Scoring in the Paint Against the Kentucky Wildcats Defense

It was the upset that almost was. The University of Georgia led by 4, 60-56, with 6 minutes left in the game. Their opponent was the undefeated and top ranked team in the country; The Kentucky Wildcats. The Kentucky Wildcats took its’ 29-0 record into Athens, Georgia for a late season conference showdown. A suffocating defense has been Kentucky’s calling card all season, leading the country in many vital defensive categories. They are first in the country in defensive efficiency, holding their opponents to only to a minuscule .825 points-per-possession(PPP). Opponents are shooting a suffocating 35% against them, also good for first in the country.

A vital aspect of any defense in college basketball is how well you protect the rim. Not allowing easy layups, the highest percentage shot in the game, will help any defense improve. You do this by obviously keeping the ball in front of you and by having help defenders who can block shots. While boasting 6 players 6-foot-9 or taller on their roster, the Kentucky Wildcats are second in the country in blocks averaging an absurd 7 a game. Per Synergy Sports, opponents only score at a rate of .872 PPP around the basket and shoot 43%. Shot attempts around the rim only result in free throws 2.4% of the time. Again these numbers may not be eye popping, but the opposing players are Major Division 1 College Basketball players shooting within 5 feet of the basket. It’s incredible.

Georgia shot 47% from the floor against the Kentucky Wildcats and held them to only 4 blocked shots for the entire game. The biggest reason Georgia’s offensive success was they were able to open up the paint an pull Kentucky’s bigs away from the rim through offensive spacing, timely cuts and an astute game plan. The most common way teams lure big men out of the paint to guard on the perimeter is by having the player they are guarding set a ball screen. However, Kentucky’s bigs move their feet so well and are so long that even if you beat them off the dribble they can still challenge at the rim from behind. Some of their bigs like Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns move their feet so well that they will switch onto guards in ball screens.

As you see in the Youtube link Georgia did a great job opening up the rim by putting Kentucky’s bigs in uncomfortable positions. Georgia positioned all 5 players above the free throw line, made their bigs step out, and ran shuffle cuts to the rim. Kentucky’s bigs, or any bigs for that matter, never have to chase through screens like a guard and will almost inevitably take the wrong route. Georgia also screened the bigs on drives and made them guard going down hill with no help at the rim or a guard helping.

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Coach John Zall just completed his first season as an Assistant Coach at Division II Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. This past season Franklin Pierce University won 20 games and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Zall arrived at Franklin Pierce after spending the past 3 seasons as the Associate Head Coach/Head JV Coach at O’Bryant High school in Roxbury, MA. During his tenure at O’Bryant the program improved from 4 wins to 12 wins and qualified for the MIAA State Tournament twice.

Coach Zall also has experience as an AAU Head Coach for the Boston Warriors. As Head Coach for the Warriors his team won the 2011 16U State Title and twice competed in AAU Nationals down in Orlando, FL. On top of being a student at Northeastern University, Zall was named Head Coach of the Men’s Club Basketball team for the 2012-13 season. During his lone season as Head Coach, Northeastern finished second in the Northeast Regional Tournament featuring colleges from throughout the East Coast. Coach Zall has also spent time as a Head Coach in the Bay State Games where his team won the Bronze Medal in 2012 and at various camps including: Five Star, Boston Celtics, NIKE, Franklin Pierce University, Hoop Group and The Elite 75.