Jimcs50
03-17-2007, 08:46 AM
A&M numbers are numbing
Pitino says stats 'overpowering'
By Brian Bennett
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Given one day to prepare for his second-round NCAA Tournament opponent, University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino planned to watch as much film as possible on Texas A&M.
He hoped the video would show some areas to exploit during today's South Regional game in Rupp Arena, because on paper the third-seeded Aggies appear devastating.
"They're the most overpowering team I've seen since I've been a coach, from a statistical standpoint," Pitino said.
Pick a category, and you're likely to find the Aggies (26-6) near the leaders in NCAA Division I. They're second in field-goal percentage defense (.372) and fifth in field-goal shooting (50.1 percent). They stop the three better than all but five teams (29.4 percent) and shoot it better than all but two (50.1 percent). They're also sixth in assists (18 per game) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44).
"They have very few weaknesses, if any," U of L center David Padgett said. "That's why they've been in the top 10 all year and why everybody is saying they've got a legitimate shot to get to the Final Four."
If the No. 6-seeded Cardinals (24-9) want to get to the Sweet 16, they'll have to counter one of the most well-rounded teams in the tournament. That means they might have to play their best game of the season.
"You have to run your cuts to a 'T,' " sophomore forward Terrence Williams said. "Cut off their big men to a 'T.' Bring your hands to the ball. You've got to do all the little things -- the things people tend to go away from -- to try to compete with them."
The Aggies have the nation's leading three-point shooter in sophomore Josh Carter (51.6 percent). They have a pair of 6-foot-9, 250-pound forwards in Joseph Jones and Antanas Kavaliauskas, both of whom can rebound, score and put the ball on the floor. They have perhaps the nation's best point guard, and one of the best clutch players anywhere, in senior All-American Acie Law IV.
His last-minute heroics have become legendary in College Station. He has hit four three-pointers that have either tied or won games in the past six weeks.
His highlight might have come last month at Texas, when he drained a long three-pointer over Kevin Durant to force overtime, then made another one to send the game into a second overtime before the Aggies lost 98-96.
"In situations where we need to make a play, I know I need to be more aggressive and assert myself," Law said. "Not only just trying to get baskets, but putting pressure on defenses by getting into the lane."
Said teammate Jones: "He controls the game and does a good job getting everybody shots. Then when the time comes, he closes the game out for us."
The Cardinals also must be ready for a more rugged style than they're accustomed to. When asked to name the most physical team he saw this season, point guard Edgar Sosa answered Marquette.
"And Coach said they're like Marquette times 30," he said. "That's how physical A&M is. We just have to match their physicality and rebound the ball."
Marquette beat U of L in Freedom Hall and lost on Jerry Smith's last-second three-pointer in Milwaukee.
Pitino said his players won't wilt while being bumped on screens or pushed around in the paint.
"We have tough kids," he said. "When we have guys in our upper class, we'll hopefully be like them.
"But I think we'll be fine. We'll play as hard as we can play and understand that they're going to get some rebounds because they're a little more mature in some areas. We've got to do some things in other areas."
The Cards hope their pressure defense can work to their advantage, as it did in Thursday's 78-58 first-round rout of Stanford. They caused 21 turnovers in that game, converting them into 30 points.
The Aggies are a much better ballhandling team than Stanford, but in their six losses they averaged 15 turnovers compared with 11.9 in their victories.
"We haven't faced anybody who pressures the ball like them all season," Law said. "They force you to speed up and get out of your game. It's going to be a challenge for us."
U of L also figures to have a significant edge in depth. The Aggies typically use a seven-man rotation, while the Cards can go 10 or 11 deep now with the return of Juan Palacios. Texas A&M lost at least two starters to fouls in three of its losses.
The Cardinals' opponent is a statistical monster. Then again, if U of L can replicate its first-round performance, it can be scary, too.
"We have to be extremely prepared for this game," Padgett said. "But we're going to keep playing the way we have been. I don't think we need to go out there and do anything drastically different."
Brian Bennett can be reached at (502) 582-7177.
Pitino says stats 'overpowering'
By Brian Bennett
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Given one day to prepare for his second-round NCAA Tournament opponent, University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino planned to watch as much film as possible on Texas A&M.
He hoped the video would show some areas to exploit during today's South Regional game in Rupp Arena, because on paper the third-seeded Aggies appear devastating.
"They're the most overpowering team I've seen since I've been a coach, from a statistical standpoint," Pitino said.
Pick a category, and you're likely to find the Aggies (26-6) near the leaders in NCAA Division I. They're second in field-goal percentage defense (.372) and fifth in field-goal shooting (50.1 percent). They stop the three better than all but five teams (29.4 percent) and shoot it better than all but two (50.1 percent). They're also sixth in assists (18 per game) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44).
"They have very few weaknesses, if any," U of L center David Padgett said. "That's why they've been in the top 10 all year and why everybody is saying they've got a legitimate shot to get to the Final Four."
If the No. 6-seeded Cardinals (24-9) want to get to the Sweet 16, they'll have to counter one of the most well-rounded teams in the tournament. That means they might have to play their best game of the season.
"You have to run your cuts to a 'T,' " sophomore forward Terrence Williams said. "Cut off their big men to a 'T.' Bring your hands to the ball. You've got to do all the little things -- the things people tend to go away from -- to try to compete with them."
The Aggies have the nation's leading three-point shooter in sophomore Josh Carter (51.6 percent). They have a pair of 6-foot-9, 250-pound forwards in Joseph Jones and Antanas Kavaliauskas, both of whom can rebound, score and put the ball on the floor. They have perhaps the nation's best point guard, and one of the best clutch players anywhere, in senior All-American Acie Law IV.
His last-minute heroics have become legendary in College Station. He has hit four three-pointers that have either tied or won games in the past six weeks.
His highlight might have come last month at Texas, when he drained a long three-pointer over Kevin Durant to force overtime, then made another one to send the game into a second overtime before the Aggies lost 98-96.
"In situations where we need to make a play, I know I need to be more aggressive and assert myself," Law said. "Not only just trying to get baskets, but putting pressure on defenses by getting into the lane."
Said teammate Jones: "He controls the game and does a good job getting everybody shots. Then when the time comes, he closes the game out for us."
The Cardinals also must be ready for a more rugged style than they're accustomed to. When asked to name the most physical team he saw this season, point guard Edgar Sosa answered Marquette.
"And Coach said they're like Marquette times 30," he said. "That's how physical A&M is. We just have to match their physicality and rebound the ball."
Marquette beat U of L in Freedom Hall and lost on Jerry Smith's last-second three-pointer in Milwaukee.
Pitino said his players won't wilt while being bumped on screens or pushed around in the paint.
"We have tough kids," he said. "When we have guys in our upper class, we'll hopefully be like them.
"But I think we'll be fine. We'll play as hard as we can play and understand that they're going to get some rebounds because they're a little more mature in some areas. We've got to do some things in other areas."
The Cards hope their pressure defense can work to their advantage, as it did in Thursday's 78-58 first-round rout of Stanford. They caused 21 turnovers in that game, converting them into 30 points.
The Aggies are a much better ballhandling team than Stanford, but in their six losses they averaged 15 turnovers compared with 11.9 in their victories.
"We haven't faced anybody who pressures the ball like them all season," Law said. "They force you to speed up and get out of your game. It's going to be a challenge for us."
U of L also figures to have a significant edge in depth. The Aggies typically use a seven-man rotation, while the Cards can go 10 or 11 deep now with the return of Juan Palacios. Texas A&M lost at least two starters to fouls in three of its losses.
The Cardinals' opponent is a statistical monster. Then again, if U of L can replicate its first-round performance, it can be scary, too.
"We have to be extremely prepared for this game," Padgett said. "But we're going to keep playing the way we have been. I don't think we need to go out there and do anything drastically different."
Brian Bennett can be reached at (502) 582-7177.