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Kentucky Must Continue to Improve Defensively to Defeat North Carolina

By Frank Spencer

Dec 17, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) shoots during a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at T-Mobile Arena. Kentucky won the game 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) shoots during a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at T-Mobile Arena. Kentucky won the game 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kentucky Basketball is slated to take on North Carolina in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

In a season of ups and down, Kentucky Basketball seems to have found themselves defensively. A tough defensive team is a must in order to win a National Championship. This Wildcat team seems to have come into their own and has begun to take pride on the defensive end of the floor.

In the win against UCLA, Kentucky made strong defensive stops on occasions and converted turnovers to points on the other end. It’s difficult to hold down a scoring attack like that of UCLA. The Cats just so happened to get great performances from the likes of De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Dominique Hawkins. Kentucky shot 10 of 23 from beyond the arc and forced 13 turnovers in order to pull out the win against Steve Alford’s high powered squad.

Defensive Effort

Things do not get easier for the Wildcats. Calipari’s squad is slated to take on the Tar Heels of North Carolina for a trip to the Final Four. In order for Kentucky to make the trip to Phoenix, the Cats must continue their efforts on the defensive side of the floor.

At this point, through three games in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky has forced 26 turnovers while blocking 19 shots. If the Cats can continue to improve defensively and guard the perimeter, they will put themselves in good shape in the matchup among blue bloods.

In addition, the Tar Heels are scoring at an average of 85 points per game. Coincidentally, Kentucky is averaging the same total. The difference in the teams is Kentucky’s defense gives up an average of 71 points per game. Likewise, Northern Carolina’s defense is sitting at 70 points per game.

The matchup may just come down to who can stop the other team on consecutive possessions. In order for the Cats to pull away from the Heels, they will need to be efficient on the offensive end. Also, limiting multi-shot possessions for the talent rich Carolina squad will be something to watch out for.

Defending Justin Jackson

North Carolina boasts a talented front court in the form of Justin Jackson, Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks. Jackson is the leading scorer of the Heels at 18.2 points per game. Finding someone to defend the junior foward will be key to ensuring a win on Sunday.

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Who will guard Jackson? The North Carolina star has made a name for himself with his smooth game. It’s not wise to expect Derek Willis to be given the task for the full 40 minutes. I look for Malik Monk or Isaiah Briscoe to be pushed to guard the 6-foot-8 scorer. With the ball in his hands so much, he will be a tough out for any Wildcat player to hold down for too long.

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