TRI-PARTISAN: NC State Better Be Ready For Duke's Zone

Here is today's Tri-Partisan feature where I look at how NC State can end all NCAA Tournament doubt this afternoon against Duke and will probably need to be efficient against the zone to do so.

WRALSportsFan.com: NC State Better Be Ready For Duke's Zone

NC State took care of business on Wednesday afternoon against Pittsburgh, and that is what State was expected to do. The Pack played confident, aggressive, and relatively mistake-free while shredding Pitt's zone defense in the second half.

Which is good news, because the expectation is State will face a lot of zone this afternoon from Duke.

The Blue Devils struggled defending NC State in the Wolfpack's blowout win in Raleigh, and early in Cameron it was much of the same as Markell Johnson and Devon Daniels lived in the paint with aggressive drives off high ball-screens. Duke had no other choice but to play zone, a scheme they've employed just 3.6% of the time this season, per Synergy Sports.

Did it shut down NC State's offense? No, in fact the Pack still had plenty of good looks, but when you're an inconsistent shooting team, knocking down good looks isn't always easy. NC State wasn't as aggressive off the dribble and couldn't hit shots, leading to a double-digit loss.

Clearly, State attacked Pittsburgh's zone much differently. In the second half, the Pack attempted 31 shots but just six 3-pointers as the guards attacked the gaps of the zone, moved the basketball through the short corner/high post, and played around the rim. Doing so took pressure off the offense in terms of "hitting shots" and led to high-percentage opportunities in the paint. Click the link to read the rest of the story: LINK