Watch the Tape: Georgia 86 Kentucky 78

Life comes at you fast in the Southeastern Conference. Big Blue Nation was riding high following Kentucky’s season sweep of rival Tennessee. The Wildcats had won eight of nine games in the SEC and were trending in the right direction. Even a loss at Florida on Saturday didn’t really dampen the cautious optimism that had crept back into the fanbase. The Gators, after all, were once again becoming a trendy pick to repeat as national champions. As long as the ‘Cats took care of business on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena against the Georgia Bulldogs everything would be okay. However, that did not happen. Kentucky is now just 3-3 in their last six and face a very tough final five-game slate of the regular season. Pessimism and negativity have once again, very quickly, swept over Big Blue Nation.

You can’t blame a bad start this time around. Instead, the Wildcats waited until midway through the second half to dig their 12-point deficit. Kentucky actually led by eight points, 27-19, with just over seven minutes to go in the first half before getting outscored 20-7 going into the locker room. Georgia was on fire from three-point range, dominated points off of turnovers, and were the much more physical team around the basket. Areas that have all been strengths for the ‘Cats at different points in the season turned into weaknesses on Tuesday evening. The Quad 2 home loss is a second real blemish on the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament resume. There are several upcoming chances to buff it out, but the losses could also pile up in a hurry.

As always, we’ve been hard at work in the KSR Film Room breaking down Kentucky’s latest contest. The Wildcats suffered a second SEC setback at Rupp Arena, and third overall on the season, losing to Georgia 86-78 on Tuesday evening. It was a frustrating cocktail of unforced errors and a lack of defensive concentration mixed with some confusing rotation decisions and lineup structures. The ‘Cats definitely let their foot off of the gas a little bit in the first half, lost their lead, and then could never get it back. What was working for Kentucky offensively early in the game became scarce as the contest went along. The Wildcats, once again, were a complete failure when it comes to guarding the three-point line. Additionally, Georgia’s interior size and strength completely dominated the paint. Let’s dive on in and take a closer look at Kentucky’s loss to Georgia.

Drive-and-Kick Versus Over-Penetration

Kentucky seemed to come out with an understanding that Georgia’s rim protection was going to make it hard to score inside. They were willing to give it up at the end of their drives and easy shots followed. The Wildcats’ first five points came via an Otega Oweh drop-off for a Malachi Moreno dunk and a Collin Chandler kick out for an Oweh corner three. Both Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen hit nice intermediate range floaters as well. However, as the game went on those passes and pull-ups became blocked shots and turnovers. It was frustrating to see Kentucky go away from what was working and never really be able to get back to it. Here are some clips to showcase the dichotomy of what the ‘Cats did early in the game compared to what they were getting later as Georgia controlled the scoreboard.

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Otega Oweh isn’t necessarily known as an excellent playmaker. However, he came out of the gate against Georgia and made a really good play off of the bounce. #2 Cyril for Georgia is one of the best rim protectors in the country. As a team, the ‘Dawgs rank eighth in block percentage nationally. Scoring at the rim wasn’t going to come easily for Kentucky. Drives to the basket needed to end with a pass as opposed to a shot. Oweh displayed the effectiveness of that game plan early on with this dump-off pass to Malachi Moreno. He drove it hard, attracted the interior help defense, and found his open teammate for a dunk. Simple, but beautiful, basketball.

First it was Otega Oweh finding Malachi Moreno. Then, it was Collin Chandler finding Oweh. Chandler was able to get downhill to his strong hand, attract the attention of multiple defenders, and find a wide open Oweh in the opposite corner. These are the three-point shots that he makes at a very high percentage. Two buckets and two assists for the ‘Cats.

Kentucky’s guards were able to find their own scoring opportunities in the intermediate range as well. Getting a paint touch and playing off of two feet was a very successful recipe early in the game. Here you can see Otega Oweh attacking the SEC logo off of the bounce. Instead of getting too deep he came to a jump stop, pivoted, and knocked down the mid-range jumper. This lead, 27-19, would prove to be Kentucky’s largest of the game.

This decision comes in stark contrast to what Otega Oweh did on an earlier possession. Once again, Oweh was able to get downhill and put pressure on the rim. He drew the attention of both #2 Cyril and #21 Wilkins. However, instead of returning the favor to Collin Chandler for a wide open corner three, Oweh went for the layup attempt which was easily swatted away. Oweh has to be able to understand when to look to score and when to be a playmaker.

Coast-to-coast Mo Dioubate drives are not likely to end very well. That is even more true when the defense is already back and mostly set. Paint touches needed to equal a nearly automatic pass. However, Dioubate was spinning back to his left hand and was easily blocked by the much taller interior Georgia defenders waiting on him. If Dioubate had been more under control and patient he likely could have found Denzel Aberdeen near the top of the key as he had been trailing the play. Kentucky needed more assists, and less turnovers/bad shots, on Tuesday night against the Bulldogs.

Three-Point Defense Lacks Awareness and Urgency

Kentucky came out and had one of their better shooting performances of the season against Georgia. The ‘Cats shot 12-30 from deep which gave them a chance to overcome a myriad of other issues. However, their strong shooting night was completed undone, and then some, by allowing the Bulldogs to go 14-31 from beyond the arc. It often seems like the Wildcats are content with contesting outside shots and hoping the other team misses. Instead, it would be good to see them get into the business of actually deterring and taking away some shots. There is an awareness and urgency problem that seems to cause the current delineation between “contesting” and “deterring.” Opposing teams are simply too comfortable from three-point range.

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This clip perfectly encapsulates the discussion between “contesting” and “deterring” three-point shots. Denzel Aberdeen never helped off of #5 Wilkinson. He was tight to him and there on the catch. However, this clip showcases the very definition of “hand down, man down.” When Wilkinson, a high-level shooter, doesn’t see high hands on the closeout he knows he is supposed to shoot it. Closing out with high hands consistently can help to take some attempts off of the board.

It was a rough night for Kentucky’s front court. The box score numbers weren’t great, but the film was even less kind to them. Andrija Jelavic can be pretty fluid when running the floor. He has the length and general footwork to be a solid defender. However, he is a bit clunky laterally. Jelavic is not comfortable when switched onto smaller guys and really looks to be out on an island when guarding on the perimeter. That was certainly true in this clip. As a big man you have to get out and take away the three-point shot when stuck on someone like #0 Cain. Make him drive it and see what happens at the rim.

This clip showcases an urgency problem. We often talk about how it is okay to have a little bit of fear in your heart when guarding a shooter. Kentucky never seems to display any of that healthy fear. Yes, #2 Cyril was very illegal on this screen. However, once Denzel Aberdeen broke free, why wasn’t he in a dead sprint to #0 Cain? Why did he start to break down around the free throw line? If he wanted to get Andrija Jelavic to switch then he needed to get that communicated. There just has to be more urgency when it comes to taking away the ATTEMPTS from the other team’s best shooting threats.

Jasper Johnson was a defensive liability on Tuesday night. There is no other way to slice it. He is incredibly undisciplined on that end of the floor and far too often simply goes rogue. That is what you see in this clip. #4 Millender had already hit a couple for Georgia. Johnson should be staying tight to him at all times. There should be some of that fear in his heart about giving up a three-point shot to Millender. However, he essentially chases the ball on the first pass, helps for absolutely no reason, and leaves one of Georgia’s best shooters wide open from beyond the arc. Defensive miscues like this kept the Wildcats from every being able to mount a full comeback in the second half.

Similar to Andrija Jelavic giving up the three-point shot earlier, this time it was Malachi Moreno who failed to take away a Georgia guard from deep. Kentucky was trying to put together one last push to salvage a win at Rupp Arena, but the defense failed them time and time again. It was #4 Millender once again who created separation off of the bounce for a rhythm three-point shot. As a big man you simply have to get up, close the space, and force the guard to drive it. The Wildcats have struggled with that all season long.

Georgia Manhandled Kentucky in the Paint

Despite being 7-feet tall, Malachi Moreno is shooting just 43.9% on layups this season. Kentucky’s freshman center has delivered, and overachieved, in a lot areas, but getting stronger and becoming a better finisher will certainly be on his off-season to-do list. Meanwhile, Brandon Garrison is a streaky contributor at best. They were both completely physically dominated by Georgia’s Somto Cyril on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs’ big man plays with a level of aggression that Moreno and Garrison do not possess. Cyril finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds on 6-8 shooting while Moreno and Garrison combined for just 8 points and 12 rebounds on 2-7 shooting. The contrast in these two sets of two clips is both shocking and somewhat embarrassing.

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These two clips from Kentucky on the offensive end are submitted as a pair. The first one shows a beautiful drive and dump-off pass by Collin Chandler to Brandon Garrison. Garrison is in the dunker’s spot ready for the catch and loaded up like he was going to slam it home. However, he ended up kicking it back out and Jasper Johnson missed a three. In the second clip, the Wildcats execute a set play out of a timeout that got Malachi Moreno a catch at the rim with two feet in the paint. However, the 7-footer didn’t go up with it and the ‘Cats failed to score. When your 5-men get a catch with two feet in the paint at the rim it has to result in points.

Now, contrast these two clips to the previous two. Look at the violence with which Somto Cyril attacks the rim. When he gets a catch with two feet in the paint, regardless of the traffic around him, he is going to dunk the basketball with two hands. Kentucky’s front court should sit in the film room and watch these clips on a loop.