Sports Illustrated asked four assistant coaches who prepared game plans against the Final Four teams to offer their insights. They were guaranteed anonymity in return for their candor.
Wade John Biever
HOW TO BEAT
MARQUETTE
"You've got to contain whoever has the ball, usually [point guard] Travis Diener, and you've got to stop him with one guy, because they have so many people who can spot up and shoot if you double. Then you've got to match up on [guard] Dwyane Wade, and that's a tough deal. You can't send a second guy at him for the same reason you can't send a second guy at Diener: too many shooters. They don't have a lot of depth inside, but [forward] Robert Jackson is a tough guy. On offense he sits down on the baseline, which is unusual, but he did it all season. This creates a lot of extra space in the lane, so he waits for Wade or Diener to find him.
"Defensively, they are a little weak, and the guy you want to go after is [forward Steve] Novak. Against Kentucky, Marquette could keep him in the game on Keith Bogans, because Bogans had no mobility with the ankle injury. If you had a quick guy who could put it on the deck, you could give Novak trouble. The best thing you can do on offense is control the tempo, because that way you control their transition game. You need to do that, because they're very good in transition."
Collison John W. McDonough
HOW TO BEAT
KANSAS
"You have to get back in transition, especially after you score, because [forward] Nick Collison will take the ball out of the net and go. They don't tolerate the ball hitting the floor, but you can slow them down if you find [point guard] Aaron Miles and make him go back to get the outlet pass instead of cutting upcourt for it. Collison is as clever a post guy as I've ever seen. He's what I call a 'slice' post player, always trying to get angles and seal you. If you have to choose, let [guard] Kirk Hinrich beat you, not Collison. Hinrich is their only solid three-point shooter, so you can't give him open looks. But Hinrich and Miles also love to get into the lane, draw help and kick it out.
"People say they have depth issues, but I don't see it as a severe problem as long as [forward] Jeff Graves and Collison stay out of foul trouble. Their bench guys, [guard] Michael Lee and [forward] Bryant Nash, have had a pretty good tournament, and this time of year everyone only plays seven or eight guys anyway. Graves had the game of his life against Arizona [13 points and 15 rebounds], and if he continues playing like that, they won't get beat."
Ford Bob Rosato
HOW TO BEAT
TEXAS
"There are five keys to beating them: transition defense, defending their ball screens, containing the penetration of their guards, controlling the defensive glass and attacking on offense. Over the last three weeks they haven't been as sharp, especially on the defensive end. [Point guard] T.J. Ford has a strong tendency to go right in transition, so you want to make him try to go left. They're a great offensive rebounding team, but they're even better when they're in transition.
"They set more ball screens than any other team in the country, both in set plays and at random. They don't shoot it behind the ball screen very often, except for [guard] Brandon Mouton. Ford is not a great jump shooter or pull-up shooter, but he finishes very well around the rim and he's great at drawing fouls inside. His penetration not only leads to open shots for their wing players, but it also creates a lot of offensive rebounding opportunities.
"[Forward] Brian Boddicker is their only inside player who is a three-point threat. [Forward] Brad Buckman likes to post up off his left shoulder. [Center] James Thomas is a warrior on the offensive glass. When he's looking to score, he likes to go to the middle. [Guard] Sydmill Harris is their three-point specialist; 80 percent of his shots are for threes."
Anthony Damian Strohmeyer
HOW TO BEAT
SYRACUSE
"You have to find a way to get easy baskets, because they are going to get theirs off putbacks and in transition. Their 2-3 zone can really cause problems, and their length allows them to get their hands on a lot of your three-point shots. You can hurt their zone out around the foul line if you have a player who can either make that shot or attack the middle and make plays. Playmakers who can get into the middle can hurt them, because sometimes [centers] Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil get lazy.
"They turn the ball over a lot, so you could try to press them, but all their guards can handle the ball, and with their height they can pass over a press. [Forward] Carmelo Anthony can score as soon as he walks into the arena. He isn't great at anything, but he's good at everything: threes, pull-up jumpers, post-ups; and he's especially tough on the offensive glass. Sometimes the other guys stand around and wait for him to do something. With the exception of [guard] Gerry McNamara, they might be a little vulnerable if a team forces them to shoot from the outside."
