Film Session: Attacking, exploiting Michigan’s D

  • Jan 10, 2012
 

In Indiana’s win against Michigan, Cody Zeller and Christian Watford combined for 43 of the team’s 73 points.

A look at four plays involving both players in the latest edition of Film Session:

NO. 1) WATFORD DRIVE AND DISH TO ZELLER:

Jordan Hulls brings the ball up the court and passes it to Watford on the left wing:

Hulls gets a bit of a body into Stu Douglass, which allows Watford some space to attack the paint:

Watford takes it into the lane:

Jordan Morgan comes up to stop the ball:

Which leaves Zeller open under the hoop:

He scores and draws a foul, converting the and-1 at the line:

As Dan Dakich said on the call, Watford had just hit a three on a previous possession and had another opportunity for one here. (And probably a pull-up in the lane as well.) But by staying patient and attracting another defender, it gave Indiana a higher-percentage look at the rim. When Zeller is open at the hoop, it goes in at a high clip — often even when he gets fouled in the process as shown here.

VIDEO:

NO. 2) WATFORD TO ZELLER, TAKE TWO

Zeller sets a high ball screen for Hulls:

Hulls comes around to the right wing as Morgan follows:

Morgan recovers back to Zeller as Watford gets the ball on the right block:

Watford makes a curl move around Evan Smotrycz baseline side:

Like play No. 1, Morgan leaves Zeller to get a body between Watford and the hoop. With Douglass stuck behind Zeller, Watford dishes to him:

And he converts for two:

Again, it’s as simple as Watford making a move and attracting another defender. From there, he finds the open man (Zeller) near the hoop for an easy deuce.

VIDEO:

No. 3) SIDE BALL SCREEN

Zeller sets a side ball screen for Verdell Jones:

Morgan — a frequent target of the Hoosiers as we’re seeing yet again — hedges over with Jones, leaving Zeller’s roll to the rim open:

And it’s a dunk for The Handsome One:

Textbook pick-and-roll action here.

VIDEO:

NO. 4) CAUGHT NAPPING

Hulls brings the ball up the court as Novak points over to the wing for someone to pick up Victor Oladipo and perhaps Watford:

As Derek Elston sets a pick for Hulls, Watford is wide open on the wing as Smotrycz and Novak both appear to think they’re marking Elston:

Watford gets the ball with plenty of space:

Steps into the three and connects:

Nothing overly complicated here. But with Michigan falling asleep on D, it allowed a good 3-pointer shooter on a hot shooting night to get an open look.

VIDEO:

Category: Film Session

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