The Leach Report: North Carolina

  From Tom Leach....   We tend to focus on individual deficiencies when analyzing why a team we follow isn't performing to the level we expected, but there's a team stat that is a consistent theme in all three of the Wildcats' losses this season--opponent field goal percentage. Michigan State, Baylor and North Carolina each shot 47 percent or better from the field against UK.  Carolina got there on Saturday with a 57 percent second half performance.  (And those are the only three teams this season to outscore the Cats on points-in-the-paint, too).  Texas-Arlington at 41 percent is the only other opponent to crack the 40 percent barrier. That's three times in 11 games that the opponent has hit the 47 percent mark.  In 2010, it only happened five times all season and the third instance didn't occur until the 16th game.  In 2011, only three opponents hit that mark or better all season.  In 2012, it was four times, with the third coming in the 33rd game.  But last year, nine opponents made the 47 percent field goal level and the third time it happened was in game 12. From UMass to Memphis to UK, the calling card of John Calipari-coached teams has been their defense.  And the best ones coupled that stingy defense with efficient offense. Cal's first three teams ranked in the top 15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency numbers of basketball stat guru Ken Pomeroy, focusing on points-per-possession (see kenpom.com).  The two teams that reached the Final Four both ranked in the top 10 on both ends of the court.  Historically, find the teams that rank in the top 10 in both categories going into the NCAA Tournament and the eventual national champion is often among that group. Even though the numbers are consistent in the opponent field goal percentage stat, each game is its own story.  And against Carolina, the Wildcats' turnovers contributed greatly to UNC's shooting percentage.  Also, the Tar Heels consistently recognized mismatches and were patient enough to exploit them while Kentucky too often failed to make the defense have to shift from side to side. Defense is about effort, communication and cohesiveness--for that matter, overall team success is about those factors.  These Cats play hard but the latter two components are seriously lacking right now.  Carolina couldn't guard the Cats off the dribble but by defending as a team and by Kentucky attacking too often without moving the ball, Kentucky took a lot more contested shots than the Tar Heels did and not surprisingly, missed significantly more of those shots.   --listen to Tom each weekday morning at 9:06am eastern on "The Leach Report" radio network   --check out tomleachky.com for more of Tom's coverage of the Cats and follow Tom on Twitter @tomleachky and @leachreport + via Facebook for "The Leach Report"