LSU's Johnny Jones looks at West Virginia v Kentucky

By LARRY VAUGHT

LSU coach Johnny Jones quickly concedes that West Virginia is a “physical team and very tough-minded team defensively.”

However, he also thinks many might be underestimating Kentucky’s ability to deal with that when the two teams meet Thursday in Cleveland in the Midwest Region Sweet 16.

West Virginia lost 74-73 to LSU in December when the Tigers outrebounded West Virginia 44-35 and limited the Mountaineers to 35 percent shooting from the field to help offset 24 turnovers West Virginia forced with its press and defense. The Tigers were 8-for-15 from 3-point range, but did send West Virginia to the foul line 32 times.

“Kentucky just has so much depth and length from point guard to centers,” Jones said.

Kentucky won 71-69 at LSU when it won the rebounding battle 40-35 and had nine blocked shots.  However, UK was just 2-for-12 from 3-point range in that game.

Juwan Staten, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, leads West Virginia (25-9) with a 14.2 scoring average. West Virginia leads the nation in steals per game (10.8) and turnovers forced (19.5). The Mountaineers forced 4th-seeded Maryland into 23 turnovers on Sunday.

“Staten is an excellent scorer and they have some post guys who are physical and defend inside,” Jones said. “But Kentucky has the ability to score in a lot of area from the perimeter to the post with the depth they have. Like every other team, talented depth is where they pose an advantage.”

West Virginia uses 10 players to try and wear down opponents but does not bring the same talent off the bench as UK.

“West Virginia is physical but that’s what you get when you play a lot of teams in the SEC. South Carolina is one of the more physical and tougher teams and just imposes its will on you. Other teams in the league are like that and that’s what you get with West Virginia,” Jones said Tuesday. “Kentucky is equipped to be able to handle that. I am sure their practices each day they face the same thing.”

Jones thinks Kentucky will be difficult to press with freshman guard Tyler Ulis.

“His ballhandling is so good and he’s so quick that they are tough to press if he has it,” Jones said. “The (Harrison) twins with their size and being able to see over you and the strength they have to pass or handle double teams makes it really tough to press, too. Then when you press them they have the ability to finish on the back end. A lot of teams can’t finish if they beat the press. If Kentucky gets through it they attack and that’s why they are so dangerous.”

Jones said not to forget that West Virginia must also face a Kentucky defense that has devasted some teams.

“You have got to play over top of them and the length they have. It’s nationally know people shoot a low percentage against them, and that can work on you,” Jones said. “They can rebound and they have the ability to switch on screening action, so it’s tough to get inside their defense.”

Jones says he respects Kentucky’s ability to get to this point unbeaten and thinks it is hard to simulate what Kentucky can do when just watching TV or game film.

“You can watch all the tape you want, but once you walk on the court and realize how big they are it is stunning,” the LSU coach said. “If it different. It is hard to tell your guys about their strength, size and quickness watching tape. You just cannot get a true assessment of Kentucky watching tape and that also makes them hard to play.”