Possible Match Ups
Creighton Defensively:
Double Screens for Thomas and Foster
Not only is Creighton the type of team that will take and can make a lot of threes, but they also have a couple of guys who can make guarded threes. There may be possessions where K-State plays good defense, and Creighton make a tough, guarded shot. The Wildcats cannot get frustrated if that happens and must continue to believe their good defense will get stops.
If the game is close late, I would expect to see high screen and roll for either Foster or Thomas. This isn't anything K-State hasn't seen throughout the year, but both are very good players.
Since Creighton doesn't have a good match up for Wade, could K-State see some zone? While Creighton is not a zone team, the Wildcats must be prepared for anything. I'm not saying they should spend several hours preparing it, but it should at least be addressed so guys know how to attack it.
Creighton Defensively:
- Creighton starts the 6'10 Hegner (#32) at the five and surrounds him with four guards: Mintz, 6'3" (#1), Foster, 6'3" (#0), Ballock, 6'5" (#24), and Thomas, 6'3" (#2). Thomas is the Bluejays best perimeter defender; therefore, the first natural thought would be that Creighton would put him on Barry Brown. However, that would leave the 6'5" freshman Ballock on Wade, and I have to believe that is a match up the Wildcats would love to see. As a 6'5" player in 4A Kansas high school, there were probably times Ballock was asked to guard a post, but probably none the caliber of Dean Wade.
- I believe the match up that K-State may see is Thomas on Wade, and either Mintz or Foster on Barry. Thomas is only 6'3", but has a long wingspan and is a tough, hard nosed defender. If this is the case, I would expect Thomas to use his quickness to front Wade in the post. When K-State sees this, they must work to get more players on the strong side of the floor to remove the weak side help.
- Mawien or Stockard cannot hang out along the baseline on the back side, allowing the five man for Creighton to camp out in the lane to take away the entry pass over the top to Wade. Instead, they must flash to the free throw line area. If they could knock down a couple of mid range jumpers that would force the five man for the Bluejays to come out and guard them, which would open up the high/low pass. Additionally, Wade must work to walk Thomas up the floor to create more space for the pass to be thrown over the top.
- I would expect to see Barry on Foster and Sneed on Thomas. That would leave Wade on Ballock. While not the best match up for Wade, he is much more capable of guarding a perimeter player now than he was as a freshman. Wade is one of K-State's best help defenders and alters many shots in the lane and playing a perimeter player takes some of that ability away.
- First and foremost, K-State must get back in transition and locate shooters. All of Creighton's guards will sprint to the three point line and spot up. You would love to be able to take advantage of Creighton on the offensive glass, but doing so puts you at risk for giving up an open shot on the other end.
- K-State cannot gamble on the perimeter and go for steals. If you go for a steal and do not get it, that forces a second defender to come help. Creighton is good enough at moving the basketball that they will eventually find the open man.
- Creighton runs more free flowing offense than sets, but a few general principals you will see include the following:
- Players off the ball, if they are not open for ball reversal, will basket cut or screen away for a teammate.
- If the dribbler cannot get downhill going to the basket, he will dribble at a teammate who will go backdoor if being overplayed or cut off the dribbler for a hand off.
- When the five man sets an off the ball screen, if the guard curls around the screen, the post will usually pop.
- As you can see, each scenario can involve a Creighton player cutting to the basket, so K-State cannot over play on the perimeter.
- When Hegner is in the game at the five spot, K-State is likely to see more five out looks with Hegner setting off the ball screens and slipping to the basket or popping after setting ball screens. They really spread the floor creating driving and cutting lanes for their guards. Just like against KU, K-State must do a great job of keeping the ball in front of them and not over helping.
- When Epperson (#41) is in the game at the five spot, look for more four out, one in looks with traditional screen and rolls.
Double Screens for Thomas and Foster
- The play starts with Foster cutting to the wing and Thomas cutting to the corner on the same side of the floor. The point guard passes the ball to Foster and screens away for Ballock. The ball is reversed through Ballock at the top of the key to the point guard on the opposite wing. On the ball reversal, the five man slides up the floor to the elbow on Foster's side of the floor, and Foster makes a waterfall cut to the basket off of his screen. Immediately following that cut, the five man and Ballock set a double staggered screen for Thomas cutting from the corner to the top of the key, and then the same two set a double staggered screen for Foster cutting from the block to the wing.
- Ballock and the five man start high and Foster and Thomas on the block. Both set down screens for Thomas and Foster, who cut to the wing, and pop back up to the elbow. The point guard passes to Foster on the wing and makes a UCLA cut to the basket off of a screen from Ballock. Both Ballock and the five man cut out above the three point line and the ball is reversed through both of them. As the ball is being reversed the point guard continues his cut to the other side of the floor, receives a down screen from Thomas on the block, and cuts out to the wing and off of the five man for a hand off. The five man fakes the hand off and immediately turns and looks for Thomas posted on the block.
- Creighton also likes to run a pick and pop with the dribbler going towards the side of the floor with 2 guards and the five man popping to the side with one guard. After the five man receives the pass on the pop, he will dribble at the guard who will go backdoor if being overplayed or cut off the five man for a hand off. After the hand off, the five man rolls to the basket.
- The play starts with three players on one side of the floor, including Foster who is in the corner. The point guard will dribble away from that side of the floor. As that is happening, the guard on the single side cuts opposite and Foster will get a staggered double screen. He can cut off the screens for a three or curl around the screens to the block, and they look to enter the ball to him there.
Not only is Creighton the type of team that will take and can make a lot of threes, but they also have a couple of guys who can make guarded threes. There may be possessions where K-State plays good defense, and Creighton make a tough, guarded shot. The Wildcats cannot get frustrated if that happens and must continue to believe their good defense will get stops.
If the game is close late, I would expect to see high screen and roll for either Foster or Thomas. This isn't anything K-State hasn't seen throughout the year, but both are very good players.
Since Creighton doesn't have a good match up for Wade, could K-State see some zone? While Creighton is not a zone team, the Wildcats must be prepared for anything. I'm not saying they should spend several hours preparing it, but it should at least be addressed so guys know how to attack it.
