Saturday, December 29, 2001
Louisville readies to attack UK
Team lives, dies by press
By Rusty Hampton and Brian Bennett
The Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON — University of Kentucky coach Tubby Smith carried a clipboard to Thursday's news conference about today's Louisville game in Rupp Arena. The top sheet was headlined “Press Offenses,” with X-and-O diagrams covering the page.
UK expects a full-out, full-court assault from the Cardinals, the kind of frantic 40 minutes of pressure defense that Rick Pitino employed during his eight years in Lexington. His first UofL team plays the same style, and though the Wildcats possess superior depth and talent, how they handle the press is a pressing issue today.
“We're looking for traps and full-court pressing,” said UK backup guard Rashaad Carruth. “We're looking forward to that tenacious defense.”
It's a style that has served Pitino well but also has gotten him in trouble. In his first season at UK (1989-90), his outmanned team pressed Kansas the entire way and lost 150-95.
“We almost finished that Kansas game with assistant coaches and managers,” Pitino recalled. “At least we're a little deeper there. Let's hope it's not the same type of game.”
In 1996-97, his last season at UK, his team lost to South Carolina twice and to Arizona in the NCAA title game. Though both teams used three-guard lineups and continually beat the press for easy baskets, Pitino refused to change defenses. Live by the press, die by the press.
“That's the style they play,” UK point guard Cliff Hawkins said of Louisville. “It might work to our benefit, it might work to theirs, but we've got a lot of guys who can come in, and as long as everybody steps up, we'll be OK.”
The Cards plan to play their style despite UK's edge in depth. They think it's their only chance to win.
“I'm not sure how deep we really go, whether it's two or three players off the bench solid,” UofL guard Bryant Northern said. “They have 10 guys that can play equally as starters. Right now we're overmatched and the odds are against us, but if we get our press in there and really execute, we can be in the game.”
Smith, a former Pitino assistant, spent time with him Wednesday while scouting a high school tournament at Lexington Catholic.
“I asked him for some X's and O's and who was going to start, but he didn't want to share that with me,” Smith said, laughing. “I had to ask, though.”
Actually, Smith knows what to expect.
“One of the things we're working on is improving our ball handling, because one of the things that will be important is that we handle the trapping defenses the best we can,” he said.
“That's going to be the key for us, to handle their pressure and find guys open when they're doubling us,” Hawkins said. “As long as we do that, we'll be fine.”
Although Kentucky lost a key ball handler when backup point guard J.P. Blevins fractured a wrist against Indiana, Pitino says forward Tayshaun Prince's versatility makes the Cats difficult to press.
“Prince is a lot like Antoine Walker,” Pitino said. “You can throw it back to him taking the ball out of bounds and he'll bring it up. He's so long that he can see over pressure.”
Still, Hawkins' role grows greater in Blevins' absence and in the face of pressure. Three times this season he has had to take a seat after picking up two quick fouls. He knows avoiding foul trouble will be paramount today.
“That's big for me,” he said, “for me to stay out of foul trouble and be on the court and take pressure off other guys and handle their pressure. That will be a big part of this game.”
Hawkins said Kentucky has faced token full-court pressure this season but nothing like what he expects today.
UK freshman Adam Chiles, who will back up Hawkins, said the Cats can exploit the press.
“I think we've got more bodies than them,” said the Louisville Ballard High School product. “We can wear them down as long as we're throwing over the press and we get everybody running the floor and getting back on defense and doing everything right.”
The UofL players aren't worried about fatigue.
“Their depth is a key, but we've just got to stay with it,” said. “They're not really a pressing team, so I think we can pretty much tire their first or their second team as long as we stay on them. We've already played teams that substitute a lot,” said guard Erik Brown, who went to Lexington Bryan Station High.
The Cards have scored 34percent of their points off turnovers this season. They will need to create a lot of them today.
On the other hand, Kentucky — which is averaging 16.2 turnovers — needs to take care of the ball and take advantage in transition.
“We should have an open man if they trap,” Carruth said. “And we should be able to knock our shots down.”
One guy knocking them down lately is Hawkins, who is coming off back-to-back career highs of 15 points against Duke and 17 against Indiana.
“He's making the jump shot,” Smith said. “It's like Rashaad says, "My boy's found a “J,” so he's having a breakout year.'”
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Louisville readies to attack UK
