Kentucky knows it must improve defensively: “We have to continue to get better.”
It’s impossible to ignore the Kentucky offense and what it has been able to put together in the first half of the season. Ranked No. 8 in adjusted efficiency and No. 13 in tempo, the Wildcats are the No. 2 scoring offense in college basketball (90.8 PPG) with the No. 11 effective field goal rate, No. 3 turnover rate, No. 7 three-point efficiency and No. 4 non-steal turnover rate.
They score and do it quickly and efficiently while taking care of the basketball. It’s everything you’d ever hope for in an offense.
The defense, however, has been a different story. Kentucky ranks No. 55 in adjusted efficiency on that end of the floor while allowing 76.0 points per game, good for No. 282 nationally. Part of that is a result of the offense getting so many possessions each night. Part of it is, well, they’re just not where they need to be yet.
The latest example? 97 points allowed in an overtime loss at Texas A&M, who entered the matchup ranked dead last in 3-point shooting among high-majors. The Aggies hit 12 threes and cleared their season-high in scoring by eight points. It was the team’s biggest scoring outing since it scored 102 in a win over something called Dallas Christian on Dec. 27, 2021.
Can’t just live to outscore teams
Kentucky hasn’t been a terrible defensive team, but things certainly haven’t been great on that end of the floor. And it has to improve.
“The idea behind winning is being able to score more than the other team, but you also have to hold them from scoring more than you. That’s what we really want to try to do,” UK associate coach Orlando Antigua said Tuesday. “It’s an area we know we have to continue to get better. We do score — it’s second nature to us. But we have to be able to get those defensive stops and secure rebounds so we can get on offense.
“As fast as we play, we’re getting 10-15 more opportunities, but that also means other teams are getting those opportunities. We have to see how we minimize those.”
The Wildcats got back to work with a focus on defense immediately following the loss in College Station, emphasizing technique and accountability, how to be assignment-sound as a collective unit. It’s also been about mindset on that end of the floor, balancing technical help with a pure want-to.
“A combination of both things,” Antigua added. “We have to be more impactful on the ball. I thought the initial part of our defense was good. It was the secondary action and effort that we need to continue to get better at. … It takes a lot of time, especially when you’ve got a group of young men who have been used to not being held as accountable.
“They are used to their ability to outscore people, be the main focus. We’ve got to do a much better job collectively being assignment sound, being a little more disciplined, sticking to the scout.”
Youth makes an impact
That happens when you’ve got two upperclassmen in the entire rotation compared to eight underclassmen. In some form or fashion, each of Kentucky’s key pieces anchored the offense at their previous respective stops in high school and AAU. That’s impacted the learning curve a bit when building a foundation of team defense, breaking individual bad habits to build new good ones as a unit.
There is a lack of defensive connectivity right now. John Calipari says “we’re not there yet” in that aspect, the Wildcats needing to develop an understanding of playing both the man and the ball “wherever it is.” Not one or the other.
“I’ve got work to do,” Coach Cal said of the defense.
“That’s part of growing up and getting that connectiveness you need to be in position,” Antigua added. “First of all, the initial positioning on the ball. And then on the backline of it, it’s the positioning with the bigs, the guys, knowing who to be off of in terms of personnel-wise, where to be in gaps, those kinds of things. Sometimes that takes a little more time when it’s not second nature to you.”
Defense impacts rebounding
It’s impacting rebounding, too. Kentucky gave up 54 rebounds to Texas A&M, 25 of them being on the offensive glass. Bad defensive positioning leads to bad rebounding positioning. Those two things typically go hand-in-hand.
“A lot of the time it’s our defensive balance that doesn’t allow us to go finish out the defensive possession,” Antigua said. “You need to rebound the ball to finish out the defensive possessions, that helps your defensive numbers.”
Things aren’t getting any easier with Mississippi State coming to town Wednesday evening. Like the Aggies, the Bulldogs are old and physical, looking to force young teams into mistakes on both ends of the floor. They aren’t going to blow you away with pure skill and shooting — they’re ranked No. 71 overall in offensive efficiency — but they boast a top-10 defense that forces turnovers and missed shots.
Make no mistake about it, this is a game Kentucky can lose.
“It’s gonna be a physical matchup. Mississippi State is tough, veteran-experienced team. Does that sound familiar, in the SEC?” Antigua said. “A lot of veteran guys, a lot of grads. Big bodies. We’re going to have to take care of the ball, we’re going to have to take care of the glass and we’re going to have to do a better job defending the ball.”
Can the Cats step up defensively?
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