Kansas Jayhawks Head Coach Bill Self Explains How Kansas Shut Down Kentucky's Most Lethal 3 Point Shooter

Kansas entered its matchup against Kentucky knowing it needed to limit one of the Wildcats' most dangerous offensive weapons. Bill Self revealed the defensive strategy behind holding Milan Momcilovic to just five points, explaining why limiting his opportunities from beyond the arc was the Jayhawks' biggest priority.

Kansas delivered an impressive defensive performance against Kentucky, and head coach Bill Self believes one of the biggest reasons was the Jayhawks' ability to take away opportunities from Milan Momcilovic.

The Wildcats entered the Champions Classic with one of college basketball's most dangerous perimeter threats. However, Kansas made sure Momcilovic never had the opportunity to get comfortable offensively during its 89-69 victory.

Following the game, Self discussed the defensive approach Kansas used to limit the Kentucky forward and explained how important it was to prevent him from getting open looks.

Self emphasized that Momcilovic is the type of player who can completely change a game in a short amount of time. He explained that the Kentucky shooter is capable of scoring 12 points in a minute and a half, making him someone Kansas could not afford to lose track of defensively.

Rather than focusing solely on holding Momcilovic to a certain shooting percentage, Self wanted his team to limit the number of opportunities he received from three-point range.

His goal entering the matchup was to hold Momcilovic to no more than four three-point attempts.

Kansas accomplished that objective, allowing him to attempt just three shots from beyond the arc. Momcilovic connected on only one of those attempts and finished the night with five points and seven rebounds.

Self also credited Kansas' defensive switching for helping execute the game plan.

The Jayhawks wanted to make sure their defenders were already in position before Momcilovic received the basketball. Instead of allowing him to catch the ball comfortably and then attempting to close out, Kansas focused on taking away his space before he could get into his shooting motion.

That approach made it difficult for Momcilovic to find the rhythm he needed to become a major factor offensively.

The defensive effort was particularly important considering how much attention Kentucky's perimeter shooting can demand from opposing defenses. Allowing a shooter like Momcilovic to get comfortable can quickly create problems, especially when he starts knocking down consecutive shots.

Kansas prevented that from happening while continuing to apply pressure throughout the game.

The Jayhawks' defensive execution helped them control the matchup and earn another significant victory against a nationally recognized opponent. Holding Momcilovic to five points was an important part of making sure Kentucky never found the offensive rhythm it needed to challenge Kansas.

Self's comments also showed that the defensive performance was not simply about having a good shooting night from an opponent. It was about executing a specific plan and making sure Kentucky's most dangerous perimeter threat never had enough opportunities to take over.  JayhawksRoundtable.