Cinci and Kilpatrick

[bleeny72]

Great game last night and a big road litmus test coming up. Cincinnati is not explosive, but they are solid and grind all game.

My big question is who guards Kilpatrick?

He is a GREAT college player. He plays the 2, but is much bigger than Boat and Bazz at 6'4" 210 lbs.

Do we put Kromah on him and try to move Shabazz onto one of their forwards? Kromah is, in my opinion, the best on ball defender since Ricky Moore and could try and stop Kilpatrick.

Do you see an early game plan of pounding it down low and penetration to try and create foul trouble and get Caupain in the game quickly for 3 guard lineups from Cinci (a Jim Calhoun strategy in every big game of his career).

Want to hear some thoughts. Let's get another W and keep this big play rolling.

 

[UChusky916]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Giffey or Kromah on Kilpatrick.

Will be interesting to see if Deandre plays or not.

 

[caw]

He's tall and strong but I think both Boat and Napier get some time on him.

 

[tcf15]

Does anyone remember who was guarding him in last year's games? That might be a good indicator, but I do expect to see Kromah on him.

 

[caw]

Does anyone remember who was guarding him in last year's games? That might be a good indicator, but I do expect to see Kromah on him.

I want to say Calhoun, but I'm going off memory.

 

[storrsroars]

I don't think you're going to see Bazz on him much. A big part of Kilpatrick's game is driving and slashing inside to draw fouls, a quality we really haven't seen on our side since Ben Gordon. Hopefully Brimah and Kromah get some schooling on how to properly take a charge over the next week.

Cincy has a distinct knack for taking an opponent out of its game, whatever that game is.

 

[James]

I don't think you're going to see Bazz on him much. A big part of Kilpatrick's game is driving and slashing inside to draw fouls, a quality we really haven't seen on our side since Ben Gordon. Hopefully Brimah and Kromah get some schooling on how to properly take a charge over the next week.

Cincy has a distinct knack for taking an opponent out of its game, whatever that game is.

Napier gets to the line more than kilpatrick and gets more 2PT FGs. those two rangy forwards scare me more, especially justin Jackson. Kilpatrick will have his work cut out being guarded by a bigger athlete in kromah

 

[phillionaire]

I feel like Kilpatrick has been at Cincy for 7 years

 

[James]

That's the same running joke with Napier on social media. Kilpatrick is a redshirt I think though

I feel like Kilpatrick has been at Cincy for 7 years

 

[upstater]

That's the same running joke with Napier on social media. Kilpatrick is a redshirt I think though

Yeah, but, Kilpatrick really is 24 years old.

Shabazz is 22, like other seniors.

 

[champs99and04]

Usually when you're game planning to stop a great player, it's not just one player that draws the assignment. The best plan of attack is to rotate a bunch of fresh bodies in and out, giving him a lot of different looks. My hunch is Kromah spends the most time on him - Kilpatrick is exactly the type of player Kromah came to UConn to guard. What makes Kilpatrick so difficult to guard is his combination of quickness and strength. He has the skill set of a two, but the body of a three. Kromah is similarly built, at least from a defensive standpoint. He has the quickness to force Kilpatrick into contested jumpers and the strength to keep him from getting to the rim. Giffey will also spend a lot of time on him - as good as Kromah is as a one on one defender, Giffey might be better. I talked a lot over the summer about how good Giffey was as a defender. This year, his off-ball defense and over-helping tendencies have forced me to reign in the praise a little bit, but his man-to-man defense remains stout.

Of course, Cincinnati plays bigger than most teams, which complicates things a bit. Titus Rubles, Shaquille Thomas, and Justin Jackson all stand at 6'7 or taller, meaning if Giffey or Kromah are going to spend a lot of time on Kilpatrick, we'll have to see some bigger lineups than we're accustomed to, with Kromah at the two. This is the most interesting tactical proposition Ollie will have to deal with - does he go big to match up with Cincinnati, and perhaps avoid a plastering on the glass (which is my biggest worry), or does he trot out his best five?

If there is anything in UConn's favor, it's that Cincinnati's offense is predicated more on dribble penetration and second chance points than it is post offense. Cincinnati has an ultra-athletic front line, and Justin Jackson might be one of the most underrated players in the country at this point, but Jackson and Shquille Thomas are not players that are going to create their own offense consistently, which gives UConn the luxury of switching a lot on the perimeter (Jackson is also a 49% free throw shooter, so there's no reason to let him close to the rim without fouling) without paying the price. I'm guessing we'll see a lot of Napier-Boatright-Kromah-Giffey alignments with Daniels still recovering from the high ankle sprain (even if he plays, his mobility may be limited, which could be a death sentence against this team).

 

[James]

They are very active on the glass, but they also give up a ton of second chance opportunities. This is a winnable game if we bring intensity from the jump.

 

[mauconnfan]

I worry most about Jackson. He is active on the boards both ends and we need to keep him away form the basket. While everyone is worried about their size they may be worried about how our guards can give them fits. A weird team who has playmakers but not a lot of solid ball handlers…….bazz and Boat, as well as Lasan can give them fits in half court with their pesty defense…….

Rebound, rebound, rebound and the Huskies will be in good shape and in it all game. Don't get physically intimidated and make some shots, this is going to be a good one!

 

[BoatShow]

Our thin dudes up front did pretty well vs the brawn of Houston last night.

 

[kobe]

Yeah, but, Kilpatrick really is 24 years old.

Shabazz is 22, like other seniors.

He went to prep school and then was stuck behind Lance Stephenson his freshman year so he redshirted. Cincinnati has a guy turn 18 during the season and a guy turn 24 during the season. That is crazy.

As for the team, what makes them special is the fact that all 5 starts can switch every ball screen and the 2 big men, Rubles and Jackson, can guard perimeter players. Mick put Titus Rubles on Russ Smith for large stretches of the game. The main weakness this UC team has is quality post players. UC doesn't play a guy bigger than 6' 8'' (I don't know if Jackson is even that tall).

Do you guys have a good post game?

 

[upstater]

He went to prep school and then was stuck behind Lance Stephenson his freshman year so he redshirted. Cincinnati has a guy turn 18 during the season and a guy turn 24 during the season. That is crazy.

As for the team, what makes them special is the fact that all 5 starts can switch every ball screen and the 2 big men, Rubles and Jackson, can guard perimeter players. Mick put Titus Rubles on Russ Smith for large stretches of the game. The main weakness this UC team has is quality post players. UC doesn't play a guy bigger than 6' 8'' (I don't know if Jackson is even that tall).

Do you guys have a good post game?

No post game. I suspect that if UConn can hit its 3s, they may be able to take advantage of Cincy's aggression by driving and kicking out. Again, a lot will even depend on shooting for UConn. Or even if Daniels plays. You'll have to find Napier, Giffey and Daniels at all times. Boatright and Kromah can drive and kick.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I feel like Kilpatrick has been at Cincy for 7 years

I agree. I'd also like to see Justin Jackson's birth certificate he looks 35

 

[kobe]

No post game. I suspect that if UConn can hit its 3s, they may be able to take advantage of Cincy's aggression by driving and kicking out. Again, a lot will even depend on shooting for UConn. Or even if Daniels plays. You'll have to find Napier, Giffey and Daniels at all times. Boatright and Kromah can drive and kick.

Napier still gives me nightmares from that game a few years ago when he hit like 3-4 three's from 25 feet. He was pretty good against us last year too. Can't wait until he graduates...lol.

 

[mauconnfan]

Napier still gives me nightmares from that game a few years ago when he hit like 3-4 three's from 25 feet. He was pretty good against us last year too. Can't wait until he graduates...lol.

I'm kinda hoping he stays until he's 24 like Kilpatrick! LOL…….

 

[BFieldHusky]

Watching Cincy today, they rely more on Kilpatrick than we do with Shabazz. Their offense is very basic and limited in the halfcourt. They don't have a lot of guys who can get off their own shot.

As much as people will talk this week about how good Cincy's defense is (and it is good) I think the key to the game will be how we handle Kilpatrick. I don't see UConn scoring 75 points in this game, but you never know what can happen if we get hot from 3. But I think we can hold Cincy to 60 points or below in this game. We have a good defense. If we can hold them into the high 50s, low 60s, we don't have to play a great game offensively to win.

 

[kobe]

Cincinnati and South Florida always play these sorts of rock fight/eye sore games. I'll take take a win whenever we play USF.

 

[gtcam]

USF can give UCONN fits

 

[arnie3]

Looking back at last years game in Ohio (a 61-56 loss) the team obviously had no Napier and just had lost a double overtime game to the Hoya's. The box score shows that DD and Boat played 79 of their allotted 80 minutes, and scored 40 of the 56 points. UC had 10 steals and only 8 turnovers. Kilpatrick had 20 but was 4-13 from 3. The rebounds were even (41), but UC had 18 offensive rebounds.UConn actually held them to 31% shooting and still lost, probably because they shot 2-18 from 3. Uconn was winning by five at the half but could not hold the lead. It was a tremendous effort with really only 5 guys playing more than 15 minutes.
What I expect this year is another low scoring grind it out game. Last year it was a coming out for Nolan, maybe this year it'll be AB!

 

[kobe]

Looking back at last years game in Ohio (a 61-56 loss) the team obviously had no Napier and just had lost a double overtime game to the Hoya's. The box score shows that DD and Boat played 79 of their allotted 80 minutes, and scored 40 of the 56 points. UC had 10 steals and only 8 turnovers. Kilpatrick had 20 but was 4-13 from 3. The rebounds were even (41), but UC had 18 offensive rebounds.UConn actually held them to 31% shooting and still lost, probably because they shot 2-18 from 3. Uconn was winning by five at the half but could not hold the lead. It was a tremendous effort with really only 5 guys playing more than 15 minutes.
What I expect this year is another low scoring grind it out game. Last year it was a coming out for Nolan, maybe this year it'll be AB!

That Cincinnati team was scuffling down the stretch with our PG Cashmere Wright with a bad knee and shoulder. In fact, that team was really lucky to even make the tournament. UC will be fired up to play UConn because we don't get many chances to play good teams anymore. Connecticut doesn't have an advantage from a match-up stand point since you guys don't have big guys that score a lot, however Napier and Boatwright are really quick guards plus you guys shoot the three pretty well. I am expecting a good game, if UC can contain those two guys and make them volume scorers, they should win however Napier is capable of beating UC by himself.

Of the top teams in the conference UConn and Cincinnati won @ Memphis, Louisville won @ UConn and Memphis and Cincinnati won @ Louisville. Weird season from the top squads so a UConn win would not surprise me at all. Hopefully you guys get to the top 25, so we can have two ranked teams going at it on Thursday. It is scheduled to be a blackout in 5th 3rd Bank Arena!!!