Assuming we run a straight man like we have most of the year, who do you think is tasked with guarding Cade?
Muss has said Tate will pretty much guard the opponent’s best player, but is that the best case here? I think we’ll see multiple guys on Cade throughout the night, but a lot of it depends on if OSU runs their three-guard and/or four-guard lineup.
In the three-guard set it almost had to be Moody or Tate, but if Smith is 100% I’d like to see him on Cade in the four-guard with Jaylin in the post to utilize a potential size advantage.
The real question is how to play the help side on Cade. Do you sell out on help and make other players beat you, or do you run a standard help scheme and trust the on-ball defender to keep Cade from getting downhill? Over or under on screens? I’d assume over since he’s shooting 39% from three, but he’s a threat to drive obviously too. Maybe go matchup zone? Run the risk of getting in an unfavorable matchup there. Same with a switch. Those will give the defense better angles to cut off drives and a head start on defending, but could also lead to Notae or Sills guarding 6’8” Cade.
I’m not concerned about Musselman getting the best defensive gameplan possible to slow down Cade. Execution is another thing. Muss’s Xs and Os knowledge are so far and above any of our recent previous coaches. And this whole post is a very watered down version of anything he might run, but just curious what some of y’all’s thoughts are. As a basketball junky I love game planning matchups haha.
Muss has said Tate will pretty much guard the opponent’s best player, but is that the best case here? I think we’ll see multiple guys on Cade throughout the night, but a lot of it depends on if OSU runs their three-guard and/or four-guard lineup.
In the three-guard set it almost had to be Moody or Tate, but if Smith is 100% I’d like to see him on Cade in the four-guard with Jaylin in the post to utilize a potential size advantage.
The real question is how to play the help side on Cade. Do you sell out on help and make other players beat you, or do you run a standard help scheme and trust the on-ball defender to keep Cade from getting downhill? Over or under on screens? I’d assume over since he’s shooting 39% from three, but he’s a threat to drive obviously too. Maybe go matchup zone? Run the risk of getting in an unfavorable matchup there. Same with a switch. Those will give the defense better angles to cut off drives and a head start on defending, but could also lead to Notae or Sills guarding 6’8” Cade.
I’m not concerned about Musselman getting the best defensive gameplan possible to slow down Cade. Execution is another thing. Muss’s Xs and Os knowledge are so far and above any of our recent previous coaches. And this whole post is a very watered down version of anything he might run, but just curious what some of y’all’s thoughts are. As a basketball junky I love game planning matchups haha.
