Watch the Tape: Kentucky Pulls Away From the Georgia State Panthers 105-76

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watch-the-tape-kentucky-pulls-away-from-the-georgia-state-panthers-105-76 — Screenshot via SEC Network

Similar to Tuesday’s game against Western Kentucky, things weren’t always pretty on Friday night at Rupp Arena. However, Kentucky’s offense was firing on all cylinders from start to finish on their way to posting an impressive 1.33 points per possession. The Georgia State Panthers were playing very well too though and kept hanging around. In fact, it was just a six point game with 13:34 to play. That is where the dichotomy of this game comes into play. You could mark Friday’s matchup in two segments: “pre-Clash Peters scuffle” and “post-Clash Peters scuffle.”

The score was 61-53 when Georgia State’s backup five-man, Clash Peters, slammed into the back of Amari Williams. After getting away with several cheap shots already, tensions boiled over a scuffle between the Panthers and Wildcats ensued. Over the next 11 minutes of action Kentucky dominated to the tune of a 45-17 run. It was clear that Peters and the Panthers woke up the Rupp Arena crowd and the ‘Cats fed off of the energy. Jaxson Robinson led six scorers in double-figures with 19 points. Lamont Butler added 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Amari Williams chipped in 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Both Ansley Almonor and Otega Oweh finished with 12 points while Koby Brea and Andrew Carr had 10 points.

As always, we’ve been hard at work inside the KSR Film Room breaking down the Wildcats’ latest contest. Kentucky struggled to put Georgia State away until a second half dust up brought the crowd alive. However, the offense was dominant from start to finish once again. Coach Pope identified an area to exploit the Panthers and went to it again and again. Let’s take a look at Kentucky’s offensive execution and how it led to a 105-76 win over the Georgia State Panthers.

Jaxson Robinson Finds His Floater

The Georgia State Panthers play very soft drop coverage with their five-man. That means that in any ballscreen or handoff situation there will be a ton of space for the ball handler to play in. We discussed that in the pregame Scouting Report and it is clear that Coach Pope wanted to exploit it from the opening tip as well. Giving guards as talented as Jaxson Robinson this much space is not a recipe for success. From the beginning until the end he was able to turn the corner and get to this little floater. The Panthers refused to adjust for whatever reason.

Really good guards love seeing a team that plays soft drop coverage. Jaxson Robinson is almost always going to be able to score when given this much space. #4 Edwards, guarding Amari Williams, is all of the way back between the SEC logo and the charge circle as Robinson comes off the Zoom handoff. In hind sight, Robinson could have turned the corner and gotten all of the way to the rim. However, the little floater worked just fine as well. That is a high percentage shot for him.

This is the very next offensive possession after the previous clip. Kentucky gets into what is essentially a staggered double Zoom action with Jaxson Robinson coming off once again. The Georgia State Panthers are still in that soft drop coverage with #4 Edwards between the SEC logo and the charge circle. Robinson scores in the same way, from essentially the same spot, for four of the Wildcats’ first six points.

Fast forward to the final four minutes and Kentucky was still dominating the Georgia State Panthers with the same Zoom action. Koby Brea sets the downscreen, Jaxson Robinson receives the handoff from Amari Williams, and the Panthers’ five-man is back between the SEC logo and the charge circle. Once again, Robinson converts the floater. Georgia State’s ballscreen and handoff defense is a big reason why Kentucky was able to shoot 33-41 (80.5%) from three-point range.

Georgia State Was Committed to Taking Away the Roll Man

Not only were the Georgia State Panthers playing their super soft drop coverage with their five-man, but they also were very much committed to recovering to the roll man. There were several times where they seemingly elected to give up a layup for the ball handler as opposed to letting a pass be made to the roll. Analytically speaking, that decision by Coach Hayes seems odd based on the fact that Kentucky rates in the 88th percentile, per Synergy in scoring with the pick-and-roll ball handler compared to the 81st percentile with the roll man. Georgia State did hold the ‘Cats to just two points from the roll man, but conceded 23 points to the ball handler in ballscreen and handoff situations.

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When Jaxson Robinson was turning the corner and scoring with a floater off of Zoom Action, Kentucky’s other guards were finding success coming off of basic handoffs. Again, Georgia State’s soft drop coverage offered what essentially acted as a runway to get downhill to the rim. Lamont Butler’s man hadn’t even began to get back around in front when the secondary defender retreated to take to away Andrew Carr on the roll. The result was an easy layup at the rim for Butler.

Kerr Kriisa’s man ran directly into Amari Williams as Kriisa turned the corner to get downhill. However, despite being essentially unguarded on the way to the rim, the Panthers’ secondary defender retreated to Williams as opposed to stopping the ball. Kriisa finished yet another easy floater in the lane. Points in the paint where coming very easily for the Wildcats on Friday night.

Georgia State at least showed a little bit more interest in contesting Lamont Butler at the rim on this drive. However, #4 Edwards still went quickly back to Andrew Carr on the roll before leaving at the last second to try and block Butler’s shot. Playing off of two feet and using the shot fake allowed Butler to finish an uncontested layup all the same. Kentucky finished with 62 points in the paint and many of those came from the Wildcats’ guards.

Taking What the Defense Gives You

We all got to see the beauty of a free-flowing, read-and-react offense on Friday night. What makes Coach Pope’s offense so hard to guard is that you can’t really prepare for it. There is a counter to any defensive decision you make. The Georgia State Panthers, for the most part, stuck with their very soft drop coverage with their five-man. They made taking away the roll man a point of emphasis. Therefore, Kentucky continually laid the ball up to the tune of 33-41 shooting from two-point range and 62 points in the paint. However, there were a couple of times where their ballscreen/handoff defense looked different. When it did, the Wildcats still scored by taking what was given to them.

There weren’t a lot of opportunities to throw it to the roll man on Friday night. However, veterans Koby Brea and Andrew Carr executed this ballscreen and roll to perfection. Carr stayed wide on his roll as Brea drug his defender towards the middle of the floor. #4 Edwards retreated to Carr as he normally would do, but the spacing allowed room for the pocket pass. That area is where Andrew Carr really excels. When he can flip his hips and turn a drive into a post move he is seemingly automatic. Here he attacked baseline, spun towards the middle, and then pivoted his way beyond #4 Edwards to finish with his left. Beautiful poise, skill, and body control by Carr in the post.

The Georgia State Panthers effectively took away the roll man in ballscreen and handoff situations. Per Synergy, the ‘Cats scored only two points via the roll man. You will see those two points in this clip. However, the game plan clearly didn’t work as Kentucky shot 33-41 from two-point range and scored 62 points in the paint. When the Panthers finally stepped up to stop the ball Otega Oweh hit Amari Williams for a lob at the rim.