Written By: Rich Salvatori @DickieSalvatori
As we approach the stretch run of what has been an exhilarating college basketball season, numerous trends come into focus which lend credence to the success of certain programs. The area seemingly most important has been the screen game and offensive efficiency as it pertains to physicality.
You can’t pigeonhole teams into having one primary feature, but it’s extremely relevant that a sizable number of top line contenders have separated themselves employing a certain playing style that seems different than the status quo.
Analysts everywhere have commented on the physical nature of the game recently. Oftentimes we see tendencies that give calls to the defense, especially in unknown block/charge scenarios. Because of that, it iterates why elite teams have made attempts to counteract the defensive favoritism by playing more physical on offense. Indiana, Michigan State and Gonzaga are utilizing strong off ball screening to free up open men for easy looks.
Michigan State lost Draymond Green from 2011 and didn’t return an elite scorer at any position. Yet, the Spartans’ remain entrenched inside the top 20 in offensive efficiency. Let’s take a look at some of their tendencies.
One of their favorite sets lines four men across the foul line extended. The point guard passes to the wing, runs off a screen set by one of the forwards, the screening forward pops out and receives the pass from the wing. The point guard sets a back screen for the off guard, who, if not open, sets a cross screen for the center/forward on the opposite block.
Michigan State recently lost to Indiana. While the Hoosiers relied more on ball screens and dribble penetration in versus the Spartans’, they do a tremendous job in the screen game, too. Midway through the first half Indiana lined up in an out of bounds formation that included two forwards near the foul line, a shooting guard in the opposite corner and a forward in the near corner. The Hoosiers’ inbound the ball to the near corner as they run the opposite guard off a dual screen at the top of the key. Initially not open, the guard appears to flash toward the timeline before the in-bounder flashes down while cutting back up and setting a back screen for the guard to dive down toward the basket and call for a pass.
Simply put, Indiana is doing its homework. Its unlikely defenders can stay with a player coming off three consecutive screens – teams with excellent communication breakdown in such situations, as was the case with Michigan State.
Indiana’s “go-to” is utilizing the screen game to open up their interior assets for easy looks. The Illinois loss was an excellent example. Hoosiers’ used a variety of plays in that game which required Zeller to initiate back to back screens. One scenario, Zeller sets a back screen for a cutting guard before immediately pursuing a pick and roll opportunity at the top of the key with the point guard. Another set, the point guard waits to see if the cutting guard can get open, and then passes to the opposing wing, once Zeller is done with his initial back screen he sets a flare screen for the point guard. Indiana has even implemented sets in which they have Zeller cut back to the basket immediately after the second screen, or receive a back screen himself.
Everyone knows Zeller is a monster in transition, so Tom Crean should be given tons of credit for putting him in advantageous situations – constant movement is extremely difficult for collegiate big men to follow.
Gonzaga, a guard-dominated program in seasons past comes to mind, too. The emerging Kelly Olynyk’s a major reason as to why their recipe has changed. Olynyk is shooting 66% from the field and is regarded as the most efficient offensive player in America.
Coach Few likes to use Olynyk at the top of the key. Kelly will flash down to the low block or Few runs two bodies toward the part of the floor where Olynyk has the option of using one of the screens for a curl option to the foul line, or he can wave players through and wait for a screen from the other forward enabling him to flash to the opposite block if the ball is reversed.
Tournament season has always been guard-dominated, so it makes sense teams want primary ball-handlers making decisions at times when games have increased possession value. Not saying the college game is going to change drastically this postseason, but I can’t remember a season in recent memory in which numerous teams utilize interior passing offense like the aforementioned.
Michigan State, Indiana, Gonzaga, Syracuse and Georgetown have all trended in that direction. It could be shown that some of those programs have always done this, Michigan and Syracuse in particular. It should be noted, these teams have more skilled big men than the majority of the nation -far easier to conduct such offensive alignments when you have front-court players with such abilities.
Keep an eye on the teams noted throughout the remaining parts of the season. Sure, they might be the best of the bunch; but their success is reliant upon the vision of their coaches and offensive formations as opposed to elite talent levels alone.