Film Session: Rutgers

  • 02/09/2023 8:05 am in

Miller Kopp had himself a game against the Scarlet Knights on Tuesday evening. The Northwestern transfer was his typical floor-spacing self, hitting 4-of-6 from deep on his way to 18 total points (6-of-9 shooting). Kopp also defended well.

But it was the senior’s counters off his floor spacing that raised his game to another level, something we haven’t seen a ton of this season. He got two buckets cutting baseline as Rutgers’ defense keyed on Jackson-Davis. And Kopp also made plays for others. On a closeout, Kopp drove off the right wing, drew the defense and dished to Malik Reneau for a dunk.

And he even initiated things in transition, receiving a drag screen from Jackson-Davis and then finding TJD off that screen for a dunk.

We’ll take a look at Kopp’s two baseline cuts and two assists in the latest edition of Film Session:

Here’s Kopp’s first cut, which came in the first half. After Cam Spencer switches onto Kopp after a dribble handoff to Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jackson-Davis gets the ball between the nail and the top of the key. Spencer helps over off of Kopp on the left wing, no doubt bringing extra help should Jackson-Davis opt to drive left as he faces the basket.

But instead of just hanging in the corner and looking for the pass, Kopp back-door cuts baseline, receives the pass and hits a tough fallaway on the other side of the basket.

With Jackson-Davis raising his passing level as Big Ten play has gone along, this was a nice connection with Kopp to extend IU’s lead to eight points.

Kopp’s other baseline cut came in transition during the second half. As Jackson-Davis brings the ball up the court on the left side, we can see Hood-Schifino pointing out to Jackson-Davis that he’s going to backscreen Caleb McConnell to free Kopp more on the right wing.

But as things develop, Kopp again sees daylight ahead to the basket, so he simply cuts to the hole, receives the pass from Jackson-Davis and scores.

Another nice decision here from Kopp to get himself a high-percentage look at the rim behind the defense.

Here’s Kopp’s first assist. As Indiana comes down in transition, the ball makes its way to Jackson-Davis in the post. With two Rutgers defenders coming to the ball, Jackson-Davis whips a skip pass weak side to Kopp, who has space to fire up the shot on the right wing. But with Spencer closing out hard, Kopp just drives right by him. Aundre Hyatt comes off Reneau to try and draw the charge, but Kopp simply dumps it off to Reneau, who slams it home.

On the rare occasions Kopp has dribbled off the perimeter this season, he’s usually looking for his own shot. But he was in full playmaking mode here, taking what the defense gave him.

Kopp’s other assist came via this Jackson-Davis drag screen in transition. This wasn’t exactly the smoothest pick-and-roll game, but Kopp still made a strong pass to Jackson-Davis in the paint, who put Clifford Omoruyi in the spin cycle for a dunk.

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