The Wisconsin Badgers and Kentucky Wildcats will meet again for the second consecutive season in the Final Four this Saturday in Indianapolis, in a highly anticipated meeting between two No. 1 seeds vying for a spot in the 2015 NCAA championship game.
It’s not often that we are treated to a Final Four rematch one year after the initial meeting, but fortunately for college basketball fans, that is indeed the case this weekend. Kentucky got the better of the Badgers in last season’s matchup, edging out a 74-73 win after Kentucky’s Aaron Harrison drained a game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds remaining. This Saturday’s game is actually the first rematch in consecutive Final Fours since UCLA and Houston met in 1967 and 1968, and is just the third time in NCAA Tournament history there has been a national semifinal rematch in consecutive seasons.
Wisconsin returns the majority of their team from that fateful game last season, but the Wildcats return just a small portion, as Kentucky head coach John Calipari arrives with yet another loaded roster of underlassmen who are bound for the NBA draft this summer.
Out of all the intriguing storylines and matchups in a game of this caliber, there are two that stand out the most.
Wisconsin’s Offense Vs. Kentucky’s Defense
This initially sounds like some kind of football analysis, but it really is the most intriguing aspect of this matchup, as both teams are at the top of their respective strengths.
It’s true: Kentucky actually leads the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, and Wisconsin leads the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency.
The Wildcats have held opponents to 32.8% field goal shooting and 20.3% from three-point range during their current tournament run. The Badgers have shot 49.8% from the field and 41.6% from three-point range in their four NCAA tournament games.
Something has to give.
It’s not that either team hasn’t already been tested so far in the tournament. Wisconsin torched a stout Arizona squad that ranked third in the nation in defensive efficiency by shooting 80% from the field in the second half. Kentucky was able to slow down a Notre Dame team who ranked just behind the Badgers in offensive efficiency, holding the Irish to just 28.6% from beyond the arc during their Elite Eight contest.
The fact that both teams have proven effective in dictating their styles of play against strong competition that threatened their respective styles makes for one of the more intriguing matchups in recent tournament history.
Willie Cauley-Stein Vs. Frank Kaminsky
Kaminsky’s breakout came during last year’s tournament run, and this year has been no different. He is averaging 22.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in four tournament games, and has scored at will from the interior and perimeter, something the Wildcats have rarely seen this season from a big man. Kaminsky’s guard-like quickness and footwork makes for a matchup nightmare for anyone tasked with covering him, not to mention the fact that he is shooting 41.5 percent from three-point range this year — as a center. Double-teaming Kaminsky is risky, and often leads to a pass to an open Sam Dekker or Bronson Koenig, a can’t-win scenario that hasn’t been very kind to opponents this season. Kaminsky’s ball-handling and passing abilities have increased significantly this season, which is the main reason for the Badgers efficiency on the offensive end.
Willie Cauley-Stein has been the undisputed defensive leader for the Wildcats this season while averaging 9.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game. His looming presence in the post has often served as a deterrent to teams looking to score in the interior this season, and has resulted in a heavy amount of ill-advised shots from opponents. Cauley-Stein may not be as gifted offensively as Kaminsky, but possesses similar quickness for a post player of his size, using his speed to stay with opposing guards off of screens and during pick-and-rolls. Kaminsky often lures opposing big men to the outside, utilizing his shooting range and athleticism to score, but he’ll have a much harder time against a player like Cauley-Stein, who can also do more than hold his own when being posted up on down low as well. Cauley-Stein will provide a big challenge for Kaminsky on the offensive end in addition, especially in transition.
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