zone defense

noun

Sports.

1. a method of defense, especially in basketball and football, in which each member of the defensive team guards a specified portion of the playing area.

Word History and Origins

Origin of zone defense¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Wolfson, who has used a matchup zone defense at times during his coaching days, is teasing how it might make a return with Millogo in the middle.

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Instead, Jesuit, supported by a loud contingent of students from its nearby campus, made eight threes and used its matchup zone defense to leave the Chancellors unable to respond in the fourth quarter after being down 43-40.

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There were fewer missed tackles — from 11 on average per game to eight — while USC improved leaps and bounds on third down and in its red zone defense.

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Passes crisply dissected the Heat’s zone defense, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent doing damage in the gaps their ball movement created.

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The team had mostly played well against the Magic, minus a clunky third quarter when a 10-point lead vanished as Orlando’s zone defense stalled the Lakers.

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