Match Ups
Ksu_fan and others did a wonderful job of breaking down the match ups and the individual players for Kentucky, but here are a few of my thoughts. Obviously, having Dean Wade will hopefully provide a huge boost to this team offensively, but in this game, the match ups on the defensive end are just as important. I would guess the K-State coaches prefer to have Sneed on Knox; however, without Wade, Sneed would have to slide down to Washington who does most of his damage on the inside. That puts Diarra on Knox and leaves Stokes on Diallo. Later, I will go through a set that Stokes would have a tough time defending if he is on Diallo. Also, Diallo has great leaping ability and if he committed himself to going to the offensive glass in this one, Stokes would have an extremely difficult time keeping him out. I don't believe this is the route the coaches would, but if Wade is unable to play, they may have to consider starting McGuirl for the simple fact that he matches up physically better with Diallo than Stokes does.
To cut the head off the snake, I believe K-State has to slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), and I agree with jah15 that this could be the most difficult task yet for Barry due to his length. If SGA gets going, his swagger can permeate throughout the rest of the team, and conversely, if Barry is able to frustrate him, that can have a negative impact on his teammates.
Knox is certainly capable of scoring on anyone, but Sneed is physical and athletic enough, as well as having enough length, to bother him. Sneed needs to play his right hand. Coming off a baseline screen on the right side of the floor, Knox loves to sweep through and take one or two dribbles back towards the baseline with his right and shoot a pull up jumper. Knox can go left, but is not as strong with that hand. Against Georgia in the SEC championship game, Knox turned it over on two consecutive possessions going left.
Washington is a guy that K-State defenders must give a little space to when he catches in the mid-post. He has a very quick first step and wants to go to the basket. I would make him prove he can hit the face up jumper before I came all the way out on him.
The five men for Kentucky are not a threat to shoot from the outside, so K-State can play them one of two ways when they catch the ball on the perimeter. They could come out and pressure them on the catch to try to make them uncomfortable and force some turnovers, or they could sag off of them so they are in a better position to help on others.
Offensive Sets for Kentucky
High Ball Screen for SGA
K-State must make Kentucky's defense move to get them out of position. Make them communicate through multiple screens. Most young players struggle after the first or second rotation. K-State needs to use shot and pass fakes to get the defense moving.
From what I have seen, Kentucky plays a more contain style off pick and rolls similar to K-State versus a hard hedge. This year, it has been the hard hedges that have given the KSU guards more trouble.
While K-State cannot get into a track meet with Kentucky, I think they need to look to push the ball to see if they can get some easy baskets before Kentucky's defense gets set. Scoring consistently against a set defense, especially one with Kentucky's length and athleticism, is hard. Look for some early post ups for Mak or Wade before the shot blockers are in position to come from the weak side. Now just because you push the ball up the floor, it doesn't mean you have to take a quick shot. If an easy look is not there, run offense and make Kentucky work on that end of the floor.
One set that KSU could have some success with is the dribble hand off from Wade to Barry, followed by Wade popping towards the corner and Barry receiving a ball screen from Mawien. In this set where the side of the floor Wade is popping to is cleared, it is difficult to get a help defender out to him.
Final Thought
This is a game where K-State cannot rely on the three point shot, but must make some threes. What I mean by that is K-State must limit their possessions where they only make one or two pass, never get inside the three point line, and then jack up a deep three. However, due to Kentucky's length and shot block ability, there will be times Barry and Diarra have to penetrate to kick out to an open teammate. Those are the threes K-State will need to take and make.
Ksu_fan and others did a wonderful job of breaking down the match ups and the individual players for Kentucky, but here are a few of my thoughts. Obviously, having Dean Wade will hopefully provide a huge boost to this team offensively, but in this game, the match ups on the defensive end are just as important. I would guess the K-State coaches prefer to have Sneed on Knox; however, without Wade, Sneed would have to slide down to Washington who does most of his damage on the inside. That puts Diarra on Knox and leaves Stokes on Diallo. Later, I will go through a set that Stokes would have a tough time defending if he is on Diallo. Also, Diallo has great leaping ability and if he committed himself to going to the offensive glass in this one, Stokes would have an extremely difficult time keeping him out. I don't believe this is the route the coaches would, but if Wade is unable to play, they may have to consider starting McGuirl for the simple fact that he matches up physically better with Diallo than Stokes does.
To cut the head off the snake, I believe K-State has to slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), and I agree with jah15 that this could be the most difficult task yet for Barry due to his length. If SGA gets going, his swagger can permeate throughout the rest of the team, and conversely, if Barry is able to frustrate him, that can have a negative impact on his teammates.
Knox is certainly capable of scoring on anyone, but Sneed is physical and athletic enough, as well as having enough length, to bother him. Sneed needs to play his right hand. Coming off a baseline screen on the right side of the floor, Knox loves to sweep through and take one or two dribbles back towards the baseline with his right and shoot a pull up jumper. Knox can go left, but is not as strong with that hand. Against Georgia in the SEC championship game, Knox turned it over on two consecutive possessions going left.
Washington is a guy that K-State defenders must give a little space to when he catches in the mid-post. He has a very quick first step and wants to go to the basket. I would make him prove he can hit the face up jumper before I came all the way out on him.
The five men for Kentucky are not a threat to shoot from the outside, so K-State can play them one of two ways when they catch the ball on the perimeter. They could come out and pressure them on the catch to try to make them uncomfortable and force some turnovers, or they could sag off of them so they are in a better position to help on others.
Offensive Sets for Kentucky
High Ball Screen for SGA
- Kentucky runs a pick and roll with the dribbler going to the side of the floor with one offensive player, leaving two on the opposite side. They will throw some "window dressing" at you prior to getting into the set to get the defense moving. As SGA comes off the ball screen, the four man on the backside will rotate to the top of the key to create more spacing on that side of the floor. The good news is K-State has seen this action before from TCU, so while SGA is obviously better than Alex Robinson, it is a set the Wildcats have experience with.
- There is one slight difference from how TCU runs this set. TCU had their four man in the corner and their two rotate to the top of the key. This meant Wade was the man rotating into the lane to help on the roller. Kentucky puts their guard in the corner and their four (Gabrielle), rotates to the top. This means if K-State keeps their rotations the same, it will be a guard rotating into the lane which makes them more susceptible to the lob than if Wade were helping.
- One thing that could help K-State defend this set is that Kentucky's five man does not consistently roll hard to the basket. Now in a game of this magnitude that may not be the case, but if he doesn't roll quickly, this gives Make more time to help on SGA and still be able to recover to the five.
- SGA dribbles to the left wing and Kentucky clears that side by the guard in that corner cutting across the floor to the right corner. Barry either has to force SGA to the ball screen or the post defender has to sag off the screener and be ready to help when Barry forces him baseline. If Kentucky doesn't get anything off the pick and roll, SGA will reverse the ball through the five man at the top of the key. The five man reverses the ball to the right wing and follows his pass for another pick and roll. On the initial ball screen action, this is a play were I would have Mawien sag off the five at the top of the key and help on the roller.
- Kentucky ran this set over and over again in the second half against Buffalo because they continued to score off it. It's also a set all year I thought would be a possible good fit for Sneed. Again, K-State should be familiar with at least the initial action, as WVU runs the same flex cut.
- SGA passes to Knox on the left wing and gets a back screen from the five or four man. Kentucky will throw the lob if you don't cover it well. Assuming the lob isn't there, SGA cuts back to the left wing and Knox passes to the post at the top of key. On that pass, Diallo makes a flex cut to the right block. The post who set the screen on the left block flashes or ducks in to his defender.
- If nothing is there, the ball is thrown back to Knox on the left wing who looks inside. This is difficult for the post defender as first he has to take away the pass from the top of the key and then has to fight to get around to not get sealed and give up an easy drop step to the goal. After the post passes to Knox, he sets a down screen for Diallo. If you try to fight through the screen he can rise up and shoot the free throw line jumper. If you trail the screen, he can curl it right back to the goal.
- The posts both step out for a potential ball screen for SGA. SGA chooses the side for the ball screen and that post pops while the other rolls. If Gabrielle is in the game, he always pops no matter which direction SGA chooses and the other post rolls.
- Kentucky will look to isolate either Knox or Diallo in the post by SGA dribbling to the side. The wing on that side cuts opposite, and Knox or Diallo cut across the free throw line off screens from the posts at the elbows and curls to the block. This is another set K-State could choose to sag off the five man to help take away the entry pass.
- SGA dribbles to Knox's side who cuts to the block and then back up the floor off of a screen from the post at the elbow. If Knox does not have a shot, he reverses the ball to the other post, and makes a UCLA cut to the basket, again off a screen from the post at the elbow. That post pops high after the screen, receives the pass, and looks for a high/low with Knox. If Knox doesn't have position he will cut back high for a hand off and shot or curl to the basket.
K-State must make Kentucky's defense move to get them out of position. Make them communicate through multiple screens. Most young players struggle after the first or second rotation. K-State needs to use shot and pass fakes to get the defense moving.
From what I have seen, Kentucky plays a more contain style off pick and rolls similar to K-State versus a hard hedge. This year, it has been the hard hedges that have given the KSU guards more trouble.
While K-State cannot get into a track meet with Kentucky, I think they need to look to push the ball to see if they can get some easy baskets before Kentucky's defense gets set. Scoring consistently against a set defense, especially one with Kentucky's length and athleticism, is hard. Look for some early post ups for Mak or Wade before the shot blockers are in position to come from the weak side. Now just because you push the ball up the floor, it doesn't mean you have to take a quick shot. If an easy look is not there, run offense and make Kentucky work on that end of the floor.
One set that KSU could have some success with is the dribble hand off from Wade to Barry, followed by Wade popping towards the corner and Barry receiving a ball screen from Mawien. In this set where the side of the floor Wade is popping to is cleared, it is difficult to get a help defender out to him.
Final Thought
This is a game where K-State cannot rely on the three point shot, but must make some threes. What I mean by that is K-State must limit their possessions where they only make one or two pass, never get inside the three point line, and then jack up a deep three. However, due to Kentucky's length and shot block ability, there will be times Barry and Diarra have to penetrate to kick out to an open teammate. Those are the threes K-State will need to take and make.
