INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Syracuse remains one of the few teams in college basketball that primarily plays a zone defense. The Orange’s run through the NCAA Tournament is proof it still works. Other Sweet 16 programs that once relied on the zone, such as Baylor and Southern California, have shifted away from it in recent years. The reason has a lot to do with personnel, game plans and the way the game is played itself. The 3-point shot has changed the effectiveness of zone defenses.
