Just how many D-I teams play zone, anyway?

Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:19 PM
Filed Under: Links roundups

Ever wondered what percentage of college basketball teams run the Princeton offense? Or play zone defense? What about featuring international players? Or, if you’re a top recruit, who wears Nike?

Good news, because SI.com has answers.

The Hoops Ideology Report, a sampling of 301 of the 341 D-I schools, has 50 items relating to hoops. And it’s great stuff.

Some samples:

• Nearly 60 percent of teams plan to start 3 guards this season. Four-guard lineups are still rare, though. Just five schools will use those.
• Only 30 teams listed their primary defense as zone. Even Syracuse said it was “man and 2-3 zone.”
• UMass and Georgia State have the most transfers with six. Davidson and Hawaii have the most international players with six.
• Nike outfits 72 percent of the schools. Adidas 26 percent. Reebok just 2 schools, BC and La Salle. Ouch.
• And, in these cash-strapped times, no Pac-10 school is among the top 20 in spending. Kentucky and Florida spend the most.

Check it out, if you haven’t already. On to more links.

• It’s official: Tyler Hansbrough won’t play in North Carolina’s opener. But is that a reason why the Tar Heels won’t win it all?
• More opener injuries: Pitt’s Levance Fields isn’t likely to start. And is that why Doug Gottlieb kept the Panthers out of his top 25? He certainly took some grief for it.
• In off-court news (or court-related, depending on your point of view), Kansas coach Bill Self breathed a sigh of relief when a civil lawsuit against Sherron Collins was dropped. But this Binghamton player was apparently getting ready for a BIG weekend.
• At least one member of the Knight family is warming to Indiana again.
• A rundown of the all-time “Best in the West” from Frank Burlison. Paul Pierce? Jason Kidd? Hell yes. But isn’t it a little early for Kevin Love?
• Also, not feeling the term “Kevin-ize.” Get with it, Ernie Kent.
• Lastly, is this cat cool or a little creepy?

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