Preview: The Baylor Bears (#9, West Region) will face the Syracuse Orange (#8, West Region) and their vaunted 2-3 Zone in the first round of NCAA play. In general, #8 versus #9 matchups offer intrigue in NCAA first round play. They feature evenly matched teams who had similar seasons and the winner gets a shot at…
NCAA Preseason Top 25 XsOs – Teams 16-20
College basketball is almost here, and we’re tipping it off with a series of top plays from the Top 25 teams. The 2019 Preseason AP Top 25 poll was recently released. Of course we had to round up TeamFastModel contributors to submit top plays from each team in the rankings, all to share with you. Enjoy,…
2-3 Zone: Forward Play
There are 2-3 zones and then there is the Syracuse 2-3 Zone. Coach Jim Boeheim and his Syracuse Orange have been befuddling opponents for decades with their brand of zone defense. Syracuse recruits great players blessed with the length and athleticism to be effective in the zone, but aside from that, the forward play is what…
Final Four #XsOs – Syracuse Orange
The Syracuse Orange have made an improbable final four run this year as a 10 seed. They play a basic style of basketball that involves motion offense on one end and their legendary 2-3 zone on the defensive end of the floor. They run several sets for their best shooter, Trevor Cooney to get an…
March Madness #XsOs – Plays of the Elite 8
After all the madness, we are down to just four teams. Some surprises along the way, but North Carolina, Villanova, and Oklahoma didn’t surprise too many getting to Houston. Even though Syracuse had not played well coming into the NCAA Tournament they have played their best basketball when it counts most, earning themselves a spot in the Final…
Sweet Sixteen – Midwest Region
Virginia vs Iowa State These two could not have more of a contrast in style of play, with Virginia slowing tempo and Iowa State looking to increase it. Virginia’s ability to slow the game down to the pace they want is from their defensive prowess. Being able to control the game from a defensive standpoint allows…