Kentucky looking to counter defensive struggles with better offense

Kentucky’s offensive production has never been in question. The Wildcats have spent the majority of the season in the top 15 of college basketball’s best scoring teams, with the team currently sitting at No. 10 overall averaging 80.4 points per contest. Going into the final game of the regular season, KenPom has Kentucky ranked No. 2 overall in adjusted offensive efficiency, behind only Purdue.

All five starters average double digits in scoring, with Oscar Tshiebwe leading the way at 16.9 points per game. Davion Mintz (8.7 PPG) and Jacob Toppin (6.3 PPG) aren’t far behind. As a team, the Wildcats have scored at least 80 points in 17 games, 90 points in seven games, and 100 points twice.

The issue, though, has been team defense. It’s never been a game-changing issue — UK’s losses have typically come as a result of long scoring droughts, often due to injury — but defensive lapses have emerged as a pattern, usually in late-game situations. Blowout wins have been reduced to comfortable and even close wins on several occasions.

It’s been reflected in the advanced numbers, as well, with Kentucky slipping down to No. 25 in KenPom’s latest adjusted defensive efficiency ratings. Still solid — very good, even — but not elite.

It’s an issue that is being addressed in practice, says Kentucky head coach John Calipari.

“People are breaking us down a little bit on the bounce and we’re not covering it as well,” Calipari said Friday. “It’s at a couple of positions. The great thing about this game is if you have a weakness out there, the other team is going to exploit it. So we’re working on individuals and we’re working on some team stuff.”

It should also be made clear, Calipari says, that the Southeastern Conference is very good. The SEC’s middle-of-the-pack schools have proven to be better than other conference’s good schools, leading to uncharacteristically poor defensive play at times. It’s why Kentucky will be so well-prepared when postseason play begins.

“The teams we’re playing right now in this league, I don’t understand why we’re not talking about eight teams in our league (making the NCAA Tournament),” Calipari said. “Including Florida, who beat Auburn. ‘Well, they are .500 in your league.’ What? What? Well, what does that mean? ‘Well, in another league…’ Wait a minute, we’re the best league? Then no one should get a .500 team in. Why would that be? Florida beat Ohio State.”

The short-term answer? Outscore opponents every time while playing just strong enough defense to win the game. It’s worked all season long, even when the conference schedule got difficult. If the Wildcats hit their season average of 80.4 points per game — or close to it, at the very least — everything else should fall into place.

Whatever it takes to win the game.

“I don’t get all this, but the teams we’re playing are really good,” Calipari said. “Which is why I come back to, 75 to 80 points. If you score 75 to 80, even if we struggle some defensively, that should be enough. The whole point of this is winning.”

Could Kentucky’s defensive struggles be tied directly to injuries suffered by Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington, two of the team’s best defenders? Sure, at least partially. At the very least, it disrupted the continued growth the team was seeing on that end of the floor.

On the other hand, it presented new opportunities for Davion Mintz and Kellan Grady, something this team may need even more when postseason play begins next week.

“Or you can look at it the other way,” Calipari said. “We found out that Davion may be our best defender and could do it for 40 minutes if he had to. (We also found out) Kellen is a better defender and ball-handler than we thought he was.”

Calipari will be the first to tell you he’s had bad defenders on the roster during his time at Kentucky. Those players have had a ‘red’ tag placed on them, meaning it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort when their man touches the ball.

Fortunately, this team has very few players with that designation on the roster. Of the minor issues they have as a collective unit, they’re working through them. If Calipari has to do more, he’ll do more.

Again, whatever it takes to win.

“When you look, ‘Who’s getting beat on the bounce, and how do we improve those guys?’ I’ve had guys before where when their man catches the ball, we accept the fact that they can’t move their feet,” Calipari said. “We yell, ‘Red!’ Red means, ‘Everybody in, help this man before he gives up another lay-up.’ So you challenge the guy, ‘Look, we’re here for you, but stay in front.’

“I think guys are working at it, we’ll see going forward. If I have to do some more things and scramble up a little bit, we’ll try that.”

Calipari sees the minor issues and is addressing them in practice. Like the rest of us, the UK head coach is hoping for a complete performance in Gainesville to close out the regular season.

“The worst thing I did today was I watched Florida-Auburn down at Florida,” Calipari said. “Why do I do that before we play a team? I mean, they played smart, they played tough, they rebounded, they flew. They ran their stuff, had great spacing and beat a really, really good team. So as much as I’m worried about this, let’s worry about playing our best both offensively and defensively, giving ourselves the chance to win on the road.”

Kentucky will take on Florida at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, with the game broadcast live on CBS.