Texas Tech basketball: Scouting the Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky blocks a ton of shots
If the Red Raider shots from 3-point range aren’t falling, they will have to make up the difference at the rim. The problem is that the Wildcats rank 25 in the nation in blocked shots.
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Having blocked 93, they average 5.1 per game. That’s more than any team in the Big 12.
6-foot-11 forward Nick Richards leads the way with 2.4 rejections per game. He’s complemented by 6-foot-10 E.J. Montgomery, who averages 1.1.
In his last four games, Richards has averaged 3.5 blocks per game. That included five against Arkansas. What’s more, he had a season-high seven against Lamar.
In Tech’s three Big 12 losses, the Red Raiders have had 13 shots blocked, an average of 4.3 per game. What’s been even worse has been the fact that the Red Raiders have frequently appeared to be intimidated into bad shots or into making needless passes in order to avoid having more of their shots rejected.
It would be more beneficial for the Red Raiders to attack opposing big men by initiating contact when shooting, especially when the defender is in the air. But too often, the Red Raiders will shoot fall-away shots or will simply avoid shooting all together when confronted by a shot-blocker at the rim.
That can’t continue on Saturday. It would behoove the Red Raiders to get Richards in foul trouble early by going right at him, even if he blocks a few shots.