An MSU turnover results in a pile up with senior center Lauren Aitch, sophomore forward Lykendra Johnson and Bowling Green forward Maggie Hennegan during MSU’s first-round NCAA Tournament game at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.
Louisville, Ky. — If the MSU women’s basketball team were to stare at Kentucky in the mirror, it would notice its exact opposite.
The Wildcats play a fast-paced style that features speed and the ability to generate turnovers, and use that to compensate for a lack of size underneath the basket.
The Spartans play a slower, defensive style that utilizes a steady interior presence, but have been prone to turning the ball over.
The Spartans averaged 17 turnovers in their three final regular-season games and will have to take special care of the basketball against the Wildcats’ intense pressure.
In Kentucky’s 83-77 NCAA Tournament first-round win against Liberty, the Wildcats forced 16 steals and turned those opportunities into easy transition points.
“Our speed is going to be really effective against them,” Kentucky forward Victoria Dunlap said. “Clealy, we are not the tallest people going into this game. With their size, you have to be real physical with them and keep them off the boards.”
Kentucky averaged almost 23 takeaways during SEC play and likely will attack the Spartans’ guards as soon as they come up the floor.
MSU averaged 17.3 turnovers per game during the regular season, which is a problematic figure considering Kentucky averaged 25.1 points per game off turnovers.
“The goal is (to generate) 25 turnovers each game,” Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell said.
“That is a lofty goal. … We pick up the ball early and try to make it tough on them and what you’re trying to do.”
The Wildcats are led by freshman sensation A’dia Mathies, who has improved as the season has progressed, scoring in double figures in 12 of her last 13 games.
The conference’s Freshman of the Year, she checks in at 13.7 points per game and 2.5 steals per game.
Against Liberty, she had a career-best 32 points to go along with four steals.
Mathies hails from Louisville and will look to use Monday’s game as a coming-out party.
If stopping Mathies isn’t enough, the Spartans will have to contend with Dunlap, the SEC Player of the Year who also is Kentucky’s primary post option.
At 6-foot-1, Dunlap is the Wildats’ tallest player.
She averages 17.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, but will go up against a much bigger Spartans’ front line.
Dunlap has been right near her average in points, even against the three highest-rated SEC opponents her team has played.
Junior guard Amber Smith has averaged seven assists during the last three games and leads a host of Wildcats’ players that can provide a lift.
“We’re a defensive team and we have some pretty good stoppers on our end,” senior center Allyssa DeHaan said.
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“Both of these team’s MO’s are defense, so it’s going to be kind of a fun matchup.”
