Obviously, any time you play a Bob Huggins team the two biggest keys are going to be rebounding and turnovers. K-State is going to get beat on the glass. They just can't get dominated. With turnovers, the open court variety and those on our end of the court have to be limited as those lead to transition layups and wide open 3s.
West Virginia will throw some different looks at you with their press. They will put a defender on the inbounder at times and other times he will play center field at the free throw line area. When they have a defender on the inbounder, there will be some opportunities to throw the ball in over the heads of the WVU guards. If their guards are face guarding Barry and Kam, they don't always have to try to fight around. Walk them down towards the baseline and then break towards our basket and throw it in over the top. If you are concerned with the defender at halfcourt stepping up and intercepting that pass, then have the offensive player at halfcourt break up the sideline to either bring his defender with him or leave him open for an outlet to throw the ball in to.
When WVU is playing the center fielder and not guarding the inbounder, I would try to in bound the ball to the guy at halfcourt breaking up the sideline. When the KSU guards break out, if the defender playing center field goes with them to double team them, then the KSU player at half court must break to the open area in the center of the floor.
In any case against the press, the deeper you can inbound the ball, the less opportunities there are for a trap. Dean Wade will be a key against the press. And X and Wainright will also have to handle it. When Diarra is in the game, I would be a little nervous to have him be the primary ball handler with it being his first time seeing pressure like that.
There are 2 schools of thought when playing against a press. Some coaches like to always have the same guy throw the ball in because obviously it is a guy they trust to make a good pass and then handle the ball if it gets reversed back to him after it has been thrown in. The downside to this it slows down the process of getting the ball in as the player designated to throw the ball in may be at the 3 point line when the ball comes through the net which allows the defense to get their press set up. With this team, I would prefer anyone but one of the 5 men to throw the ball in to hopefully get it in as quickly as possible and not allow WVU to get their press set up.
Offensively, WVU will run some ball screen action just like every other team out there, but they have a few different other sets/offenses they like to run. One of those is a 5 out motion, where they are simply passing and cutting and looking to dribble drive. When the point passes to the wing, he will cut to the basket and the opposite wing will replace him at the top of the floor. If at any point they can't get the ball reverse, the man not open will basket cut and be replaced. When they go to this, K-State cannot overplay the passing lanes on the perimeter. A point to wing or wing to point pass does not hurt you. However, if you overplay and they go backdoor, that will either lead to a layup or an open 3 if the help defender rotates over. Another key is to always jump the direction of the pass so you are between your man and the ball. Otherwise, the offensive player will cross your face when he cuts to the basket and be open.
Another set WVU likes to run is a flex cut. They really liked to run this to Ahmad and it's not quite the same play without him; however, they can still hurt you with it. Huggins ran this some with Bill Walker at KSU before he got hurt. The play starts with the PG on the wing and a simple down screen/exchange on the backside so they can get the ball to the free throw line area. The first key is to force that pass to take place as far out on the floor as possible to make the next pass a more difficult pass. From there, the player in the corner, simply runs a flex cut off of the post on the block. The 5 man then looks to seal in the lane. The KSU defender guarding the player in the corner has to recognize quickly what they are running and jump into help position above WVU's post player. This will allow him to beat his man to the spot on the flex cut. Staying above the post also helps him not to get screened if they fake the flex cut and then flare back to the corner, which they like to do if you are cheating on the flex cut. If KSU's post defender has to help on the flex cut, WVU will enter the ball to the 5 man. If you had to choose you would rather them have to throw it to the 5 man instead of the flex cutter. WVU's posts this year aren't as skilled as guys like Williams and Macon were.
Another set Huggins has run in the past (he ran it some his one year at KSU with Cartier, Hoskins, and Walker) is a 3 man triangle. I'm not sure if we will see any of that with Ahmad out of the lineup. This is simply 2 guards on both wings and players on both blocks and the free throw line. The three players simply screen for each other. As the ball is reversed from the man at the free throw line to the wing, the post screens away and the player at the free throw line sreens down to screen the screener. Against this, I would simple switch all screens, which essentially means you are running a match up zone.
A few notes on individual players:
West Virginia will throw some different looks at you with their press. They will put a defender on the inbounder at times and other times he will play center field at the free throw line area. When they have a defender on the inbounder, there will be some opportunities to throw the ball in over the heads of the WVU guards. If their guards are face guarding Barry and Kam, they don't always have to try to fight around. Walk them down towards the baseline and then break towards our basket and throw it in over the top. If you are concerned with the defender at halfcourt stepping up and intercepting that pass, then have the offensive player at halfcourt break up the sideline to either bring his defender with him or leave him open for an outlet to throw the ball in to.
When WVU is playing the center fielder and not guarding the inbounder, I would try to in bound the ball to the guy at halfcourt breaking up the sideline. When the KSU guards break out, if the defender playing center field goes with them to double team them, then the KSU player at half court must break to the open area in the center of the floor.
In any case against the press, the deeper you can inbound the ball, the less opportunities there are for a trap. Dean Wade will be a key against the press. And X and Wainright will also have to handle it. When Diarra is in the game, I would be a little nervous to have him be the primary ball handler with it being his first time seeing pressure like that.
There are 2 schools of thought when playing against a press. Some coaches like to always have the same guy throw the ball in because obviously it is a guy they trust to make a good pass and then handle the ball if it gets reversed back to him after it has been thrown in. The downside to this it slows down the process of getting the ball in as the player designated to throw the ball in may be at the 3 point line when the ball comes through the net which allows the defense to get their press set up. With this team, I would prefer anyone but one of the 5 men to throw the ball in to hopefully get it in as quickly as possible and not allow WVU to get their press set up.
Offensively, WVU will run some ball screen action just like every other team out there, but they have a few different other sets/offenses they like to run. One of those is a 5 out motion, where they are simply passing and cutting and looking to dribble drive. When the point passes to the wing, he will cut to the basket and the opposite wing will replace him at the top of the floor. If at any point they can't get the ball reverse, the man not open will basket cut and be replaced. When they go to this, K-State cannot overplay the passing lanes on the perimeter. A point to wing or wing to point pass does not hurt you. However, if you overplay and they go backdoor, that will either lead to a layup or an open 3 if the help defender rotates over. Another key is to always jump the direction of the pass so you are between your man and the ball. Otherwise, the offensive player will cross your face when he cuts to the basket and be open.
Another set WVU likes to run is a flex cut. They really liked to run this to Ahmad and it's not quite the same play without him; however, they can still hurt you with it. Huggins ran this some with Bill Walker at KSU before he got hurt. The play starts with the PG on the wing and a simple down screen/exchange on the backside so they can get the ball to the free throw line area. The first key is to force that pass to take place as far out on the floor as possible to make the next pass a more difficult pass. From there, the player in the corner, simply runs a flex cut off of the post on the block. The 5 man then looks to seal in the lane. The KSU defender guarding the player in the corner has to recognize quickly what they are running and jump into help position above WVU's post player. This will allow him to beat his man to the spot on the flex cut. Staying above the post also helps him not to get screened if they fake the flex cut and then flare back to the corner, which they like to do if you are cheating on the flex cut. If KSU's post defender has to help on the flex cut, WVU will enter the ball to the 5 man. If you had to choose you would rather them have to throw it to the 5 man instead of the flex cutter. WVU's posts this year aren't as skilled as guys like Williams and Macon were.
Another set Huggins has run in the past (he ran it some his one year at KSU with Cartier, Hoskins, and Walker) is a 3 man triangle. I'm not sure if we will see any of that with Ahmad out of the lineup. This is simply 2 guards on both wings and players on both blocks and the free throw line. The three players simply screen for each other. As the ball is reversed from the man at the free throw line to the wing, the post screens away and the player at the free throw line sreens down to screen the screener. Against this, I would simple switch all screens, which essentially means you are running a match up zone.
A few notes on individual players:
- When Bolden (#3) comes into the game, he is looking to do one thing...score. He can shoot it and put it on the floor. He is left handed.
- If the Cats have to foul late, Miles (#4) is a guy you want to foul. I would be surprised if he would be in the game in that situation unless there is foul trouble.
- You have to make Harris (#15) and Harris (#21) put it on the floor. Both are capable, but you would rather have that than shooting spot up jumpers. Harris is another lefty and you want to force Harris left.
- You have to make both of WVU's 5 men, Konate (#50) and Bender (#25) score with their left hand, especially Bender. You can't let them catch turn over their left should and flip it in with their right. Konate is more athletic and skilled than Bender.
