Kentucky Women’s Basketball Plans to Play with Pace

On3 imageby:Grant Grubbs08/29/21

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The offseason for Kentucky Women’s Basketball last year was swamped down by off-court changes. Thankfully, it’s a new year. In her first summer as head coach, Kyra Elzy is already implementing new schemes to build her ideal Wildcat blueprint.

Playing with a new pace

There’s no doubt about it; this squad has some serious athletes. From Rhyne Howard’s agility to Dre’Una Edwards’ raw strength, the ‘Cats seem to cover all the bases of freak athleticism. So, why not utilize it? That’s precisely what Elzy plans on doing.

Elzy discussed her plans for a faster-paced, more successful season with KSR.

“We want to put a product on the floor that plays hard at all times,” Elzy said. “I want to play up-tempo. So, we have to practice that way consistently. Practice is really fast.”

Kentucky fans can only keep their fingers crossed that practice makes perfect. The Wildcats were at their best last season when they were flying up and down the court.

Half-court sets only clogged up the paint and allowed the defense to hunker down against another offensive eruption from Howard. While Howard may be more than ready to step into this new style of basketball, the rest of the ‘Cats may need a little help.

Getting the Kentucky Women’s Basketball Team prepared

Unfortunately, an enormous metamorphosis like this doesn’t happen overnight. On the bright side, Elzy and company have a recipe to speed the process up. Although, some of the players may not be a fan of the recipe’s ingredients.

“One of the things we’ve done is instead of having a one-minute water break, we’ve moved to a 30-second water break. So, it’s really quick,” Elzy said. “We come right out of the water break and do a late-game type of situation, and you have one chance to get it right.”

It appears this strategy is a double-edged sword in multiple ways. Not only does it strain the players’ durability, but it also forces the coaching staff’s minds to work twice as fast.

“It keeps the staff engaged, and it keeps the player engaged in a pressure-filled type of a situation. So, we’re working on late-game situations, but also, it’s a focus after you’re fatigued.”

Though admittedly, the idea may seem from the brain of a mad scientist, Elzy is hoping it’ll shock the Kentucky Women’s Basketball team to life.

Final Thoughts

The ‘Cats needed this change. While Kentucky Women’s Basketball may have “successful” seasons, it often falls short of its ultimate goal: postseason success.

This adaptation may not immediately lead to glory, but it will help seal up Kentucky’s most significant hole from last season. The Wildcats consistently struggled against large teams.

A fast-paced offense is an excellent counter-attack to this issue on two fronts. First, the ‘Cats will simply tire out these larger opponents by running laps around them all game. Secondly, the squad’s speed will allow them to score before the other team can plant their big in the post.

Superb team conditioning has worked for plenty of other coaches. Why not Elzy? If Elzy is genuinely trying to build a perfect Wildcat blueprint, this decision may be her first step to becoming an excellent architect.

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2024-03-28