As Kevin Knox explained it, Virginia Tech all but invited Kentucky to shoot from the perimeter. UK said thank you very much and made a season-high 11 3-point shots.
Unlike his coach, Knox welcomed the possibility that future opponents will also put a defensive priority on clogging driving lanes. This will incite Kentucky to take jump shots, which is ... just what the Cats want?
"We want teams to keep doing that," Knox said after UK beat Virginia Tech 93-86. "We're going to knock them down. People say we can't shoot so, I mean, a lot of strategies are going to come. We're just going to shoot jump shots. We knocked them down tonight and we're going to keep knocking them down. And teams are going to stop doing that strategy."
Repeatedly this preseason and early season, UK coach John Calipari has been not-so-subtly suggesting that opponents should not sag defenses into the lane.
"You may say, 'What if a team packs it in?' Basically, they've surrendered," he said after the Blue-White Game. "Their coach said, 'We can't play this team, so just go in the lane and stand there.'
"Now, we're going to make some shots .... We're not Steph Curry, but I've had way worse shooting teams than this, and we've done OK."
The idea that Calipari would give opponents sound advice on how to beat Kentucky made Tony Delk laugh.
"Hey, that sounds good," Delk said of Calipari's spread-your-defense advice. "Cal is funny ... . Other coaches are laughing, too."
Two weeks ago, Calipari came much closer to describing the kind of formula he's followed at Kentucky.
"I'd rather be an attack team that loves to get in the lane, and takes threes, but loves the lane," he said. "Just lives in that lane."
Thus, opponents seem likely to try to thwart drives by clogging the lane with defenders, and inviting the Cats to rely more than they'd want on jump shots.
Television analyst Dick Vitale, who worked the ESPN2 telecast of the Kentucky-Virginia Tech game, is not yet convinced that UK can use 3-point shooting as a reliable supplement to Calipari's attack-the-basket style.
"How valid was the shooting ability from the three?" Vitale said of UK's 11 for 22 3-point shooting against Virginia Tech. "That, to be honest with you, totally surprised me."
Hamidou Diallo led the way against Virginia Tech. He doubled his previous career high with four 3-point baskets.
"That was really big," Vitale said. "If he makes (jump) shots, his bank account is going to go ding-a-ling-ling off the charts. Because he's an incredible athlete. He's as good as any athlete that is playing college basketball. The only rap on him is can he make shots?"
In the last two games, Diallo has made five of nine shots from beyond the arc. Prior to that, he had made 5 of 17.
On his radio show Monday, Calipari attributed Diallo's improved shooting to paying greater attention to following through on the shot. UK coaches are trying to break Diallo of the habit of pulling back his hand upon release of the shot.
PJ Washington made a 3-pointer against Virginia Tech. He'd previously made only one, which was against Monmouth the previous Saturday.
Calipari said he is encouraging Washington to shoot 3-point shots. The reason goes back to bringing defenders out of the lane area.
"If you're willing to shoot it, and they know you're willing to shoot it, they have to guard you," Calipari said.
The UK coach has been lobbying for more 3-point shooting _ as many as 20 or so in a game with the hope of making six or seven. Kentucky is averaging 14 3-point attempts and 5.2 3-point baskets going into Saturday's game against UCLA in New Orleans.
Vitale did not sound convinced, at least not yet, that Kentucky can consistently make opposing defenses pay attention to containing 3-point shooting.
"That was a great performance," he said of UK's 11 3-pointers against Virginia Tech. "Now, let's see. I'm curious (to see) over the next three or four games."
