Kentucky Basketball: Wildcats' Keys to Victory in Louisville Showdown

The battle against Louisville is always one of the biggest games of the year for Kentucky basketball, but this year's contest might be even more important than in recent seasons.

In most cases, this matchup is for pride while the Wildcats wrap up a successful nonconference season. This year, Kentucky needs a win after some disappointing showings over the past few weeks. Losses to UCLA and Ohio State have many questioning this group's ability, although a win over Louisville would certainly quiet concerns.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are also better than anticipated coming into the year. Despite losing the majority of their offensive weapons from last season, the team is 10-1 with the only loss coming by four points to No. 1 Michigan State.

It won't be easy for Kentucky to pull out a win Saturday, but the squad certainly has what it takes to get the better of its rival if it follows these keys to victory.

Control the Defensive Glass

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Kentucky knows how to crash the boards on offense, but the team sometimes gets lazy when it comes to boxing out and securing rebounds on defense. This often leads to second-chance points with easy putbacks.

UCLA and Ohio State combined for 23 offensive rebounds against the Wildcats, and it played a big role in the upset victories.

Meanwhile, this has been the best offense for Louisville this year. The squad ranks fourth in the nation in offensive rebounding at 44.7 percent, per KenPom.com. This means almost half of missed shots end up in the hands of another Cardinals player, providing plenty of opportunities to score.

Not only do the Kentucky big men have a lot of pressure to secure every missed shot, but the guards also have to stay back and make sure Louisville doesn't get extra opportunities. If the team can cut down on the offensive rebounds, it will take away a lot of easy points.

Attack the Basket

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

It's clear Kentucky doesn't have a quality shooting team. The Wildcats have made just 29.7 percent from three-point range, and only Jamal Murray represents a threat from beyond the arc at this point based on how they have played.

Until this is solved, the team shouldn't be attempting too many shots from three-point range. This could be difficult to do against Louisville's tough defense, especially in a zone. It's important to not fall in love with the three and instead attack the basket.

Kentucky's offense is at its best when its guards can penetrate into the lane and either finish at the rim or dish to one of the big men down low.

Meanwhile, Louisville's defense will be weaker than usual without the presence of center Mangok Mathiang, who is out six to eight weeks with a foot injury. Chinanu Onuaku is still an elite shot-blocker as well as a few others on the roster, but the Wildcats have to challenge this team inside to have a chance.

Defend the Perimeter

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Louisville gets the majority of its points near the basket and shoots 51.6 overall from the field, but the team is still at its best when it is hitting shots from deep.

Damion Lee and Trey Lewis are both deadly from beyond the arc, while the team as a whole has shot 37.8 percent on the year. There is also impressive consistency while hitting at least 35 percent in five straight games, all blowouts.

In fact, the last time the Cardinals struggled from deep was the only loss of the year against Michigan State. They hit only 23.5 percent of their shots (4-of-17) and were unable to pull away against an elite opponent.

Kentucky has had its own problems defending the three-point line this year, allowing Ohio State to hit 9-of-18 in the recent loss. Of course, one game earlier, Arizona State was shut down while hitting just 4-of-20 from deep.

This wasn't just a difference in luck. The Wildcats need to play harder and smarter than they showed Saturday at the Barclays Center.

Limit Turnovers

Al Bello/Getty Images

One of the bigger concerns for Kentucky's offense this season, besides the outside shooting, is the turnovers. For the year, the squad has 12.8 turnovers per game and just a 1.08 assist-to-turnover ratio, which isn't going to get it done against elite opponents.

There have been good performances, but guards Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe certainly have to cut down on their combined 5.5 turnovers per game.

The biggest issue in this game won't just be turnovers becoming lost possessions. Instead, Louisville has a knack for turning those plays into fast breaks and eventually points. According to KenPom.com, the Cardinals rank 14th in the country in steal percentage, which counts the turnovers kept in play. These can be major swings in a rivalry game like this one.

If the Wildcats want to help out their own offense and hurt Louisville's, they will need to hold onto the ball Saturday.

Play with Intensity

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

This sounds easy, but intensity is certainly something that has been missing from Kentucky lately. Against UCLA, the squad was simply outmuscled in the post. In the loss to Ohio State, it often seemed as though the players were going through the motions.

On his personal Twitter account this week, head coach John Calipari discussed some of his team's issues, saying, "We've got to teach them winning time/situational basketball and the role that grit plays in this."

"Grit" is not easy to measure, but it can clearly be seen in winning teams. Anything from diving for loose balls to quickly filling your rotation defensively can be the difference between a win and a loss. Kentucky's talent is obvious, but it's often these little things that eventually lead to a championship.

The Wildcats will have a full week off between the loss to Ohio State and their matchup against Louisville, while their opponent will have played two extra games in this stretch. Kentucky has to win the intensity battle and force everyone else on the floor to play at its level.

This mentality could make the team unstoppable.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for Kentucky coverage and year-round sports analysis: