up top to combat the even number of defenders at the top of the 2-3 zone.

These top two defenders are responsible for the three perimeter players. That is a tall order, but they get help from the wing defenders (X3 and X4) who close out the on the wing then “bump” back when their teammate recovers. It is a shared responsibility that takes great communication among the Orange.

At times the ball may be passed into the deep corner and X4 must cover that corner player. The rule is that the “edge pieces” (X3 and X4) of the zone have the lowest player when there are two players on the ball-side perimeter.

When the ball is in the corner X5 must front the post. He does so knowing that X3 is in the lane behind him for lob support.

One of the best ways to beat a zone is with quick ball reversal or long skip passes. When opponents reverse the ball quickly, bumping becomes paramount. In this frame we see X3 close out on the wing when the ball is swung to his side. He has to close out with hands high and contain the ball plus be able to contest a shot. It was in this situation that Hakim Warrick made the iconic block of the Kansas shooter in the 2003 title game.

X3 is containing the ball while X1 recovers from the ball rotation. When X1 recovers he “bumps” X3 off the ball and the defense is set. The Orange never want to leave the ball unguarded on the wing.

One area of vulnerability of the zone is the short corner. The short corner is the shaded area you see behind the defense. Positioning a player there is one of the most common counters offenses use to combat the zone.

When one of the edge pieces of the zone has to close out high on the wing the short corner is left particularly exposed. Opponents will often slide a player into the area. When a pass is made into the short corner it is an automatic trapping situation for Syracuse. The same situation applies if a ball handler attack the baseline with the dribble.

As you can see the zone is not simply a group of five guys clogging up the lane. And playing the defense is not taking the easy way out as some man-to-man coaches would have you believe.

Syracuse must close out, help and communicate as well or better than even the best of man-to-man teams. Boeheim has seen just about every zone offensive attack there is in his 38 years on the sideline. Adjusting the zone in-game and fitting his roster to play the zone is where Boeheim is a master.

Nothing will change in 2014-2015 as the Orange and their roster of long athletes use the 2-3 to suffocate and disrupt ACC offenses.