While there were numerous other factors for the loss beyond Zion's foul trouble in the first half, he committed his second foul at a critical stretch. The foul came at the 4:53 mark of the half with Duke up 30-21. On the next three possessions, Duke had empty trips with a White missed 3-pointer, a missed jumper by Cam and an RJ turnover. When Duke went up nine, they needed to step on Mich State's throat and put the game away. A deficit of 13-15 points at the half would have been difficult to overcome.
Then Zion returned to the game and played very tentatively on both ends since he didn't want to commit his third. On several occasions, he moved out of the way when a Spartan player drove down the lane to avoid a foul. On offense, he stopped taking it to the hoop because he didn't want to be called for a charge. Instead, he took a couple dribbles left his feet and made an inexplicable pass for a turnover.
You can't blame the entire loss on Zion, but both fouls in the first half were very costly. He tried to force a jump ball each time when he wasn't going to get a call. You have to be smarter than that in a regional final.
The losses in the Elite Eight to Kansas and Michigan State are excruciating when you consider that Duke had a massive advantage down low in both games. Last year, Kansas put Vick on Bagley for the majority of the second half and we barely fed the post. By the same token, Mich St had no one who could defend Zion on the low block. Bad, bad loss to end the season for the second year in a row.
Then Zion returned to the game and played very tentatively on both ends since he didn't want to commit his third. On several occasions, he moved out of the way when a Spartan player drove down the lane to avoid a foul. On offense, he stopped taking it to the hoop because he didn't want to be called for a charge. Instead, he took a couple dribbles left his feet and made an inexplicable pass for a turnover.
You can't blame the entire loss on Zion, but both fouls in the first half were very costly. He tried to force a jump ball each time when he wasn't going to get a call. You have to be smarter than that in a regional final.
The losses in the Elite Eight to Kansas and Michigan State are excruciating when you consider that Duke had a massive advantage down low in both games. Last year, Kansas put Vick on Bagley for the majority of the second half and we barely fed the post. By the same token, Mich St had no one who could defend Zion on the low block. Bad, bad loss to end the season for the second year in a row.
