Last week Oklahoma State followed up a great road with at Kansas with a poor performance at home against Baylor. K-State fans could hope for the same this week as the Pokes are coming off another good road performance at West Virginia. However, considering how Coach Boynton called his team out and apologized to his fan base following their game in Manhattan, one would have to assume OSU will be ready to go Wednesday night.
OSU Offense
In the first scout, I described the basic concepts of the pinch post or pin wheel motion offense that the Cowboys continue to run even though Underwood is no longer there. This is the offense Brad installed at KSU during Pullen's senior year which played a role in turning that season around.
Here's a look at a couple of other sets the Cowboys run:
Oklahoma State plays a ball denial defense in which their defenders are on the line, up the line. What does that mean? If you draw an imaginary line between the ball and the man you are guarding you position yourself on that line and up that line between the ball and your man. The further your man is away from the ball, the further away you should be from your man.
The KSU wings will have to be ready to go back door or go screen if they are not open for ball reversal. Too many times against Tech, the guards tried to post up a Tech defender 25 feet from the basket to make themselves available for a ball reversal. Just like Tech did, this will only allow OSU to push the KSU offense further away from the basket.
On the back door pass, Oklahoma State does a decent job with their first rotation from the back side. The KSU player cutting needs to be cognizant of that to avoid a charge and make a kick out pass to the opposite side if necessary.
The Cowboys will also play a 3-2 zone that they will extend to half court at times. Against WVU, they went zone with a minute to go following a timeout.
Final Thoughts
The Cowboys have multiple players who can jump up and knock down shots even when they are well guarded. McGriff and Smith, a transfer from Cal State Northridge, have played much better as of late which has made them a more dangerous team. Smith scored 24 at KU and 20 at WVU to go along with McGriff's 20 in both games. Shine was hurt and didn't play in the first meeting and saw his first action Saturday at WVU. He struggled in that game and was only 1-6 from the field. He is a capable shooter and could be a wildcard for Wednesday's game.
I have said it multiple times but no one on the coaching staff seems to be listening to me! I would like to see K-State set more ball screens for Dean Wade at the elbow. They have done it a few times throughout the year and have had success when they do it. It is a tough spot on the floor to provide help to without leaving an open shooter in the corner and a post to post ball screen is not something most teams are used to seeing.
OSU Offense
In the first scout, I described the basic concepts of the pinch post or pin wheel motion offense that the Cowboys continue to run even though Underwood is no longer there. This is the offense Brad installed at KSU during Pullen's senior year which played a role in turning that season around.
Here's a look at a couple of other sets the Cowboys run:
- Like the pinch post offense, this set runs through the 4 or 5 man at the elbow area. OSU can get into the set in multiple ways including a ball screen followed by a dribble hand off on the wing.
- After the initial action to set the play up, the wing passes the ball to the post at the elbow and cuts to the basket off of the post man for a potential hand off.
- Once the wing clears, the player at the top of the key cuts off the post on the sideline side. If he does not get a hand off, he sets a screen for the man in the corner who cuts off the post for a hand off and looks for a shot or drive to the basket.
- After the hand off, the post who had the ball at the elbow and the person who set the screen in the corner set a double staggered screen for the first cutter who had stationed himself at the block following his cut to the basket.
- The second set is a fairly common look where the 4 and 5 man set up near the top of the key. The point guard picks a side and receives a ball screen from the post on that side. The post who set the ball screen rolls to the basket and the opposite post pops to the top of they key. If the point guard can't get anything off the initial ball screen he swings the ball back to post at the top of the key, and they look for a high/low.
- In the first game, Sima and Solomon both started. Recently, the Cowboys have been starting McGriff at the 4. He had 20 in the games at KU and WVU and can be a monster on the boards as he is very athletic.
- OSU is not afraid to post their guards (Smith, Carroll, Waters) against smaller defenders. If Stokes plays extended minutes this could be something OSU looks for.
- K-State's transition defense must be better than it was in the first game. OSU will push the ball off both makes and misses, and their shooters will run to the 3 point line to spot up.
Oklahoma State plays a ball denial defense in which their defenders are on the line, up the line. What does that mean? If you draw an imaginary line between the ball and the man you are guarding you position yourself on that line and up that line between the ball and your man. The further your man is away from the ball, the further away you should be from your man.
The KSU wings will have to be ready to go back door or go screen if they are not open for ball reversal. Too many times against Tech, the guards tried to post up a Tech defender 25 feet from the basket to make themselves available for a ball reversal. Just like Tech did, this will only allow OSU to push the KSU offense further away from the basket.
On the back door pass, Oklahoma State does a decent job with their first rotation from the back side. The KSU player cutting needs to be cognizant of that to avoid a charge and make a kick out pass to the opposite side if necessary.
The Cowboys will also play a 3-2 zone that they will extend to half court at times. Against WVU, they went zone with a minute to go following a timeout.
Final Thoughts
The Cowboys have multiple players who can jump up and knock down shots even when they are well guarded. McGriff and Smith, a transfer from Cal State Northridge, have played much better as of late which has made them a more dangerous team. Smith scored 24 at KU and 20 at WVU to go along with McGriff's 20 in both games. Shine was hurt and didn't play in the first meeting and saw his first action Saturday at WVU. He struggled in that game and was only 1-6 from the field. He is a capable shooter and could be a wildcard for Wednesday's game.
I have said it multiple times but no one on the coaching staff seems to be listening to me! I would like to see K-State set more ball screens for Dean Wade at the elbow. They have done it a few times throughout the year and have had success when they do it. It is a tough spot on the floor to provide help to without leaving an open shooter in the corner and a post to post ball screen is not something most teams are used to seeing.
