Gators get past first round test, to face Texas Tech next
GAINESVILLE Kevarrius Hayes will be like an insurance policy against identity theft Saturday during the No. 6-seeded Florida Gators’ second-round game against No. 3-seeded Texas Tech.
The Gators (21-12) are known for their outstanding guard play and perimeter defense. Once that line of defense is penetrated, however, it will be up to post players like Hayes to make sure the level of penetration isn’t fully involved.
In fact, Florida head coach Mike White said it would be shortsighted to think that the importance of the Gators’ halfcourt defense rest solely with the guards out front, especially given Texas Tech’s propensity for getting to the paint.
“Kevarrius, Dontay Bassett and Gorjok Gak, Keith Stone and Egor Koulechov, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on those guys to defend [inside] without fouling,” White said. “Texas Tech lives at the foul line, lives at the rim, not only with penetration and with post touches, but they’re one of the best cutting teams that we’ve played this year. … good passing team … I think the speed and quickness allows them to be a good cutting team.”
The Red Raiders proved that Thursday night in a first-round victory over Stephen F. Austin. Tech scored 36 points in the painted area, but it wasn’t the typical post play one might associate with points on the inside. The Raiders don’t have a lot of size, but rely on passing and they had 14 assists Thursday.
Tech players are very adept at moving without the ball and their quickness allows them to get to spots faster than the defense reacts. Add to the equation that the Raiders are also an excellent back-cutting team, and it makes for quite a task when trying shutting down their penetration.
That’s why Hayes and its big-man cohorts will be key on the back end of the Gators’ defense.
“We know they’re a very good driving team. They like coming off ball screens and attacking,” Hayes said, “so for us bigs, the strategy is mostly for us to like contain the ball, take care of the ball first, but we have to worry about everything else, like trust you help and try to keep it out of the paint as much as possible.
“Of course, we have to defend oneon-one, depending on the situation.”
The rest of the key, like White said, it keeping his guys out of foul trouble, which is a lot more difficult against a slashing team like Texas Tech.
“Yeah, if they’re going to be constantly attacking the paint, I gotta make sure I’m legal, gotta go up with two hands, straight up and down, and make sure I don’t get in foul trouble like I did last night.”
Hayes is one of the more out-going players on this Gators team, which White said helps keep his team loose. His leadership also is key in games like in the NCAA Tournament, which Hayes has been involved with before.
“Kevarrius might be our most extroverted guy in the locker room and at the apartment or what have you, social settings, team dinners. We have four or five guys other than him that’ll cut it up a little bit, too,” White said. “[Kevarrius] though, more so than anybody else, has become the guy that challenges others. When his team loses a drill in practice, we try to make everything competitive, of course, every day in practice. And he’s the one guy that has learned to hate losing, and he makes it known, and he’ll call a guy out.
“I’ve talked a lot about that, how much better we are defensively today than we were four months ago and on the glass and how much grittier we are, and without Kevarrius bringing that presence, I don’t think we grow nearly as much in that area.”
White will need him Saturday. Saddled with foul trouble against St. Bonaventure on Thursday, Hayes only saw 10 minutes of action. Texas Tech won’t be so forgiving.