There will be more IU fans there than you think.

 

Just out of curiousity, does coaching factor in to your predictions at all?

 

Given its a big game, who has the edge on the sideline? Crean or Cal?

Vandy has other bigs to go with Ezeli and IU does not with Zeller.

 

I think they are more comparable to Florida. One major post presence (Young/Zeller) and other than that more perimeter oriented. Undersized point guard (Walker/Hulls), an athletic swing man who likes to hang around the 3 point line (Beal/Watford) and then Oladipo and Boynton are somewhat similar. I don't think they matchup very well with the Cayts.

 

Erving Walker really struggled against UK all three times this year. I don't see an Erving Walker on IU's roster. And that makes a big difference since he's the PG. The rest of what you say makes good sense, but I feel like Walker is where the comparison falls short.

There will be more IU fans there than you think.

 

Just out of curiousity, does coaching factor in to your predictions at all?

 

Given its a big game, who has the edge on the sideline? Crean or Cal?

I am not seeing a coaching advantage one way or the other.

Yes, if some worst case scenarios happen then UK could lose.

 

What if IU plays bad? Cats by 30?

 

Definite possibility.

Erving Walker really struggled against UK all three times this year. I don't see an Erving Walker on IU's roster. And that makes a big difference since he's the PG. The rest of what you say makes good sense, but I feel like Walker is where the comparison falls short.

 

I agree. Watford is also no Brad Beal.

Erving Walker really struggled against UK all three times this year. I don't see an Erving Walker on IU's roster. And that makes a big difference since he's the PG. The rest of what you say makes good sense, but I feel like Walker is where the comparison falls short.

 

Walker is much better than anyone IU has at the point...

Walker is much better than anyone IU has at the point...

 

They've been playing Oladipo there recently. He went off against us in Bloomington.

I agree. Watford is also no Brad Beal.

 

I agree with that. I just think the PG position is vital in the tournament & especially when playing Kentucky.

Position by position, there is not ONE player that IU has that I would trade any UK player for. UK 78 IU 69. Biggest UK lead swells to 19.

They've been playing Oladipo there recently. He went off against us in Bloomington.

 

13 points (4-12 FG) & 7 rebounds. Solid game but hardly stellar.

1983: Cats lost by 3 at IU in the regular season. #12 Kentucky meets up with the #5 ranked Hoosiers again in the Sweet 16 and beats them, 64-59.

 

Kentucky vs. Indiana (March 24, 1983)

 

That game was in Knoxville, TN. The following game Louisville beat Kentucky in the Regional final 80-68 in overtime which was the first time they had played since like the 1920s or something. The beginning of a rivalry renewed.

Indiana fans travel very well also. I don't think it will be anywhere close to 75% UK fans.

 

Agree, there will be a very large contingent of UK fans, but there will be a large contingent of IU fans. No way they have 75%.

I'm interested to know why most of you think this game is going to be a blow out in Kentucky's favor? Indiana is a good basketball team. They lost some tough road games in conference, but as we already knew, and can see by having 4 teams in the Sweet 16, the Big 10 was the best conference in the land this year.

 

My reasoning would be that in the first match-up it was at Indy which was a very tough place to play this year. Davis played 22-23 minutes, Jones was a no show, Indiana hit 7 consecutive three's along with most of their other shots as they just didn't miss that day as the crowd was rocking. Cal instructed the players to foul on the last possession as they had fouls to give but Teague and Miller couldn't (didn't) do it. All of this happens and it took a shot at the buzzer to win by one.

 

Add into the fact that ESPN has used this game to promote some App or whatever and the players admitted 2 months ago that they were sick of seeing it and have used it for motivation all year, as I'm sure Cal has used it as well for motivation to keep the kids focused.

 

Then throw in the fact Indiana was not the same on the road or neutral sites as they were at home and I came to my conclusion. The only thing is Indiana is a big rivalry (for fans more than players though). I will be shocked if they don't win by double digits but stranger things of happened. Hope this helps.

I think hja is correct. And I will add what I said in the "Is UNC greater than UK" thread.

 

The IU game was played Dec 10th, very early in the season, & our freshmen were still figuring out how to play at the college level under Cal's system. Since that time freshmen Teague, Davis & Kidd-Gilchrist have improved far more than I believe the IU upper-classmen have.

 

Throw in what hja just said, & I believe this will be a blowout.

As a former IU fan and the husband of a UK fan, I am going to try my best to remain neutral in this game while watching. I think UK will win the rematch, but as a history guy I'm reminded of a game in Atlanta played in the 1984 NCAA tournament when #4 seed IU defeated #1 seed North Carolina in the Sweet 16. IU was more than outmatched that day on paper with 9 McDonald's All-Americans on North Carolina's team including Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty, Kenny Smith, Buzz Peterson, and Matt Doherty. Somehow, someway, IU pulled out a 72-68 win. I don't ever underestimate any team.

Sort of like the UNC game, I am not sure what you can draw from a match-up that early in the season, considering the major players for each team are Freshman. Like the UNC game, Davis is much improved on the offensive end and more disciplined on defense. Teague had a nice second half against the Hoosiers, but he is in a lot more control of the offense now. Jones, well we know what he pulled last time. In thinking about it, I am not understanding how IU did not win by 20 points last game :lol: I think that speaks to the type of defensive team the Wildcats are and can be.