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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-18-2014, 04:57 PM:

I didn't realize just how good Alford's is.

Sophomore point guard Bryce Alford leads UCLA in scoring (18 points per game), assists (74), free throw percentage (90.7), 3-pointers made (27) and minutes played (34.9 per game) going into Saturday’s game against No. 1 Kentucky.

“There’s no other guard in the country averaging 17 points and seven assists. He’s one of those guys — and there’s not many in the country — that can take over a game and change the complexion of a game within a minute and a half,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari. “And the reason is he can pull up from anywhere, he makes free throws, he can get you in foul trouble, his 3off the bounce, off the catch, very, very skilled and a great passer.

“So if you try to do different things with him, he creates for his teammates as well as anybody we’ve seen.”

Then Caliipari added one more thing about the UCLA guard.

“Plus he’s the coach’s son, so he can do what he wants,” Calipari joked.

UCLA coach Steve Alford knows his son faces a serious challenge from the UK defense during the first CBS Sports Classic. Kentucky plays UCLA at about 3:30 p.m. after North Carolina and Ohio State play at 1.

Unlike UK, the Bruins have four starters averaging over 31 minutes per game.

“Most of our starters are getting 30-plus minutes, so it is different. Where Kentucky’s got the platoon and then they’ve got a lot of depth. They do. I think that’s one of the things they do: they can wear you down and try to wear you out, and they’ve done a very good job with that,” Steve Alford said. “I think that’s where hopefully our inexperience starts to get a little bit better as we’re 11 games into this thing. That’s part of what we’ve got to continue to learn.

Link

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-18-2014, 06:03 PM:

WE should be able to run him till his tongue hangs out!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-18-2014, 06:26 PM:

Alford is a 90% plus free throw shooter. You don't hear about to many players professional or college with that high of average. (like father like son)

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-18-2014, 07:18 PM:

The thing with young Alford, from what I've seen of him is he doesn't take a lot of free throws cause he shoots most of his shots from behind the arc.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-18-2014, 08:05 PM:

Alford averages 5 free throws per game which is much higher than average of all Division 1 players but isn't way up at the "very" top in attempts. Shooting over 90% however is at the very top.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-18-2014, 08:19 PM:

He's probably been shooting free throws with his dad since he was big enough to hit a 10' goal!

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 12-18-2014, 09:12 PM:

If our guys play their normal minutes he will be dragging if he plays 35 minutes. The other 3 that average 31 minutes won't be far behind him. [Big Grin]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-18-2014, 09:25 PM:

Bama, your cruel! [Wink]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-19-2014, 09:05 PM:

I hope we put a lot of pressure on him and with the Harrison's size either one of them could make it awfully hard to get clean looks.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-19-2014, 09:16 PM:

Coach Cal just doesn't coach to press all over the floor. Token pressure and every once in a while we force a turnover in a trap!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-19-2014, 10:03 PM:

Cal certainly teaches to keep your man in front of you and make it hard for them to get open looks. You don't see to many open looks when teams pay us and when you do that player comes out pretty darn quick.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-19-2014, 10:06 PM:

Here is a impressive stat that shows how few baskets are made against this years Cats. So far this year opponents have averaged only 30.4% on their field goal tries and 26.7% on their 3 point tries.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-19-2014, 10:08 PM:

That's why we have to play UCLA clean and keep them off of the free throw line. if they are going to beat us it needs to be from out on the floor. We can't play much defense at the free throw line.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-19-2014, 10:12 PM:

Now on free throws it's a bit of a different story as on the good side opponents are shooting a low 67.5% however on the bad side we are shooting a lower 66.3%. [Frown]

[ 12-19-2014, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-19-2014, 10:19 PM:

Even our better shooters seem to be missing freethrows from time to time this year

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 11:11 AM:

Our best shooter who has done the best is Booker who is shooting 80% from the line but has only shot 15 of them in the 10 games he has played in.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 11:15 AM:

Actually Andrew and Towns have been awfully consistent and have shot a lot more free throw than Booker. They both have shot over 30 free throws each and are shooting them in the mid 70's percentage.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-20-2014, 01:45 PM:

But in the last 3 or 4 games our bigs have been getting more opportunities than our guards!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 02:02 PM:

That's because they have been more active down low.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 02:02 PM:

The more active they are the better the chance they get fouled.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-20-2014, 02:10 PM:

No doubt our best offense is feeding the post!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 02:54 PM:

The good thing is we have a few players that can play the post too.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-20-2014, 03:22 PM:

We have several that can play the post.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-20-2014, 03:28 PM:

We can't allow the UCLA GUards an open look from the perimeter today!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-20-2014, 03:30 PM:

Exactly what we both said, actually we have 3 or 4 that "could".