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The reason Kentucky gets zoned so much is because they can’t shoot. The object of a 2-3 is to pressure the paint and make it difficult for guards to penetrate. In turn, it makes the offense have to shoot from the perimeter. Sounds like the perfect plan to stop the Kentucky Wildcats. Slashing to the basket is the bread and butter of the dribble drive offense. It is also important for the slasher to have someone to kick it out to hit shots from the three point line. That has not happened over the last 4 games for the Cats.
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Kentucky’s 3 point percentage has been dive bombing and it has me thinking how it matches up to the last championship team Kentucky had.
___________09-10______ 97-98
[TABLE]
[TR=”bgcolor: #FFFFCC”]
[TD=”bgcolor: #EEEEEE, align: right”]3pt FG Pct[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]34.7[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]([URL=”http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/stats/3pt?season=2009-2010″][COLOR=#003399]153[/COLOR][/URL]) [/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]36.7[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]([URL=”http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/stats/3pt?season=1997-1998″][COLOR=#003399]70[/COLOR][/URL])[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
The 98 team’s 3 point percetage went up as the season went along. This year’s team is going the other way. The Cats have shot 12-73 over the last 4 games from behind the arc for a frozen 16%. It is all about the 2-3 zone. There is such a liablility on going to the rim and getting the ball inside to Cousins and Patterson and when that doesn’t happen the Cats struggle offensively.
I hope someone decides to step up and make shots. This team doesnt have a Cameron Mills(44%), Scott Padgett(37%), Jeff Sheppard(38%)or even a Wayne Turner(37%) to consistently hit the 3 point shot. John Wall(31%), Eric Bledsoe(35%), Darnell Dodson(35%), and Darius Miller(38%) just does not compare to the 3 point shooting of the 98 squad.
Championships are won by teams that can beat you in several different ways. If opponents stop the outside game, you go inside, and vice versa. Everyone knows Kentucky struggles from behind the arc. Championship teams adjust and find ways to win. Hitting shots over the next month could put this team in legendary status. If they don’t hit shots it will be a short “march” on the Road to the Final Four.
