Watch the Tape: Kentucky Takes Down the Duke Blue Devils 77-72

That was fun. Anyone still trying to poke holes in the Coach Mark Pope era might have officially been silenced on Tuesday night. The #19 Kentucky Wildcats moved to 3-0 on the young season with an impressive, hard-fought 77-72 victory over the #6 Duke Blue Devils. After a pair of low stress wins over Wright State and Bucknell, things certainly did not come easy for Kentucky against Duke. The Blue Devils led by as many as 10 points, were up by nine at halftime, and still had an eight point advantage under the 10-minute mark. However, the Wildcats’ defense continued to tighten the screws and the offense did enough to ultimately win the game. Big Blue Nation is riding high after Kentucky’s first win over Duke since November 17th, 2015.

The size of the Blue Devils certainly gave the Wildcats some issues for much of the game. 7’2″ center Khaman Maluach was a game-changer defensively and on the glass. Duke’s positional length made it hard for the ‘Cats to score inside the arc. Kentucky lost the points in the paint battle 46-26 and shot just 40.5% from two-point range. However, big advantages from beyond the arc and at the free throw line ultimately guided the ‘Cats to victory. The grittiness of a team full of older guys shined through at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Not many times through the years at the Champions Classic has Kentucky been the team with older guys, but this new approach is part of the new era.

As always, we’ve been hard at work inside of the KSR Film Room breaking down Kentucky’s latest contest. The Wildcats aren’t likely to win many games when they score just 1.04 points per possessions this year. However, their defense flexed their muscles holding the Duke Blue Devils to just 0.97 points per possession. This matchup between blue bloods was an offensive track meet for a while, but turned into a grind it out defensive battle down the stretch. Ultimately, Kentucky’s ability to string together stops, along with a few key late turnovers by Cooper Flagg, put Andrew Carr and company in a position to win the game. Let’s dive on into the film room and take a closer look at how the Wildcats knocked off the Duke Blue Devils.

Halftime Defensive Adjustments

When you give up 46 points in a half, especially when the opponent is just 3-12 from three-point range, things aren’t going well defensively. To be frank, Kentucky was fortunate that things weren’t worse at the halftime break. However, facing a 46-37 deficit, Coach Pope and company had to make some adjustments. Late in the first half, ballscreen defense was really becoming a problem. Duke scored on back-to-back possessions as Brandon Garrison was caught in between playing drop coverage. In the second half the Wildcats came out with a different plan. They were much more willing to switch both on and off the ball. That willingness to switch was a key in three specific stops as Kentucky mounted their comeback.

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The Duke Blue Devils made Kentucky pay for a couple of 4-on-5 switches in the first half as Khaman Maluach was able to offensive rebound against Andrew Carr. However, it wasn’t nearly as much of a concern when Maliq Brown was in there. Brandon Garrison is so fluid and comfortable on the perimeter that he really can switch one through five. He matches Cooper Flagg move for move with active hands and feet. A great contest forces the missed shot and Koby Brea crashes in to get a tough rebound.

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Otega Oweh and Andrew Carr switch the initial little Flex screen along the baseline here. Then, they switch back after the middle ballscreen. Both Kerr Kriisa and Brandon Garrison are in good position to make #7 Knueppel’s driving lane less apparent. Finally, as the shot clock winds down, Jaxson Robinson did a great job on the ball and gave a good contest to #5 Proctor’s fadeaway jump shot. Being willing to switch and keep a guy on a guy made it much harder for Duke to get the same penetration that they were able to find in the first half.

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You can’t teach what it takes to make this play. When Brandon Garrison becomes a first round NBA Draft pick, whenever that may be, this might make it in his highlight reel. Before the game we spent a lot of time highlighting the importance of urgency and communication. Otega Oweh got caught going up through here, which happened to him a couple of times, but Garrison was there this time to save the day. He quickly recognized that Oweh would not get there to contest #7 Knueppel and decided to go himself. Considering the ground there was to cover this is an incredibly impressive blocked shot. It came at a crucial time in the game as well.

Andrew Carr Took Over the Offense

Having over 100 career college basketball games under your belt makes a difference. Additionally, it was the fifth time that Andrew Carr had taken on the Duke Blue Devils. His poise, patience, and skill level really shined through in the final minutes as Kentucky came back to pull off the win. The 6’11” forward finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on very impressive 5-8, 2-3, 5-6 shooting. On the season, Carr is now shooting 68.4% from the field, 60% from three-point range, and 90.9% from the free throw line. Coach Pope put the ball in the hands of the veteran late and it played a big role in the Wildcats winning the game.

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Andrew Carr knocked in two early three-point shots for the ‘Cats as they got going offensively. The memory of those baskets almost assuredly played a role in his ability to attack Cooper Flagg’s aggressive closeout in this instance. Carr his the 17-year old freshman with a shot fake and then finished through contact for an And-1. Poised, patient, and strong finish here from the Wildcats’ fifth year senior forward.

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Down the stretch, Coach Pope had Andrew Carr at the five and put him in control of the offense. That proved to be a wise decision. In this clip you see him come and get a catch at the top of the key as the ‘Cats appear to get into a Zoom action. However, Otega Oweh reads the early switch and slips to the rim for a layup. Carr delivered a perfect pass for one of his three assists. With his level of versatility, Carr is more than capable of serving as the trigger man to Kentucky’s offense from time to time.

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This is where Andrew Carr is at his best. When he can flip his hips and turn his drives into a little post move he becomes increasingly hard to guard. The attention that the Wildcats attract on the perimeter gives him space to play in as well. Koby Brea gets followed everyone he goes. Jaxson Robinson, despite going 0-4, kept Kon Knueppel occupied. Even Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh had the attention of their defenders. Carr’s patience, pace, and strength to finish the And-1 against Khaman Maluach put the ‘Cats in the lead with less than two minutes to play.

Game-Winning Defensive Play

There is no substitute for preparation. Coach Mark Pope reminded his guys about Cooper Flagg’s propensity to spin prior to this possession. Otega Oweh, a highly instinctual off-ball defender, made a great play at the right time to go take the ball. The Duke Blue Devils super star freshman was the best player on the floor for most of the game. However, he also turned the ball over three times in the final 90 seconds to give the Wildcats a chance to come out on top. Credit to Kentucky for taking advantage of the opportunities put in front of them.

Duke ran three ghost screens at Cooper Flagg, but Andrew Carr was so locked in he really didn’t even notice them. His initial move netted him nothing and Carr was there to body him up. As soon as Flagg took that first bump everyone in the gym knew he was spinning back right. Otega Oweh was there sitting on it and in position for the steal. That is how veteran players make game-winning plays.