‘How can you let that happen?’ How UK’s inbounds defense failed against Tennessee.
After Kentucky’s 103-92 loss to Tennessee on Saturday, UK coach John Calipari said his Cats were hurt by the Volunteers’ out-of-bounds plays, two in particular.
I went back and found those two plays. Both were in the second half. Both ended in dunks by the Vols’ Dalton Knecht a minute and a half apart. Both were the same exact play.
Said Calipari, “When you don’t have the right guy on the ball, that stuff happens.”
Tennessee’s first inbounds basket
The first happened with 14:00 left in the game. Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler is taking the ball out of bounds on the baseline to the right of the Vols’ basket. Reed Sheppard is guarding the inbounds, but he is doing so with his back partially turned from Zeigler, apparently to try and protect from Tennessee getting a open 3-pointer in the right corner.
Adou Thiero is guarding Knecht, who is lined up to the right of the elbow. As Knecht begins to move, Thiero is screened at the right elbow by UT 6-foot-3 guard Jordan Gainey, who has come across the lane. Rob Dillingham is guarding Gainey and follows the Tennessee guard after the screen. That allows Knecht to get the step on Thiero and take the pass from Zeigler for the easy dunk.
Kentucky’s other two defenders on the play are non-factors. Aaron Bradshaw sticks with Tobe Awaka, who sets a screen for Gainey on the right side. Over in the left corner, Antonio Reeves is guarding Jahmai Mashack and never enters the lane.
After the dunk, ESPN play-by-play man Tom Hart remarks, “Georgia ate Kentucky up with a similar play in that game here at Rupp a couple of weeks ago.”
Remember, Georgia scored 61 points in the second half of what was a 105-96 Kentucky victory.
“Just a soft defensive play by Kentucky,” analyst Jimmy Dykes says. “Those plays will not be rewarded in this league.”
Tennessee’s second inbounds basket
Tennessee’s second execution of that play came with 12:41 left. Again, Zeigler is taking the ball out-of-bounds on the baseline to the right of the visitors’ basket. This time, Reeves is playing the inbounds man. Like Sheppard, Reeves has his back partially turned from Zeigler.
This time, Justin Edwards is guarding Knecht. Again, the screener is Gainey, who comes across the lane to screen Reeves at the right elbow. Again, Dillingham is guarding Gainey. Again, after Gainey sets the screen, Dillingham doesn’t switch. Edwards gets caught up in the bodies at the right elbow, leaving Knecht open to take the pass from Zeigler for the second slam, which was easier than the first.
The two non-factors this time are Ugonna Onyenso and Thiero. Onyenso is guarding Awaka, who takes a step away from the lane on the right side to draw out UK’s center. Over on the left side, Thiero is guarding Mashack. Thiero tries to close, and even makes a way-late slap at the ball after Knecht catches Zeigler’s pass.
After the ball goes through the net, an obviously frustrated Thiero gestures at his teammates.
“There he is,” Hart says as Knecht takes the pass. “Once again, a point-bank look.”
“How can you let that happen,” Dykes says. “You got to be physical, forcing to where your help is. In an exact same play, Knecht at the rim.”
Added Hart, “Georgia ate Kentucky up and in (UK’s) next game against South Carolina, the Gamecocks did the exact same thing. It has been a weakness for them on the baseline out-of-bounds all season.”
At UK’s media opportunity on Monday, I asked assistant coach Bruiser Flint what the Cats are supposed to do defensively on that play?
His answer was succinct.
“No communication,” the coach said. “That’s the bottom line.”
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