Why all the low scores? Jamie Dixon offers his reason

Friday, 11 January 2013 10:07

Written by Ray Fittipaldo

So Georgetown has almost as many games in the 30s and 40s as 50-+ games in the past month. And the Hoyas are not the only teams struggling to score this season. Pitt and many other teams have had their issues scoring at times this season.

What’s up with all the low-scoring games?

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said teams are playing less man-to-man defense and more zone defense, which has limited possessions, and thus, held scoring down. Dixon said it’s a result of the NCAA moving back the 3-point line in 2009.

As more coaches study the effect their philosophies are changing. Dixon said he is seeing more zone this season than last season and he doesn’t think it will change anytime soon.

“It seems like more teams are playing zone,” Dixon said. “That’s a part of it. That uses up time and possessions. I think that’s a big factor. That one is the one that stands out to me. There does seem to be some abnormally low games that have stuck out. I thought that would happen with the zone and the line.”

As theories go, shooting guards have not been adversely affected by the line going back from 19 feet 19 inches to 20 feet 9 inches, but many guard/forward types have been shying away from the shot or have been less successful.

Since the new rule went into effect, Dixon has watched more coaches utilize zone defenses.

“More teams this year and last year playing zone,” Dixon said. “I thought that was the logical effect of putting the line back farther. If that’s what the rules makers wanted that’s what they’re going to get. Zones just take more time to dissect, to penetrate, to get good shots. It’s going to use up more clock. It’s going to have an effect on scoring.”

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