In modern basketball, offensive sets are based on one goal in mind — open up the floor and give space for the playmakers to make winning plays.
Named by how many players are outside the three-point arc and how many are inside the paint, some of the most popular and modern offensive sets are 4-out, 1-in and 5-out.
These modern offensive sets will have a huge impact on Wednesday, as Texas will host No. 7 Florida, the reigning college men’s basketball national champion. If the Longhorns can execute their offensive sets against the Gators, an upset could be in the books.
This year, the Longhorns can be seen running a 4-out, 1-in set with sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis being placed inside the paint. Vokietaitis will either set screens for his teammates to find space to score or use his physicality around the rim for high-percentage points.
The four perimeter players have various methods to get the Vokietaitis the ball, including lobbing up the ball or quick passes after drives to the rim.
“One thing about a big guy, they can’t do it alone,” head coach Sean Miller said after beating Ole Miss. “They don’t dribble the ball up the court and create their own shot. It takes teamwork, chemistry, timing and it takes intelligence … Ole Miss (was) more aggressive … trapping more, denying and pressuring further from the basket. With that, it opens things up in the lane and at the rim, and there were a couple times I thought Matas took advantage of that.”
However, as the Longhorns attempt to get Vokietaitis the ball and to execute other plays out of their 4-out, 1-in system, they will have to be extra careful not to turn the ball over.
The Gators blew out the Alabama Crimson Tide, 100–77, by defending well against their 5-out set. Although it’s not the same set that Texas runs, the Florida win showed that they can win against teams that aim to space out the court for wide-open shots in the perimeter or for open drives to the basket.
In the game between Florida and Alabama, the Gators were successful because of forced turnovers, with the Gators forcing the Crimson Tide to turn it over 18 times. Florida proceeded to outscore Alabama on points off turnovers 25-0.
In conference play, Texas has averaged 10.4 turnovers per game, but playing a fast-paced modern offense could easily lead to turnovers. Texas junior forward Dailyn Swain has multiple turnovers per game, including seven against Tennessee and five against Oklahoma. While he may be the team’s most impactful player, he will have to be careful with the ball, as Florida is capable of executing multiple defensive sets.
“Florida has had our number lately … they’ve guarded us a couple of different ways,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said. “They’ve been in (drop-coverage), and today, they switched, and in both ways, it worked well.”
If Swain is able to mitigate his turnovers and Vokietaitis does the same with his fouls, the Longhorns could add another ranked win to their March Madness resume.