One real thing we gleaned about Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Kansas after a loaded Champions Classic.
OAKLAND — The season has been dominated by Michigan State’s struggles from three points. But it isn’t the story; it is a story.
Twenty minutes from Tuesday’s Champions Classic revealed the dark side of a Michigan State offence gone bad. It also included a 20-minute demonstration of what would be possible for a turnaround.
In a first half defined by bricks, Michigan State tried thirty-one attempts. There were only six near the rim. Four baskets. Two baskets. That is all.
That simply must alter for the Spartans to play at their highest level of offensive efficiency. Despite having the fewest baskets at the rim of any Big Ten team the previous season, Michigan State’s jump shooting was exceptionally efficient.
Yes, Michigan State lost against Duke 74–65. Indeed, following a disappointing 1-2 start (or 1-3 if you consider the charity exhibition that didn’t seem like an exhibition loss to Tennessee), there is a genuine sense of apprehension in East Lansing.
But Michigan State appeared to make a mental turnabout during the last 20 minutes. Working the ball inside takes time and patience. Ballistics requires energy to drive. Michigan State started to exhibit some of it, even if only briefly. The ball began to move in the direction that it should. A 45-point explosion resulted from 14 of Michigan State’s 32 attempts that found their way to the rim. Even if it arrived a little later than expected, Tyson Walker’s frenzy materialised. But in order to help AJ Hoggard escape one of the worst three-game slumps of his career, Malik Hall and Jaden Akins must apply rim pressure.
Perhaps it was an anomaly. Perhaps it was a fresh beginning. Let’s find out soon enough.
AJ Hoggard entered the locker room after the game and exuded confidence. He promised to improve. Tom Izzo believes that this team still has a chance to reach the high expectations set forth in the preseason.
Izzo casually remarked, “I think we got a damn good team,” at his press conference after the game. “I genuinely do. Our play hasn’t been particularly excellent. Our play hasn’t been particularly excellent. We are going to perform well.
Without the drives, it is not possible.
RELATED: 100 fast reflections on 100 Division I basketball teams
These are the things we discovered after watching Tuesday’s Champions Classic, in which Kansas defeated Kentucky 89-84.
The NBA can wait, according to Duke coach Jon Scheyer. The forecasts. The draught mockups. The talks about the lottery. Everything can wait. In the long, hard road leading up to March, he wants his gifted Duke club to savour the small moments and live in the present.
Nevertheless, Duke provided some evidence as to why it might have a high ceiling in the Big Dance.
Duke wants to win a title. It requires six victories in six distinct methods.
The Caleb Foster game was on Tuesday.
This proof of concept for the five-star rookie can be a major asset going forward in mid-November as well as in the anticipated Round of 32 battle that Duke will be involved in.
A total of 18 points. 16 in the latter part. Four massive treys.
Scheyer remarked, “What Caleb did tonight, he won us the game,” before making light of Ryan Young and Kyle Filipowski, two big men for Duke, saying they shouldn’t feel guilty because they had done some “OK things too.”
Duke has such a high ceiling because of that formula.
With the Filipowski game, Duke can prevail. We’ve already seen a Tyrese Proctor game in March. Jeremy Roach can win a game for Duke. Foster’s game can win for Duke. Mark Mitchell and Jared McCain have the power to win a game by themselves.
Duke still has a ways to go, but because to its depth and adaptability, the championship mettle is beginning to show. College basketball elites are envious of a frontline combo that includes Filipowski, Mitchell, Ryan Young, and Sean Stewart. However, this backcourt is just plain evil. Although Roach, Proctor, McCain, and Foster are unlikely to be able to play together, they significantly raise Duke’s ceiling.
To win six distinct games, you need six different strategies. Prince has it.
“These guys don’t get this time back,” Scheyer said. “If you throw yourself into winning, good things will happen. Every high school player in the country should follow what he’s done the last two games because it’s what it’s all about, the attitude, the mindset, the work, he’s crushed it.”
KENTUCKY’S FIGHT TO STAY ‘RANDOM’
During the news conference following the game, John Calipari said something that might be easily overlooked.
“Strange.”
Kentucky intends to play in that manner in 2023–2024. It’s challenging to scout and even more so to guard random. Randomness offers a certain freedom. The randomness contains chaos.
Both were evident in Kentucky’s five-point setback to top-ranked Kansas.
Kansas was forced to scramble in the first half by Kentucky’s onslaught. Kansas had actual, genuine fits from the tempo and pace Kentucky’s guards were able to bring to the game. Rob Dillingham had a 16-point heater that was quite unique. Due to wayward balls, Kentucky defeated Kansas. It appeared youthful, brisk, and unconcerned. In the first half, nine 3-pointers were made by Kentucky. It made more attempts than any other game in 2017 against Kansas (38).
This is new and different. But Kentucky is far from a finished product.
Kentucky needs its healthy big men to reach its ceiling. If Kentucky runs into Kansas again in March, Aaron Bradshaw, Zvonimir Ivisic and/or Ugonna Onyenso could help the Jayhawks shoot worse than 20-for-30 on layups and dunks.
But the tube of toothpaste is empty. Hopefully you can push it back. Kentucky’s ability to be unpredictable is genuine and has potential. With five minutes remaining, this young squad had built a six-point lead, but they are unable to turn the ball over on consecutive possessions. This young club needs to figure out how to get rid of its arsenal of stupid fouls. This young group needs to strike the correct mix of order and anarchy.
This is a young team with a tonne of potential.
With DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards combined for a meagre 1-for-18 shooting percentage from the field with Reeves missed 14 of his 17 (!) 3-pointers, Kentucky forced a war with Kansas. Adou Thiero, Reed Sheppard, and Dillingham were outstanding. When Sheppard, Dillingham, or Thiero don’t have it, good evenings are in store for Wagner and Edwards. Basketball is that. It’s arbitrary.
Even when its big men are well, Kentucky will never be able to change its ways.
Coach Bill Self of KU commented, “We thought that they would spread us and drive us, and they spread us and drove us.” “If we don’t improve our ball defending, the results won’t always be satisfactory. I enjoy their group. Tre playing the 5 makes them difficult to guard, in my opinion. When he plays the five, they are difficult to guard. However, it will be a formidable team to contend with once Bradshaw or any of their other players, particularly their big men, return. Cal has a great group of people.
The randomness wager paid off. Calipari may need to put more effort into it.
Leave a Reply