Scouting Report: Alabama Crimson Tide

   

Kentucky Basketball Scouting Report

 Opponent: University of Alabama                Date: 1/17/15

General

• 13-7, 3-4 this season. Coming off a tough stretch dating back to our last meeting.
• #20 Levi Randolph is one of the best players in the SEC.
• Very physical team; they will look to get into you defensively and bother the ball.
• Playing without 2^nd leading scorer Ricky Tarrant (13.1 ppg).

Personnel #20      G         Levi Randolph: 6’5’’ 208                  SR. [caption id="attachment_171805" align="alignright" width="300"] Randolph is an all-around player who has been around forever.
Photo Courtesy of 247 Sports[/caption] Randolph has had an outstanding 4-year career for the Tide and is one of the SEC’s most improved players so far this season. He is a do-everything guard averaging 14.7 points and 5 rebounds per game. He is a good athlete with very good size on the perimeter. Randolph has turned himself into a good shooter, knocking in 31% of his 3’s and connecting on 83% of his foul shots. He is definitely still more aggressive as a driver than a shooter though. #21      G         Rodney Cooper: 6’6’’ 218                SR. Cooper is super athletic and does a great job of rebounding from the perimeter; he led Alabama in rebounding as a junior. He is their best 3-point shooter so we have to take away his catch-and-shoot, he is shooting over 40% on the season from 3. Averaging 10.9 points and 4 rebounds. He knocked in 2 3’s against us a couple of weeks ago. #1        G/F      Riley Norris: 6’7’’ 207                      FR. He was a highly rated recruit out of high school and has made an impact off the bench in his first year at Alabama. Norris is a great 3-point shooter, connecting on 45.8% of his 3’s so far this season. He is a good athlete and plays with a very high motor and basketball IQ. Averaging 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds. Norris is beginning to take on an expanded roll for the Tide and had a solid, efficient game off the bench last time out against us. #3        F          Michael Kessens: 6’9’’ 223               SO. After an outstanding freshman season at Longwood, Kessens transferred to Alabama and sat out last year. He is a strong kid with good feet in the post. He is averaging 6.9 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds per game. He works very hard and has good instincts on the offensive glass. I expect to see Kessens slide back into the starting lineup to matchup better with our size. #10      F          Jimmie Taylor: 6’10’’ 240                 SO. Taylor is a big, strong presence on the low block. He isn’t overly skilled or aggressive offensively, but he is a great finisher and cleans up a lot on the offensive glass. Defensively he is blocking nearly 2 shots a game and is improving on really impacting the game without fouling. __________________________________________________________________________________________ #5        G         Justin Coleman: 5’10’’ 160               FR. Coleman is having a solid freshman season in his role as the backup point guard. His scoring ability allows him to play off the ball at times as well if he has too. He is an aggressive offensive player and will look to make plays when he is in the game. We have to just use our size and make him score contested 2’s over us. #32      G         Retin Obasohan: 6’1’’ 208                RS JR. After being the 3^rd leading scorer a year ago, Retin has taken on a smaller roll off the bench for the Tide so far this season. He is a very strong guard who will really get after it defensively. Good shooter. #11      F          Shannon Hale: 6’8’’ 226                    SO. [caption id="attachment_172554" align="alignright" width="265"] Hale is a skilled 4-man who can really shoot it from the perimeter[/caption] A back up forward, Hale has picked up right where he left off after a strong freshman season. The skilled face-up 4 man has yet to find his stroke from beyond the arc, but is very capable of knocking it in from deep. Very skilled offensively and can’t let him getting going from 3-point range. Averaging 7.6 points per game. Keys to the Game

• Contain Levi Randolph. There isn’t a player in the country that is good enough to beat us on his own, but Randolph is the type of player who can give UK a lot of problems. He is big and physical and is an absolute playmaker. If he is allowed to get going he could play like the best player on the floor.
• Dominate the Glass Once Again. Down in Tuscaloosa we absolutely controlled the glass and never let their big men get second chances. However, we did allow 5 offensive rebounds to Hale & Norris. If we can match that level of physicality and effort on the glass this game shouldn’t be close.
• Lock Them Down. Especially with Ricky Tarrant out, their 2^nd leading scorer, Alabama is a team that we should absolutely overwhelm with our length and athleticism. Along with the last key about dominating the glass, our guards and forwards should be able to really pressure them into some turnovers like the last game.

Brandon Ramsey @Coach_BRamsey