Keys to Maryland men’s basketball’s round of 64 matchup with West Virginia

Maryland and West Virginia will tip off the NCAA Match’s spherical of 64 on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in a matchup between two groups who’ve had related trajectories all through the season and are evenly matched with a balanced scoring assault.

That is an intriguing eight vs. 9 matchup that can seemingly come all the way down to the wire, which is mirrored by the playing line that has West Virginia as a two-point favourite. The winner will transfer on to face Alabama or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi within the spherical of 32, and the loser’s season will finish as the primary workforce bounced from the opening spherical of the large dance.

West Virginia groups have been billed as ‘Press Virginia’ over time due to their tenacious press that journeys up opposing offenses. However that isn’t this workforce’s identification. In actual fact, as a lot as Bob Huggins is named the press grasp, his workforce hasn’t had a press fee larger than 10% for the reason that 2019-20 season. Again within the 2017-18 season, West Virginia’s press fee was 35%.

That is not to say West Virginia gained’t present a full-court press, however West Virginia ought to fear extra about Maryland’s press than the opposite approach round. West Virginia’s offense carries it. The Mountaineers’ adjusted offensive effectivity score is the fifteenth finest within the nation, in response to KenPom.com.

There are intriguing particular person matchups each coaches will attempt to exploit, however I checked out three key parts that can decide the result of the sport: Maryland’s transition protection vs. West Virginia’s transition offense, rebounding and put-back alternatives and the pick-and-roll.

Let me preface this piece by saying that is March Insanity, and with it comes chaos and unpredictability. After all groups recreation plan for his or her opponents and often trust of their matchups and plans to breed success. However the variability is so excessive in a one-and-done match setting that no matter somebody thinks they learn about a workforce or a matchup could not matter when the video games start on Thursday.

The function of the transition recreation

With out having carried out a deep dive on West Virginia simply but, Maryland head coach Kevin Willard lamented his workforce’s transition protection and stated it will be key to beating West Virginia. He was spot on.

Maryland provides up a whopping 1.083 factors per possession in transition and ranks within the sixteenth percentile, which is under common, in response to Synergy.

The final time Maryland took the courtroom — a 70-60 loss to Indiana within the Huge Ten quarterfinals — its transition protection was noticeably dangerous and a giant motive Indiana made a second-half surge.

As a substitute of working again to construct a wall and find Indiana’s guards, Hakim Hart reaches at mid-court, successfully taking himself out of the play. That forces Patrick Emilien to play the ball, leaving Miller Kopp large open for a nook three.

Maryland’s press has been efficient for essentially the most half this season, however that is an instance of lazy press protection that permits Indiana to drift the ball over the Terps’ first line of protection, giving a numbers benefit to the Hoosiers, who as soon as once more set Kopp up for a nook three.

One of many methods Willard stated his workforce can repair its transition protection is by getting again to the basics. There’s nothing extra elementary than stopping the ball in transition protection. It’s what your peewee coach all the time yelled out as a result of he didn’t know basketball and had nothing else to say.

Willard is screaming “cease the ball” on the sideline, however nobody makes a severe effort to take action. Hart reached once more, permitting Indiana’s guard to march his approach into the lane.

The excellent news for Maryland is these are fixable errors, however they should be fastened fast as a result of the Mountaineers are a potent risk in transition. One of many causes West Virginia’s offense is dynamic is as a result of the Mountaineers like to get out and run. Of West Virginia’s offensive possessions, 15.1% are in transition, the second-highest play sort behind spot-ups.

They rating 1.092 factors per possession, which ranks within the 77th percentile and is “excellent,” in response to Synergy.

These are two clips of Kansas and Kansas State failing to cease the ball and West Virginia making them pay for it.

There’s no higher clip that exemplifies how West Virginia is trying to push it in transition than this one. The second Erik Stevenson brings down the rebound, Seth Wilson and Kedrian Johnson begin streaking on reverse sidelines. Stevenson delivers a Kevin Love-esque outlet go to Wilson and the Mountaineers rating a straightforward two.

Maryland additionally thrives in transition, which may result in a fast-paced, excessive scoring affair, but when the Terps do not clear up their transition protection, they gained’t sustain with the Mountaineers.

Rebounding and limiting put backs is paramount for Maryland

Whereas West Virginia might not be the bodily pressure it as soon as was that terrorized opponents from 94 toes out, it nonetheless is a bodily, hard-nosed group that likes to crash the glass. West Virginia emphasizes offensive rebounding — it ranked fourth within the Huge 12 in complete offensive rebounds.

The Mountaineers rating 1.101 factors per possession on offensive rebound put backs, which ranks within the 53rd percentile. Right here’s how they do it:

Huggins places an emphasis on sending a number of guys to the glass to create second-chance factors. However right here’s the catch: West Virginia has a suspect transition protection — just like Maryland — as a result of it prioritizes offensive rebounding. Maryland’s offense, led by dynamic graduate guard Jahmir Younger, is at its finest when Younger is main the break in transition. If Maryland can safe defensive boards at a excessive fee, it is going to be in a position to expose West Virginia’s transition protection.

Nevertheless, that’s a giant if. Maryland was a greater rebounding workforce in convention play than many anticipated for an undersized group. The Terps have been in the course of the pack within the Huge Ten in rebounding margin. Nevertheless, they surrendered a plethora of put-backs.

Maryland’s protection provides up 1.189 factors per possessions on offensive rebound put-back makes an attempt, which grades as poor, in response to Synergy. Listed below are a number of examples:

Huggins and his employees are actually watching the identical movie and telling their workforce to place strain on Maryland’s bigs to board. Maryland wants to make sure it’s a five-man rebounding effort on Thursday afternoon.

How Maryland can exploit West Virginia’s pick-and-roll protection

It’s no secret Maryland’s offense is centered across the pick-and-roll, like many offenses across the nation. Younger is often the first ball handler, however Hakim Hart has been utilized in that function in latest weeks.

Younger didn’t have one of the best two video games within the Huge Ten Match. He mixed for 27 factors on 6-for-28 capturing from the sphere. Younger stated the protection towards him was just like what he is seen all 12 months, which included onerous hedges and blitzes. Willard attributed the struggles to Younger enjoying towards greater defenders.

Regardless, Maryland goes to want its finest participant to play prefer it Thursday. West Virginia will watch tape and should regulate its pick-and-roll protection based mostly on what has labored towards Younger the previous few video games, however the Mountaineers have proven mushy pick-and-roll coverages that Younger can exploit.

That is the precise protection that Younger desires to see. There is no such thing as a onerous hedge and no blitz. West Virginia’s protection botches its assignments, permitting Texas Tech’s guard to show the nook and explode downhill. That is paying homage to how Younger has scored buckets within the pick-and-roll.

West Virginia goes underneath the display screen, permitting Kansas guard Jalen Wilson to knock down a 3 from the highest of the important thing. Younger hasn’t had one of the best 3-point capturing season, however he shoots 44% from three as a pick-and-roll ball handler in comparison with simply 29.4% as a spot-up shooter. If West Virginia goes underneath ball screens, Younger will make it pay.

Figuring out weaknesses and strengths is the important thing to scouting. It permits groups to develop sound recreation plans they hope will lead to a win. However that is March, in spite of everything. And with it comes the insanity. In order a lot as rebounding, transition play and the pick-and-roll will play an element within the final result, there’s just one factor for sure: anticipate the surprising.