It’s been a crazy season in college hoops. From the undefeated season of Kentucky to the downfall of the defending champion Huskies not making the dance to defend their title, this year’s tournament is bound to be a good one. Teams such as UCLA and Texas are sending thank you letters to the committee after being selected in over other competitors such as Colorado St and Temple. While as always, lower seeds are out to make a name for themselves. To make the run and crash the party at the Sweet 16 and possibly Final Four. There isn’t a perfect formula to predicting the madness; one hot-shooter or tricky game-plan devised by the brilliance of a mastermind at head coach can send a favorite home at anytime. We’ve seen it all, 12s defeat 5s, same for 13, 14, and even 15 seeds. While yet to see a 16 seed upend a 1 seed, everyone still must remember that anything is possible. This is March, a month of unforgettable moments and unpredictable outcomes. However, there are ways to prepare yourself for the madness. Here is an analysis of each and every team in the tournament this year:
Notes:
-Simple, quick notes about each team rather than drastic and long explanations
-Some teams have more coverage than others (watched more of some teams than others)
-Game plans are not thorough, but rather simple quick suggestions
-Some teams will play at a different pace or style in the tournament
-Nothing is an automatic in March
1.Duke
2.Northern Florida
3.Robert Morris
4.San Diego St
5.St Johns
6.Utah
7.Stephen F Austin
8.Georgetown
9.Eastern Washington
10.SMU
11.UCLA
12.Iowa St
13.UAB
14.Iowa
15.Davidson
16.Gonzaga
17.North Dakota St
1.Duke
Name to know: Jahlil Okafor
Strengths:
-three point shooting
-guard production
-balance
-inside out play
-penetration
-playmaking
-transition offense
-ball movement
-taking care of the ball
Weaknesses:
-lack of elite quickness in their back court on defense
-rim protection
-defensive rebounding
-from court depth
-overall depth
-Winslow’s consistency
-free throw shooting
-post threat outside of Okafor
Notables:
-inside out
-dribble drive and kick
-3 out to 4 out
-will switch 1 through 4
-man to man, but will go to a 2-3 zone
-will press (run and jump)
-share and move the ball
How to beat them:
-attack the basket. Attack Okafor
-send Okafor and Winslow to the line
-keep eye out for Winslow
-attack the offensive glass
-throw different looks at them
-close out the game
-attack their back court defenders
-force overloads in their zone
- North Florida
Name to know: Dallas Moore
Strengths:
-shooting
-three point shooting
-balance
-play fast
-perimeter defense
Weaknesses:
-creating turnovers
-getting to the line
-consistent defense
-fouling
Notables:
-quick
-well balanced
-man to man mostly
-strategic switching
-fundamentally sound
How you beat them:
-limit their possessions
-pound the glass and down low
-be patient
-press them
-move ball around and attack
- Robert Morris
Name to know: Marcquise Reed
Strengths:
-defense
-aggressive
-creating turnovers
-three point shooting
Weaknesses:
-offense
-turnovers
-lack of ball movement
-poor flow
Notables:
-dribble penetration
-aggressive 2-3 matchup zone
-play the passing lanes, will gamble
How you beat them:
-play fast
-don’t allow them to set up in the half court
-pressure the wings
-switch ball screens
-stunt and recover at drivers
- San Diego St
Name to know: JJ O’Brien
Strengths:
-defense
-physical
-control tempo
-rebounding
-creating turnovers
-not fouling
-perimeter defense
Weaknesses:
-offensive production
-reliable scorer
-playmaking
-half court offense stability
Notables:
-attack the basket
-physical man to man
-will use a zone press
How to beat them:
-make them shoot
-sit Lane protected
-sag off and help
-watch basket and backdoor cuts
-keep them in the half court
-double/front the post
-take away driving opportunities
- St Johns
Name to know: D’Angelo Harrison
Strengths:
-balanced
-rim protection
-not fouling
-taking care of the ball
-perimeter defense
Weaknesses:
-depth
-getting to the line
-three point shooting
-creating turnovers
-paint defense outside of Obekpa (who is suspended for two weeks)
Notables:
-fast
-against zone they aim to get ball to the high post
-willing to go to a matchup zone
– man to man
-will press at times
How to beat them:
-spread them out
-attack the basket
-make them shoot
-slow the game down
-keep them in the half court
-zone at times, but try your best to deny the high post
-attack back court and make them tired
- Utah
Name to know: Delon Wright
Strengths:
-size (back court too)
-defense
-rebounding
-physical
-getting to the line
-taking care of the ball
-pick and roll play
-playmaking
Weaknesses:
-creating turnovers
-fouling
-athleticism
-consistent scoring options
Notables:
-pick and roll heavy
-high-lo play
-man to man
-play the passing lanes
How to beat them:
-attack repeatedly
-vary pick and roll coverage on basis of scouting report
-spread them out
-be patient
-don’t force anything
-sit lane protected against Wright
-tag Poeltl on the roll every time he dives
- Stephen F Austin
Name to know: Jacob Parker/Thomas Walkup
Strengths:
-defense
-creating turnovers
-balance
-offensive efficiency
-three point shooting
-depth
Weaknesses:
-fouling
-taking care of the ball
-defense relies on turnovers
Notables:
-balanced
-move ball around
-beautiful motion
-vigorous full court man to man
-thrive off turnovers
How to beat them:
-take care of the ball
-slow the pace
-attack the glass
-handle the pressure
-drive and draw fouls
- Georgetown
Name to know: D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera
Strength:
-depth
-getting to the line
-defense
-attacking the glass
-rim protection
Weaknesses:
-three point shooting
-free throw shooting
-offensive flow without Rivera in
-taking care of the ball
-creating turnovers
-fouling
Notables:
-Princeton offense
-read and react
-will post DSR up down low
-man to man
-zone with looks to trap (short corner)
How to beat them:
-attack DSR and drain him out
-don’t pressure wings
-be patient
-control pace
-protect the glass
-spread them out
-press them to gain control of tempo
- Eastern Washington
Name to know: Tyler Harvey
Strengths:
-offensive firepower
-go to scorer
-capable secondary options
-shooting
-perimeter scoring
-size
-creating mismatches due to size
-drawing two off Harvey’s pick and rolls
-taking care of the ball
Weaknesses:
-perimeter defense
-getting to the line
-creating turnovers
-fouling
-avoiding teams going on runs
-controlling tempo
Notables:
-spread the floor
-many possessions
-outside oriented
-man to man. Use length to contest and play lanes
-strategic switching
How to beat them:
-run them off the line
-make them finish over secondary defenders
-limit their possessions
-create turnovers
-throw different looks at Harvey (maybe even junk defense for a few possessions)
-hedge on pick and roll
- SMU
Name to know: Nic Moore
Strengths:
-fluid motion and sets
-defense
-playmaking
-playing fast
-getting to the line
-not fouling
-depth
Weaknesses:
-playmaking outside of Moore
-consistently creating turnovers
-taking care of the ball
-consistent perimeter defense
Notables:
-Horns, Iverson-cut action
-move ball around
-in and out
-man to man with little zone at times
How you beat them:
-keep them out of transition
-attack Moore, get him in foul trouble
-pressure them
-down their side screens
-be patient
- UCLA
Name to know: Norman Powell
Strengths:
-like to play fast
-balanced scoring
-inside presence
-getting on runs
-offense
-not fouling
Weaknesses:
-depth
-defense
-getting to the line
-creating turnovers
-perimeter defense
Notables:
-inside oriented
-shots at the rim
-ball screen continuity
-man to man, 3-2 zone, and zone press
How to beat them:
-slow them down
-be patient
-make them shoot
-attack them from the perimeter
-control tempo
-get them in foul trouble
- Iowa St
Name to know: Georges Niang
Strengths:
-offense
-taking care of the ball
-moving the ball around
-three point shooting
-creating mismatches
-playmaking
-not fouling
Weaknesses:
-rebounding
-size
-don’t create turnovers
-perimeter defense
-getting to the line
Notables:
-invert offense at times
-look to create mismatches for Niang, then isolate him
-play fast
-double drag screens in transition
-man to man
-don’t pressure
-have used a matchup zone this season
How you beat them:
-slow them down
-May have to go smaller
-attack the glass
-spread them out
-get to the free throw line
-don’t let Niang get the ball in the middle of the floor
- UAB
Name to know: Robert Brown
Strengths:
– athleticism
-balance
– go to scorer
-perimeter defense
-free throw shooting
-depth
Weaknesses:
-consistency on both ends
-getting to the line
-fouling
-creating turnovers
-taking car of the ball
Notables:
-move ball around
-rely on Brown
-man to man
-will got to 2-3 zone
How to beat them:
-speed them up and turn them over
-swarm Brown (blitz) and make others create opportunities
-pressure the
-attack the basket relentlessly
- Iowa
Name to know: Aaron White
Strengths:
-balance
-can play inside out
-depth
-viable secondary options
-go to guy
-perimeter defense
-not fouling
-taking care of the ball
Weaknesses:
-creating turnovers
-three point shooting
-getting to the line
-getting overpowered down low
Notables:
-motion offense
-move ball around well
-more inside oriented
-man to man
-1-2-2 three quarters court press
-matchup zone at times
How you beat them:
-be patient
-play fast and try to turn them over
-attack the glass
-attack the basket (spread them out)
-get to the line
-smother White when he gets touches down low
- Davidson
Name to know: Tyler Kalinowski
Strengths:
-three point shooting
-off ball movement
-perimeter scoring
-spacing
-screening and cutting
-passing
-fluid motion
-offensive efficiency
-take care of the ball
-secondary break
Weaknesses:
-size
-paint defense
-struggle against athletic front courts
-don’t create turnovers
-don’t get to the line
-fouling
Notables:
-prolific motion offense
-two screeners, two cutters, and a facilitator
-ball is centered with two actions on each side
-inverts the offense by scissoring off the high post in a flow (2-3 high) set
-man to man, will go to a zone
How you beat them:
-exploit their lack of size
-attack paint and the basket
-run them off the line
-pound the offensive glass
-switch on screens
- Gonzaga
Name to know: Kyle Wiltjer
Strengths:
-three point shooting
-pick and roll play
-balance
-creating matchup problems
-size
-depth
-bench contributions
Weaknesses:
-pick and roll defense
-protecting the rim
-perimeter defense outside of Bell
-getting to the line
-creating turnovers
Notables:
-3 out to 4 out
-good spacing
-pick and roll play
-inside out
-man to man mostly
How you beat them:
-control tempo
-play fast and spread them out
-put Karnowski in ball screen defense repeatedly
-attack Pangos when he is on defense
-make Bell create
-down ball screens
-stay close to Wiltjer
- North Dakota St
Name to know: Lawrence Alexander
Strengths:
-three point shooting
-spacing
-taking care of the ball
-consistent offense
-not fouling
Weaknesses:
-depth
-perimeter defense
-creating turnovers
-getting to the line
Notables:
-dribble weave set a lot
-penetration to drive and kicks
-man to man
-don’t gamble much
How to beat them:
-attack the glass
-run them off the line
-bring two to Alexander
-control tempo and at faster
-turn them over
-attack Alexander when he is on defense
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