As No. 4-seed Duke men’s basketball gears up for its Sweet-16 game against No. 1-seed Houston, the Blue Zone is here to break down film on the Cougars:
It was a dream start to the NCAA tournament for Duke, who made quick work of No. 13-seed Vermont and No. 12-seed James Madison to secure its place in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils’ dominant performances — especially in the second round — propelled them from fringe Elite Eight consideration to legitimate contenders for the national title. However, the team’s hot streak has put it right in the path of the South region’s top squad: the Houston Cougars.
Characterized by a nigh impenetrable defense and a strong veteran presence, Houston is an extremely versatile team. It can hold a team to a meager 40 points or duke it out in an offensive slugfest with upwards of 190 combined points, a testament to the squad’s talent and adaptability.
As the old adage claims, guard play wins in March. The Cougars have clearly taken this to heart, boasting one of the best guard tandems in the country in L.J. Cryer and Jamal Shead. The senior duo sits atop Houston’s scoring chart — both players average over 13 points per game. Their defensive acumen is also elite, with both checking in at over a steal per game.
Shead in particular has the air of a leader on this Houston squad, a quality which shines through in each of its games. He is able to effectively create his own shot inside the arc, while simultaneously setting up his teammates. It is clear from the attached video that he likes to get among the trees and finish inside, but his most impressive asset is his court vision and off-ball movement. If Duke is to win this game, it will need to close down passing lanes and limit Shead’s routes to the basket — no small task.
Cryer is the primary deep threat for the Cougars, with a 3-point success rate hovering around 40% on the season. Many offensive sets will involve Shead driving to the basket in an effort to draw a few defenders, then kicking to Cryer to bury an open three. This sort of offense typifies Cryer’s role, as revealed in the attached video.
Even with these two pillars of consistency at the guard positions, a team still needs someone to bring a spark. For Houston, that spark plug is sophomore Emanuel Sharp. Sharp is a pure bucket-getter, able to score from all levels. He can beat defenders inside, spot them up from deep or hit a midrange fadeaway with a hand in his face. His 30 points were the difference-maker for the Cougars in their second-round game against Texas A&M, and his name will definitely be circled on the Blue Devils’ scouting reports.
Houston is undoubtedly a tough team to beat. Each of the aforementioned three guards, all starters, have the ability to decimate a defense on their own. However, Duke’s defense has looked remarkably stout in the first two rounds of this tournament. Whether or not it is able to hunker down on that side of the ball and drag the Cougars into a shootout will determine the victor of this contest.
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