LSU-Kentucky Head into Round Two in Very Different Places and Plenty on the Line
LSU and Kentucky are in very different places compared to the last time these two programs went head to head on Jan. 4. The Tigers have cratered in the standings over the last month while the Wildcats have soared into the top 10.
There are many reasons for the recent trajectories of each program but for the Tigers it's been a struggle not just health wise but also in late game execution. This is a team that has really struggled with valuing the ball in crunch time situations, have fouled at an increasing rate and aren't knocking down free throws like they were at the beginning of the season.
In non-conference play LSU shot 76% from the free throw line but in SEC play that number has plummeted to 65%, something that has Wade perplexed at the significant drop off. It's part of the reason this team has struggled to finish games strong in the final six minutes.
Free throws is something that Wade and the team have put at the front of issues to fix, primarily because they've shown they can be a good free throw shooting team this season.
"We haven't been as solid as we need to be, we spend a lot of time working on it," Wade said. "We haven't made our free throws, we've committed a lot of poor fouls defensively, not solid on defense and some very costly turnovers. Gotta clean up the free throw shooting and valuing each possession when we get down the stretch."
The other components to the late game struggles have come through poor fouling defensively and of course the turnovers. LSU is committing around 18 turnovers a contest in SEC play and of the 15 that came at South Carolina on Saturday, nine were in the second half. Wade and his staff have breakdowns of all the turnovers and the team usually hovers around three charges per game.
The team also plays in transition about 37% of the time and turns the ball over on 22% of those possessions in transition, which is another three a game according to Wade's calculations. The other six are an amalgamation of kicking it off their feet, overthrowing passes out of bounds.
"The charges we've worked on that. We're working on changing our finishing and how we drive our feet in the ground," Wade said. "The transition stuff we've spent a ton of time on and for whatever reason we haven't been able to get it corrected. Those are the two largest categories."
LSU walks into Rupp Arena with giant hurdles to overcome. The No. 6 Wildcats are a perfect 16-0 at home this season and have won six of their last seven contests. There's a chance Kentucky could be without either of its starting guards in Tyty Washington and Sahvir Wheeler for this matchup, something LSU has a little bit of experience with this season.
Against the Tigers, Wheeler and Washington both went down with injuries and missed part of the game in Baton Rouge. But Kentucky is in a much different place since Jan. 4, playing its best basketball of the season even being a bit shorthanded.
With both Wheeler and Washington out over the weekend against Alabama, the Wildcats leaned heavily on Kellen Grady who scored a team high 25 points as well as Oscar Tshiebwe who put up 21 points and 14 rebounds, Keion Brooks and Jacob Toppin, all of whom played well at LSU in early January.
"We're gonna prepare as if both are playing," Wade said. "Grady is a phenomenal player, Toppin killed us here. They got Oscar, Brooks is an older guy, a junior. They've got plenty of very good players, older players. Whoever they put out there they're Kentucky for a reason."
LSU simply must string together a few wins over the last four remaining games to stay in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid. Wade and the Tigers know that with or without their two guards, the Wildcats have a bone to pick after a narrow defeat the last time these two teams clashed.
"They're going to be extremely motivated because we beat them here," Wade said. "We're gonna need to be together, be connected and extremely tight in communication defensively to give ourselves an opportunity."
