Homework Assignment: Two things to look for in the Championship game

1) Look for Sherrod Collins to play a bunch alongside Chalmers and Rush on the perimeter. Robinson has been a great role playing guard, but against Memphis’ perimeter pressuring M2M, you have to be able to drive the basketball and Collins, Rush, and Chalmers give the Jayhawks the best opportunity to do so. Up to this point, the Tigers have had the luxury of putting Anderson on the teams best penetrating guards, allowing its star Rose to not have to expend as much energy on the defensive end. Bill Self cannot afford the Tigers this luxury. They must attack Memphis backcourt and make them play on both ends. When the Tigers rest Rose with Kemp or Mack, the Jayhawks should get Robinson in the game to spell Collins and/or Chalmers. Barring foul trouble, look for Collins to get more than 30 minutes in the game because he gives Kansas the best weapon with which to attack the Memphis star.

2) Look for some token pressure that will most likely come from whoever is guarding Anderson. It’ll come in either the 3/4 court or half court setting designed to keep the ball out of Derrick Rose’s hands. Keep in mind that no team Kansas has played with the possible exception of Tennessee has had the backcourt depth to challenge and trap Memphis’ guards. Expect to see some trapping and denying pressure tonight with the emphasis on making someone other than Rose beat the Jayhawks. The amount of pressure will be determined by how the Tigers handle it. And, while I doubt Self will junk D the Tigers, he may take a page out of Tim Floyd’s book as the USC coach had tremendous success slowing Rose with some box and 1 and triangle and 2 earlier in the year. Self will just use trapping, denial, and some run and jump pressure in his traditional man.

Watch for these two games within the game and get back to me.