Scouts' Takes

SI asked assistant coaches who had prepared a game plan against one of this year's Final Four teams to share their insights and observations about its offense and defense. They were all guaranteed anonymity in exchange for their candor.

HOW TO BEAT UCLA

VS.

HOW TO BEAT MEMPHIS

WHEN UCLA HAS THE BALL "You must keep Darren Collison (below) and Russell Westbrook from penetrating. They want to run, but [coach] Ben Howland wants [them] to get across half-court and set up. If you have length, depth and speed, you can get to them—but you have to have all three."

ATTACKING THE BRUINS "Be physical on screens or they will run through you. They push screeners out so high that your first pass is not a scoring pass, and that gives Kevin Love time to get back [and help]. One thing they don't have is depth. If you can run a lot of athletes at them, you can beat them, the way Texas did [on Dec. 2]. Their guards like to reach, and Love will help on D, so you can get them in foul trouble."

X FACTOR " Josh Shipp. He'll get open looks as teams try to stop Collison and Westbrook from driving. But can he hit them?"

WHEN MEMPHIS HAS THE BALL "They'll shoot the three, but they prefer twos. They want to attack and get to the basket. And they spread you out so much, it's very hard if you're not a good help-side defensive team. Derrick Rose prefers to go to his right, and you can't let him inside for a midrange shot without contesting it. You have to keep him in front of you."

ATTACKING THE TIGERS "You have to be able to withstand their initial pressure. Their perimeter guys are going to get after you, take some gambles, because they depend on their bigs to block shots and be a safety net. Go at Chris Douglas-Roberts. He struggles to stay in front of the ball."

X FACTOR " Joey Dorsey. He's their best offensive rebounder, but you can beat him up the floor the other way. And he's foul prone."