It’s here, March Madness, one of the most exciting events on the sports calendar.
This year, Kentucky Basketball is a 7-seed for the first time in program history and starts NCAA Tournament play in St. Louis, within driving distance for much of Big Blue Nation.
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Their first-round opponent, the 10-seeded Santa Clara Broncos, who are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, when Steve Nash led them to a first-round win over 7-seeded Maryland.
This year, the Broncos are a trendy 10-seed over a 7-seed pick as people are filling out their brackets.
This Kentucky team entered the season with Final Four expectations, and losing in the first round would be a colossal failure. What do the Wildcats need to do to ensure they don’t fall to a double-digit seed again? Here are 10 things:
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Good Start: We see it every March, poor starts allow teams to gain ‘beer confidence,’ and they play above their typical performance. Santa Clara is a 10-seed, but they are ranked 35th in KenPom and are fully capable of getting out of the first round. That said, Kentucky is Kentucky; they are the more talented team. The Wildcats have to be the aggressor from the tip, get the home-like crowd involved, and take away Santa Clara’s hope early.
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Take Care of the Ball: Santa Clara creates havoc on the defensive end, ranking top 15 nationally in steals per game (8.8 SPG). For Kentucky, taking care of the ball has been a struggle at times this season. With a record of 16-3 in games where they record 10 or fewer turnovers, they have a great chance of winning the game if they can keep the turnovers in single digits.
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3-Point Defense: While top seeds can shoot themselves out of games in the NCAA Tournament, underdogs can shoot themselves into upset wins. Santa Clara, which attempts 29 3-pointers per game, top 25 nationally, can certainly do the same. Kentucky does rank in the top 50 in 3-point defense, but Santa Clara’s five-out offense will demand constant defensive communication.
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Be the more Physical Team: As previously said, Kentucky needs to be the aggressor. While that means getting off to a good start, it also means being the more physical team for 40 minutes. Kentucky has the advantages in size and athleticism, and they must have the mindset advantage.
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Collin Chandler: Through SEC play and down the stretch of the season, Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen have been Kentucky’s most consistent players. The X-Factor has been Collin Chandler. When he scores 13 or more points this season, the Wildcats are 9-2. However, he has only scored in double-digits once in the last five games.
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Bench Production: One of the big talking points of this year’s Kentucky roster was the depth, which has not been the strength many thought it would be. In part due to injuries, and players not living up to expectations. That said, heroes can be made in March, and Kentucky needs someone to step up and provide production, just as Mo Dioubate has been doing in recent weeks and Brandon Garrison did in the SEC Tournament.
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Ball Movement: Move the ball. It sounds easy, but when Kentucky has encountered adversity, especially early in the season, players too often went iso-heavy and tried to make plays themselves. They need to lean on each other and the offense. When Kentucky has 15 or more assists this season, they are 14-4.
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Attack the Paint: Santa Clara allows teams to shoot 53.2% on 2s. Kentucky is 5-1 against teams that allow 53% or better from 2-point range. That is where Otega and Denzel are at their best. If Kentucky, and specifically those two, can attack early and find a rhythm, it will open up the rest of the offense as well.
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Crash the Defensive Glass: Santa Clara gets up a lot of shot attempts, nearly 65 per game, meaning there are a lot of rebounding opportunities. The Broncos attack the offensive glass hard for second-chance points, with an offensive rebounding percentage of 35%, ranking in the top 25 nationally. All five players on the court have to box out for Kentucky. With Santa Clara’s volume of outside shots, expect a lot of long rebounds.
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Use Athletic Advantage: Santa Clara is good, but Kentucky has power-five athletes. Use that to your advantage. Use your length and speed to bother them defensively. Get out in transition. Be Kentucky.
