Missouri
How Missouri exploited Utah State’s vulnerabilities to beat them in NCAA Tourney
Estimated learn time: 4-5
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SACRAMENTO — The predictive metrics and betting traces favored Tenth-seeded Utah State in its first-round matchup of the NCAA Event in opposition to seventh-seeded Missouri on Thursday, however the Aggies fell to Missouri 76-65 and are out of the Massive Dance.
How did a crew that created such a ruckus within the previous days lose by double digits?
Credit score Missouri head coach Dennis Gates for his sport plan, and his gamers for executing it, as a result of Missouri beat Utah State by exploiting every of its weaknesses. Here is how three season-long traits that plagued the Aggies reared their head on the Golden 1 Middle.
Turnovers
As prolific as Utah State’s offense has been this season, it has struggled to handle the basketball constantly.
Regardless of ending the yr twelfth in adjusted offensive effectivity, per KenPom, the Aggies’ 17.6% turnover share was 134th nationally; its convention turnovers share of 18.1% was eighth within the Mountain West. Going through a gifted Missouri aspect that compelled turnovers on 24.3% of it is defensive possessions — fifth nationally — it was a mismatch of concern going into the sport.
Early within the sport, the Tigers took full benefit and turned the Aggies over six instances within the first six minutes. Utah State completed the sport with 15 turnovers, which resulted in 20 factors for Missouri. Taylor Funk and Max Shulga each completed with 4 turnovers apiece, and Sean Bairstow had three.
Even after they weren’t turning the ball over, the stress the Tigers introduced in the end affected the Aggies. Utah State was uncomfortable all through the sport, rushed its photographs and shot simply 17% from 3-point vary.
“Our strategy was to stress full courtroom,” Missouri guard D’Moi Hodge mentioned. “We all know what they wished; they wished leap photographs. We tried to drive them to the basket to make two, make the massive man rating.”
For stretches, there was some ball safety, which bolstered the Aggies — from the 16-minute mark to the 10-minute mark — as they outscored Missouri by 5 factors. The Aggies turned the ball over 5 instances within the remaining 10 minutes and had been outscored 27-14.
3-point protection
Utah State deserves credit score for its defensive enchancment because the season progressed. In early season video games, defending the basketball generally felt optionally available; the Aggies gave up 80+ plus factors to 3 straight nonconference opponents, together with San Diego and Utah Tech.
As convention play progressed, although, Utah State buckled down, performed higher on-ball protection, and prevented second-chance alternatives. The change result in Utah State being the fourth greatest crew in adjusted defensive effectivity within the Mountain West.
Regardless of the advance, the Aggies struggled to protect the perimeter and completed the season 221st in 3-point protection. Opponents hitting 34.6% from 3-point vary and a number of other shot above its season common in opposition to the Aggies.
Missouri was no exception and shot 40% from 3-point vary — 4% above its common.
After working the ball within the paint a lot of the sport — the place the Aggies dropped right into a double crew — Missouri began to let it fly from deep within the remaining 10 minutes, and Utah State’s inconsistent perimeter protection did not cease it. The Aggies couldn’t correctly defend the put up or run Missouri’s guards off the road. The outcome was the Tigers hitting six 3-pointers, three of which had been wide-open, in its end-of-game run.
Surrendering particular person participant runs
Whether or not it was Eric Williams Jr. of San Diego, Adam Seiko of San Diego State, or Will Baker of Nevada, numerous people have single-handedly gone on massive runs to burn the Aggies; and oftentimes, Utah State waited too late to regulate.
Probably the most bodily imposing athlete Utah State has confronted this season was, arguably, 6-foot-8 guard Kobe Brown, who had his second within the second half. After going a quiet 3 of three for six factors within the first half when guarded by Bairstow, it did not take a lot for Brown to place his stamp on the sport within the second half.
With Dan Akin guarding him, a matchup that favored the Aggies down low however the Tigers on the perimeter, Brown went to work and created his personal shot to hit three 3-pointers, and beat Akin off the dribble for an additional bucket. Brown scored 12 straight factors for the Tigers and turned Utah State’s 2-point lead right into a 6-point deficit.
“I imply, he is a load,” Utah State head coach Ryan Odom mentioned.
Whether or not switching Bairstow onto Brown, going to a zone, or making an attempt to run him off the road, the Aggies wanted to do one thing to sluggish him down, however it failed to take action.