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Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009

UK notebook: 'D' is key to Cal's success

Vitale: 'These kids have been Dribbling and driving all their lives'

Despite the hubbub about Kentucky players needing to adjust to the dribble-drive offense, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas says there's a bigger — and more important — adjustment the Wildcats must make for new coach John Calipari this season.

"I think that biggest adjustment will be on defense," Bilas said on an ESPN teleconference last week. "Cal's teams won over the years not because of offense."

Statistics support Bilas' contention.

None of Calipari's last four teams at Memphis ranked among the nation's top 100 in three-point accuracy. Memphis famously did not shoot a high percentage from the free-throw line, either.

Yet the Tigers won and won.

"The reason Memphis won, and won at such a high level, was because they defended so well, collectively and individually," Bilas said. "That's where they laid a foundation."

Calipari's last four Memphis teams ranked second, 12th, 12th and first nationally in field-goal defense. Opponents made less than 40 percent of their shots in each of those four seasons.

Bilas explained why defense — and not the dribble-drive — is the bigger adjustment.

Defense is "one of the hardest things to get freshmen to understand," the ESPN analyst said. The difficulty lies in getting players to understand how hard they must play defensively and how the defense must be a collective effort.

Another ESPN analyst, Dick Vitale, agreed with Bilas and predicted Kentucky will play well defensively.

"Because Cal will not have it any other way," Vitale said on the teleconference.

After Kentucky beat Morehead State in Friday's opener, Calipari repeatedly emphasized the need to improve defensively. Morehead State made only 38.5 percent of its shots (16.7 percent from three-point range). Yet Calipari said, "When I watch the tape, I'll be sick."

He lamented lack of defensive discipline: not staying in a stance, not taking enough pride in defense.

In an earlier interview, the inventor of the dribble-drive, Vance Walberg, suggested the offense will take time to master but should not be a foreign concept to players.

"Most kids can drive the basketball," Walberg said. "What happens is, we coaches don't open gaps for them to drive."

Vitale all but scoffed at the notion of a difficult adjustment to the dribble-drive.

"So much has been made of getting acclimated to the dribble-drive," he said. "These kids have been dribbling and driving all their lives."

But playing defense the way Calipari wants will take, in his words, a change of culture.

"Surrender to how you have to play for us," the UK coach said he told players. "Don't argue. Don't fight it."

Meeks' record falls

Arkansas guard Rotnei Clarke's 51-point performance Friday night broke several records, including Jodie Meeks' record for points in Bud Walton Arena. Meeks set the record with 45 points at Arkansas last season.

Clarke set an Arkansas record for points and the school and Southeastern Conference records for three-point baskets in a game with 13.

"He threw us on his back tonight and just had an unbelievable performance," Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey said after the game. "I haven't seen a better shooting performance than that. That was really, really remarkable."

Also noteworthy was the attendance. Only 7,713 attended.

"I had no idea about the records," Clarke said. "It was just fun being able to get a win.

"To be honest with you, I don't even care about any records that I broke. It was just being able to come out here and play well as a team and seeing guys' unselfishness, celebrating with me."

Clarke's performance lifted a basketball program that has endured a tumultuous off-season that included five players being suspended to start this season. Foot injuries sidelined a sixth player, forward Michael Sanchez.

Then All-SEC senior forward Michael Washington went to the bench 36 seconds into the game after picking up two fouls.

Clarke made his first seven three-point shots to spark a one-sided victory.

"Phenomenal, that's unbelievable," Pelphrey said of Clarke's game. "But, in a way, I'm not surprised because we see him shoot so much, work so hard, understand the type of human being he is.