Zone defense of Baylor next challenge for MSU
A unique challenge awaits Mississippi State today as the Bulldogs seek to keep moving on in the National Invitation Tournament.
MSU (23-11) faces a road test at Baylor (19-14) at 11 a.m. in the second round of the NIT and the Bears employ a bit of an untraditional defense – a 1-1-3 zone.
That means for the last couple of days, the Bulldogs have spent their time working on ways to attack it, defeat it and keep playing basketball deeper into March.
“We have to get the ball stretched and get the ball to the high post as much as we can,” Mississippi
his team's plan. “These (Baylor) guys are long and they have a lot of long guys so we have to get the ball stretched and get it moving so we can get the zone to shift side to side and penetrate the gaps at the top of the key.”
deciding factor in today's outcome. The dynamic sophomore was instrumental in getting the Bulldogs to this point.
In Wednesday's first-round NIT
both a career high and Mississippi State postseason record with 14 assists. He'll again be counted on to make things happen for his teammates today, though doing it against the 1-13 will provide a different challenge.
However MSU head coach Ben Howland insists trying to crack Baylor's defense isn't all that much of a change than what State is used to doing.
“It's like any zone,” Howland said. “It's about being patient and getting the ball moving and getting the ball inside and back out again. It's moving the ball and penetrating the zone when it's getting stretched. It's the same concepts of attacking, and we've improved a lot from where we were in November at attacking zone, but again, this is a different look.”
Mississippi State could again be a bit shorthanded as it looks to figure out Baylor. Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team guard Nick Weatherspoon may again miss action as he recovers from a hip contusion suffered during the SEC Tournament.
Weatherspoon wasn't able to play against Nebraska on Wednesday and Howland didn't sound confident his guard would return today.
“I don't know,” Howland said on Friday of Weatherspoon's status, two days after admitting he leaned toward Weatherspoon not being able to play.
Regardless of whether or not Weatherspoon plays, the Bulldogs, as a group, certainly will. After missing the postseason altogether the previous five seasons, that in and of itself is exciting for MSU.
Nick Weatherspoon's big brother, junior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, has been all too familiar with what it's like to not be playing this time of year. Now that the Bulldogs are in action in March though, Quinndary says he and his teammates aren't ready to be done yet.
“It feels good to still be playing,” Weatherspoon said. “I'm excited we've gotten to move on to this round and hopefully we can get to Baylor and get that win and keep going to try to get to New York (for the final rounds of the NIT).”