Watch the Tape: Kentucky Defeats Missouri Tigers in CoMo 91-83

by:Brandon Ramsey•about 11 hours•

BRamseyKSR

watch-the-tape-kentucky-defeats-missouri-tigers-in-como-91-83 — Zack Geoghegan | Kentucky Sports Radio

Kentucky had won two straight Southeastern Conference games two times before. However, the ‘Cats hadn’t yet pulled off an elusive 2-0 week. Weekday wins were met with Saturday losses each of the previous three weeks. That trend was snapped on Saturday though as the Wildcats went into Mizzou Arena and defeated the Missouri Tigers 91-83. The victory meant much more than simply going 2-0 in the week though. First of all, the win secured a #6-seed for the ‘Cats in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. It also brought Kentucky’s win total within Quad 1 to 10. Finally, it was the eighth victory of the season over a Top 15 opponent which tied 1978-1979 Duke and 1992-1993 Indiana for the most ever in a season.

Per usual, it was a total team effort to secure the victory. Otega Oweh scored a team-high 22 points while collecting 3 steals. Meanwhile, Koby Brea finished with 17 points on just nine shot attempts. Andrew Carr added a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds while Amari Williams chipped in 12 points and 8 rebounds. Lamont Butler and Collin Chandler each scored 8 points as well while also providing excellent defense. Trent Noah and Travis Perry hit big three-point shots for the Wildcats as well to round out the scoring. Kentucky was able to play the turnover battle to a stalemate while shooting 12 more free throws than Missouri. The performance in those two statistical categories went a long way towards securing the road victory.

As always, we’ve been hard at work in the KSR Film Room breaking down Kentucky’s latest contest. Missouri punched the ‘Cats in the mouth early in the game. Their athleticism and length were simply overwhelming. However, a couple of adjustments as well as simply getting comfortable with the pace allowed the Wildcats to dominate the final 30 or so minutes of play. Along with showcasing those in-game adjustments, we will also highlight the continued defensive improvements. The sample size is no longer small. Kentucky has the 15th best adjusted defensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik, since February 8th. The improvements defensively are real and here to stay. Let’s dive on in and take a closer look at Kentucky’s 91-83 win over the Missouri Tigers.

Early In-Game Adjustments Unlocked Kentucky Offensively

It wasn’t a secret that the Missouri Tigers would have an advantage in the athleticism department on Saturday. However, it is hard to simulate and truly prepare for what it would feel like on the court. As a result, Kentucky scored just four points in the first eight minutes and 32 seconds. Turnovers, missed layups, and contested mid-range jump shots were the result of being very sped up. Missouri was able to blow up the Wildcats’ signature zoom action. Ball pressure took the ‘Cats out of their offensive rhythm. The Tigers’ ability to switch one through five made it hard to run any real offense. That would all start to change though going into the second media timeout. We will take a look at Kentucky’s in-game adjustments that led to scoring 87 points in the final 32 minutes.

#12 Perkins was able to blow up the handoff between Andrew Carr and Otega Oweh. Then, he and Josh Gray switched to keep a guy on a guy. After a deflection by Gray, the Tigers were able to keep the ball on the same side of the floor as Oweh forced a contested mid-range jump shot.

The ability to blow up the handoffs really kept Kentucky on their heels in the opening minutes. A lack of ball movement made it difficult to get paint touches and it led to too many mid-range jump shots. Credit to Coach Gates and the Missouri Tigers for their defensive approach early on in the game. However, the ‘Cats would eventually get the hand of it.

The majority of Kentucky’s in-game adjustments came after the second media timeout. However, this play helped keep the Wildcats in the game up until that point. Using Amari Williams as a one-on-one playmaker took Missouri’s pressure and used it against them. With other players out in the passing lanes it gave Williams room to operate and then time to deliver a good pass as the help came. This pass from Williams to Trent Noah is high-level basketball for a 7’0″ center. These were Noah’s only points of the game, but they were incredibly important at the time.

Kentucky’s offense is, generally, predicated on ball movement, cutting, and is very read-and-react based. However, when an aggressive defense like the Missouri Tigers displayed in the opening segments takes so much of the passing and movement away, there is nothing left to read-and-react to. That is why teams that can really pressure on the perimeter and switch everything give the Wildcats some fits at times. Here you see the ‘Cats start to strip away some of the intricate offensive action and simply extend out beyond the scoring area into a high middle ballscreen. That helped to loosen and extend the defense. Then, the ‘Cats displayed some patience late in the clock and aggressiveness when attacking closeouts to eventually find an open Travis Perry for a corner three.

Part of attacking a team that switches so much defensively is exploiting mismatches as they come. Here #12 Perkins ended up on Andrew Carr as Missouri matched up after playing zone against the OB Under. Trent Noah fed Carr inside and he was able to use a significant height advantage to score at the front of the rim.

Kentucky used an 11-0 run to climb on top and eventually extended their lead to 18-13 heading into the third media timeout. As the buckets piled up for the ‘Cats, Coach Dennis Gates felt the need to switch to a zone look defensively. This was a really important result of the Wildcats’ figuring things out for a stretch offensively. Missouri’s athleticism, length, and overwhelming pressure had Kentucky out of sorts from the opening tip. However, a zone defense makes life a lot easier on the perimeter. When you get scored on as much as the Tigers did in one segment it can make it feel like a change needs to be made, but going zone only made Kentucky more comfortable offensively.

Breaking away from some of the traditional zoom action, dribble handoffs, and read-and-react heavy offense into simpler high ballscreens and one-on-one penetration were excellent in-game adjustments by Coach Pope and his staff. However, capitalizing off of turnovers and getting stops to play in transition made life easier offensively as well. Collin Chandler being able to attack a long closeout and find Andrew Carr inside for a bucket was much coming from transition than it would have been in the half court.

In order to beat really good teams on the road you need players to step up and make big time plays. Also, because the Missouri Tigers do a good job of taking you away from running traditional offense, you need individual players to step up and make plays. Koby Brea did that time and time again in the first half for the Wildcats. This shot isn’t the result of some masterful adjustment. It was just a really good shot from a really good player. When these shots start going in it can be very deflating for the defense. There isn’t much the Tigers could have done to take that away.

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Defensive Improvements Have Changed the Postseason Ceiling

Entering into postseason play without your second leading scorer and backup point guard can make it hard to find optimism. However, the continued improvements in the health of Lamont Butler and Andrew Carr have helped propel Kentucky forward. Additionally, the Wildcats continue to play their best defense of the season heading into postseason play. Per Bart Torvik, the ‘Cats rank 15th in adjusted defensive efficiency since February 8th. In that same time span, Kentucky’s adjusted defensive efficiency has improved from #112 to #55 on KenPom. Overall aggressiveness and less fear of making mistakes has chance the course of the season defensively. It might be hard to make a Final Four without Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa, but the metrics (and the eye test) are starting to indicate that the ‘Cats are dangerous.

Collin Chandler’s emergence a valuable two-way perimeter piece could really change the calculus for Kentucky in March. His effort and athleticism make him so good at taking away opposing three-point shooting specialist. Chandler’s coming out part was in Kentucky’s win at Tennessee where he played 15 minutes and helped limit Chaz Lanier. Then, on Saturday, he played over 16 minutes against the Missouri Tigers while playing excellent defense on #31 Grill. His urgency is something that everyone should try to replicate.

This is where Otega Oweh can really excel defensively. He has a knack for getting into the passing lanes. Oweh read this diagonal screen-the-screener action and new the ball reversal was coming. Credit to the Kentucky coaching staff for helping out from the sideline as well. A big part of the Wildcats’ improvements defensively has been forcing more turnovers.

Kentucky is flying around defensively so much more now than they were earlier in the season. They aren’t afraid of making the wrong decision. Instead, they make decision and then play with enough effort to cover up some possible mistakes. Trent Noah did a good job of battling inside, great help and recover by Otega Oweh, and then great effort by everyone involved to stick with the loose ball and eventually force a shot clock violation.

The improvement of Koby Brea defensively needs to be studied. It isn’t easy to get better and break bad habits after playing nearly 150 college basketball games. However, Brea has been a big part of Kentucky’s defensive improvement over the last month. This is a great, aggressive play to get a deflection that led to a steal. Is leaving #2 Bates in the corner the “right” decision? That is up for debate. When you do so with enough urgency though it ultimately doesn’t matter. That has been the biggest area of improvement for the Wildcats. “Often wrong but never in doubt.”

You can’t teach the level of athleticism that it takes to make this play. Collin Chandler is a special athlete. His ability to recover and get a piece of #31 Grill’s shot attempt is not something that anyone else on this team could do. He plays with such urgency and has done an excellent job while guarding some of the best pure shooters in the Southeastern Conference.

Lamont Butler did a great job of hounding #1 Warrick on this possession and fighting over the top of the ballscreens. Then, Brandon Garrison did a great job of switching onto Warrick to stay between him and the basket. Finally, Otega Oweh’s pressure on #12 Perkins got him off balance on the catch and allowed Oweh to steal the ball and race down the floor for a layup. Converting points off of turnovers has become a part of what the ‘Cats do.

We’ve highlight Otega Oweh in a negative light a handful of times in these film breakdowns for getting lost in screening action. His awareness and concentration haven’t always been the best as an off-ball defender this season. However, he was incredibly locked in on Saturday against the Missouri Tigers playing a vital role in containing #31 Grill. Look at the way he busts through the screens on this possession and completely takes him away on the perimeter. Oweh’s effort led to Missouri throwing a lob to #33 Gray which resulted in a turnover.