Rider (2-1) @ Kentucky (3-0) -- Pregame Analysis

by Truzenzuzex on Nov 21, 2009 11:18 AM EST in Baseball Comment 9 comments

Today at 1:00 PM, the Broncs of Rider University invade Rupp Arena for the second round game of the Cancun Classic.

Here is some basic information about Rider, courtesy of the Rider Athletics site:

Location	Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Nickname/Colors	Broncs/Cranberry, White, Gray
Founded	1865
Enrollment	6,084 (4,857 undergraduate)
Affiliations	NCAA Division I, ECAC
Conference	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
Head Coach	Tommy Dempsey 609-896-5329 / 4th Season
	(Susquehanna '97) (Bloomsburg '05)
Overall Record/Yrs. Completed (Head Coach)	58-39 / (3)
Overall Record/Yrs. Completed	146-51 / (8)
2008-09 Overall Record	19-13
2008-09 Conference Record/Finish	12-6/3rd
Postseason	MAAC Tournament Semifinals
	College Insider.com Tournament Participant
Letterwinners Returning/Lost	8/4
Starters Returning/Lost	4/1

More after the jump

Team analysis and Four Factors (Data by Kenpom.com)

Statistic	Kentucky		Rider
Category	Offense	Defense	Offense	Defense	D-I Avg
Adj. Efficiency:	103.0 [124]	102.0 [190]	105.9 [106]	121.3 [292]	99.2
Adj. Tempo:	69.4 [171]	69.8	73.2 [110]	69.8
Four Factors
Effective FG%:	59.7 [19]	50.3 [192]	54.4 [67]	51.4 [214]	48.5
Turnover %:	28.8 [317]	18.3 [255]	18.7 [94]	18.2 [258]	21.4
Off. Reb. %:	48.7 [8]	28.8 [85]	27.3 [272]	33.6 [178]	33.4
FTA/FGA:	49.1 [65]	22.6 [31]	32.6 [220]	30.4 [99]	38.2
Miscellaneous Components
3P%:	40.4 [73]	42.0 [281]	48.5 [17]	38.5 [242]	33.6
2P%:	59.3 [20]	39.2 [43]	42.3 [256]	47.9 [166]	47.7
FT%:	64.2 [227]	69.8 [189]	58.9 [296]	62.5 [83]	68.1
Block%:	5.3 [71]	26.5 [4]	11.5 [243]	9.2 [143]	9.3
Steal%:	13.7 [300]	8.2 [214]	7.6 [85]	8.6 [202]	9.8
Style Components
3PA/FGA:	31.5 [174]	46.3 [331]	39.5 [65]	35.3 [225]	32.4
A/FGM:	50.0 [184]	61.0 [270]	59.7 [82]	61.0 [269]	52.9
Defensive Fingerprint:	Some Zone		Inconclusive
Point Distribution (% of total points)
3-Pointers:	25.3 [173]	50.2 [4]	45.0 [10]	33.5 [64]	26.5
2-Pointers:	53.8 [153]	36.2 [332]	40.0 [306]	50.9 [186]	52.4
Free Throws:	20.9 [170]	13.6 [296]	15.0 [289]	15.6 [275]	21.2
Strength of Schedule
Components:	95.8 [187]	106.6 [233]	86.0 [275]	94.8 [122]	99.2
Overall:	0.2260 [227]	.5000	0.2463 [222]	.5000
Non-conference:	0.2260 [227]	.5000	0.2463 [222]	.5000
Personnel
Bench Minutes:	0.0% [0]	0.0%	0.0% [0]	0.0%
Experience:	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00
Effective Height:	+0.0 [0]	0.0	+0.0 [0]	0.0
Average Height:	0.0" [0]	0.0"	0.0" [0]	0.0"

Rider Broncs Basketball Roster

	#	Pos.	Comment	W	H	College
Novar Gadson	23	G	Starter	230	6-7	sophomore
Jermaine Jackson	25	F	Starter	220	6-8	sophomore
Carl Johnson	10	G	-	160	6-0	freshman
Patrick Mansell	14	G	Major reserve	195	6-1	junior
DeShawn Mitchell	-	G	-	205	6-5	sophomore
Robbie Myers	33	F	-	255	6-9	senior
Dera Nd-Ezuma	21	C	-	215	6-10	freshman
Brandon Penn	31	F	Major reserve	205	6-7	sophomore
Mike Ringgold	2	F	Starter	215	6-7	junior
Justin Robinson	15	G	Starter	190	6-2	junior
Ryan Thompson	5	G	Starter	220	6-6	senior
Jonathan Thompson	12	G	-	190	6-4	freshman
Jhamar Youngblood	3	G	Major reserve	210	6-1	junior

Team Stats
					FG			*3PT*			FT			*Reb*			*Misc*
Player	Pos	GP	GS	Min	M	A	FG%	M	A	3PT%	M	A	FT%	OFF	DEF	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	PF	PPG
Ryan Thompson	G	3	3	33.3	5.3	10.7	50	3.3	6.3	52.6	0.7	2.7	25	1.7	1.7	3.3	2.7	2.3	0.7	0.3	2.3	14.7
Novar Gadson	G	3	3	28	5	7.3	68.2	2	2.3	85.7	2.7	3.7	72.7	1.7	5.7	7.3	2	2.3	2	1	2	14.7
Mike Ringgold	F	3	3	34.7	5.3	13	41	0	0		1	4	25	2.3	3	5.3	2	1	0.3	1.7	2	11.7
Justin Robinson	G	3	3	25	3	7	42.9	2.3	3.7	63.6	3	3.7	81.8	0.3	2.7	3	3.3	1.3	1	0	2.7	11.3
Jhamar Youngblood	G	3	0	22.3	1.7	7	23.8	0.7	3	22.2	2	2	100	0.3	2.7	3	2.3	1.7	1	0	2.3	6
Patrick Mansell	G	3	0	11.7	2	3.7	54.5	2	3.7	54.5	0	0		0	0.7	0.7	0.3	0	0.3	0	0.3	6
Brandon Penn	F	3	0	13	1.3	3.3	40	0.7	2.3	28.6	0.7	0.7	100	0.7	2.3	3	0.3	1	0	0.3	1	4
Jermaine Jackson	F	3	3	10.3	0.7	2	33.3	0	0.3	0	0.3	0.7	50	0.7	2	2.7	0.3	1.3	0	0	3.3	1.7
Jonathon Thompson	G	3	0	16.7	0.7	2	33.3	0	1	0	0.3	0.7	50	0.3	2.3	2.7	1.7	0.7	0	0.3	0.7	1.7
Carl Johnson	G	2	0	4	0.5	0.5	100	0	0		0.5	1	50	0	0	0	0.5	0.5	0.5	0	0	1.5
Dera Nd-Ezuma	C	3	0	1.7	0.3	1	33.3	0	0		0	0		0.7	0.7	1.3	0	1	0.3	0	1.7	0.7
Robbie Myers	F-C	1	0	2	0	0		0	0		0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Analysis:

For the third time in a row, UK faces an almost identical opponent, only this opponent has proven their chops by defeating Mississippi State, a school widely expected to win the SEC West and one of the best teams in the country.

Once again, Rider is a David to Kentucky's Goliath. They are an undersized team from a small school, but they are not without talent and return four of their five starters. Tell me if you have heard this story before.

Unlike the Wildcats' previous two opponents, Rider has a proven track record of shooting the ball well this year. Just take a look at their three-point percentage. Neither Sam Houston St., Miami (Ohio) nor Morehead came in shooting this kind of percentage from three. I call your attention to the 3PA/FGA statistic and their distribution of points in the analysis at the top of the page. Currently, Rider is fourth in all the land in points coming off of 3-point shots. Given Kentucky's performance in the last three games, that aught to concern all of us.

From the standpoint of working on 3-point defense, UK could hardly get a better opponent, but the obvious risk here is that if the defense does not improve, this is a perfect opportunity for Kentucky to fall. Rider has been very good at taking care of the ball, as you would expect in an experienced team. Turnovers will likely be a big part of the story of today's game.

Expect Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins to thrive again in this game, if they bring the energy they brought against Sam Houston St. Rider will give up the open three in order to keep UK from getting to the rim, so if Eric Bledsoe or perhaps Darnell Dodson (assuming he finds his way back into Coach Cal's good graces) can get warm from outside, UK should have an opportunity from there.

What to watch for:

UK needs to improve their perimeter defense. Look for Rider open looks to see if they are making progress.
Turnovers are an obvious area for improvement.
Control on the fast break. If we start seeing more shots in the secondary break versus the primary, I think it will be a big improvement.
More team play. So far, this team has been very poor at communicating and helping each other. Will one day make any difference?
A better rotation. I think Cal's rotation has been too short for the pace he is trying to play. I expect that will change today.

Game prediction: 85-65 Kentucky.

Go, 'Cats!

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Comments

I think the Miss. St.

upset works in our favor. I don’t expect to see Dodson on the floor today. I got the feeling he was going to sit out two games for some reason. UK has to do a better job of stopping the 3 and make them try to challenge our inside guys. If that happens, we win big I believe.
Like the song goes, I think it’s going to be a good day. I am starting to think Liggin’s problem is academics, if that is the case they might as well redshirt him.

by Grasslands1 on Nov 21, 2009 11:34 AM EST reply actions

Good enough to red shirt? or does Cal cut bait and re-load with another scholarship player next year?

Those are questions. Perhaps the young man can succeed elsewhere.

No matter where you're at, there you are

by cincyblue on Nov 21, 2009 12:09 PM EST up reply actions

He ain't making the cut here

No matter where you're at, there you are

by cincyblue on Nov 21, 2009 12:10 PM EST up reply actions

so far

No matter where you're at, there you are

by cincyblue on Nov 21, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

I understand what your

saying but with Stevenson, Krebs, Harris, Patterson, Wall, and possibly Cousin, that is six scholarships open for next year already. I don’t think Cal will give these out just for the sake of doing so. No coach would want 7 kids from one class unless he had no other choice. Figuring one of these new players next year to be a one and done, it would still leave 5 or 6 players from one class and I don’t think he wants that two years in a row. Cal will probably offer at least one Junior College player a scholarship just for balance and maybe even two. He might even choose not to have 13 scholarship players next year.

by Grasslands1 on Nov 21, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions