Thread: What to Watch for in Rupp Arena Saturday

Jay Bilas of ESPN.com has a nice breakdown of the matchup between the Cats and Cards tomorrow.

I have included an excerpt which includes Players to Watch, the X Factor, and
the Key Stat:

Players to watch: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Terrence Jones (UK) and Kyle Kuric/Russ Smith (UL)
No player in this game plays any harder than Kidd-Glichrist. He competes on every play and Calipari never has to coach his effort. MKG is averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds and has shot the most free throws on the team. Jones has struggled, first with his performance at Indiana that created questions and then with a hand injury that had him sitting out. He needs to play well for his confidence, but Kentucky needs him to play well also.

Smith is a dynamic guard who has been on a roll of late, and he is not afraid to assert himself. He is sixth on the Louisville team in minutes played, but he is second in scoring and shot attempts. Over the last seven games, Smith has averaged over 16 points per game and stands second in the Big East in steals. Kuric is the team's top scorer and an excellent guard rebounder. His toughness will be essential if Louisville is to pull off a win in Lexington.


X factors: Anthony Davis and Giorgi Dieng
Davis is the most talented player on the floor in almost every game he plays. The long, athletic and versatile forward is averaging 11.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots and is shooting 63 percent from the floor. Davis does not need to have a play run for him and doesn't need the ball to play. He is a low-maintenance star who needs only to be more assertive to be one of the five best players in the country. Dieng has improved greatly from last season and had five straight double-doubles prior to the Cards' loss to Georgetown. Over the last six games, Dieng has averaged 13 points and 12 rebounds, including six offensive rebounds per game.


Key stat: Rebounding
Both teams hold opponents to low percentages from the floor, which will result in a lot of rebounding opportunities. The team that controls the glass will be in a better position to control the game, getting extra possessions and higher percentage shots while denying the opponent the same.

Read Jay Bilas' Entire Breakdown

Need to worry about if the officials will control the game or if the coaches will control the officials?