7 Ways To Beat Kentucky

ByJORDAN BRENNER
March 18, 2015, 12:51 PM

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THE WILDCATS ARE are not invincible. After all, they were tied after 40 minutes against Ole Miss and Texas A&M, had to survive a last-second 3-point attempt to beat LSU and trailed Georgia with four minutes left. So how do you convert their weaknesses into a W? We turned to seven NBA scouts and execs who've analyzed UK extensively for a topple-worthy tourney plan. We're not saying it'll be easy; we're just saying it can be done.

1 Pack the Paint on D
Kentucky's D is special. Its offense? Merely very good. Yes, the Wildcats rank eighth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, at 119.7 points per 100 possessions. But, says one scout, "they've thrown up some stinkers on the offensive end." To create those stinkers, some pros advocate going to a zone against Kentucky, which might be more effective in disrupting UK's rhythm but also makes rebounding more difficult. (The Wildcats grab offensive rebounds on 40.4 percent of their misses.) "Sometimes I think their best offense is getting a shot up and just letting their size and athletes go get it," one scout says. That's why others prefer a pack-line style of man-to-man D, which makes it easier to box out after a missed shot. A contain-and-contest scheme also helps opponents find wings Devin Booker and Aaron Harrison -- the Wildcats' two main deep threats-and run them off the 3-point line.

Good News For:
Virginia,
which has perfected pack-line D, so it wouldn't have to change its approach at all.
Arizona, which plays a similar man-to-man system and has the size to compete on the boards.
Utah. Its disciplined athletes have what it takes to make the Cats work for points.