OK, I'll bite. "Underachievement" is probably the wrong word, but I think it's fair to ask what has happened to UK's ability to score since the Louisville game? Louisville has a good defense and so scoring 58 points there is excusable, but let's not sit around and pretend that Ole Miss and Texas A&M are powerhouses that really put a defensive strangle on this team full of All-Americans. Apart from Towns, UK isn't getting a whole lot from their big guys, are they?

 

Say what you will about underachievement, but I think it's a fair question: why are they suddenly struggling to score against teams that aren't very good?

 

They scored 89 points (77 in regulation) against Ole Miss, so your "fair question" is really nothing more than a 1 game sample....

Shooting has went to crap, I don't know what has caused that except that players suddenly don't seem to making the extra pass they were earlier in the season.

I expect Kentucky to drop to 16-0 tonight

 

They probably lose a couple more first place votes to Virginia who will look dominant in a 3-5 point win over Clemson tonight.

They scored 89 points (77 in regulation) against Ole Miss, so your "fair question" is really nothing more than a 1 game sample....

 

Meaning that both Dayton and Western Kentucky fared better against the Rebels offensively than the Cats. Ole Miss has only played four teams apart from Kentucky that aren't complete rubbish and 50% of them had a better offensive showing against the Rebels than UK. I stand by it. If WKU can put up 80 on Ole Miss then so should the team with a million all-Americans, right?

 

Kentucky shot something insane like 50% from three in that game while the big men struggled to score. I believe Lyles, Cauley-Stein, and Johnson combined for something like 8-23 from the field. To my mind, that's not going to get it done.

Meaning that both Dayton and Western Kentucky fared better against the Rebels offensively than the Cats. Ole Miss has only played four teams apart from Kentucky that aren't complete rubbish and 50% of them had a better offensive showing against the Rebels than UK. I stand by it. If WKU can put up 80 on Ole Miss then so should the team with a million all-Americans, right?

 

Kentucky shot something insane like 50% from three in that game while the big men struggled to score. I believe Lyles, Cauley-Stein, and Johnson combined for something like 8-23 from the field. To my mind, that's not going to get it done.

 

I thought you were a more knowledgeable basketball fan than to actually use the bolded logic Getslow....:ohbrother:

I thought you were a more knowledgeable basketball fan than to actually use the bolded logic Getslow....:ohbrother:

 

On occasion, yes. But we're in a state where we've let this charade of Calipari's status as the PT Barnum of college hoops carry a lot more weight than it ought to. He was absolutely and completely right to abandon the platoon system when it proved itself not to work in games against better competition. Yet we let it be spoken as gospel truth about the depth of this Kentucky team all summer and far too long into the season.

 

UK isn't getting anywhere NEAR the production it needs from several key players and its starting to show. UK is taller and faster than every team they play so why can't they score in transition? Why is it proving so difficult for them to get points in the paint for guys that should easily be able to? If Kentucky doesn't outstrip their season average from three by over 20 percentage points, they don't win that game against Ole Miss.

 

This team isn't perfect and has flaws. I think it's fair to ask why Kentucky isn't doing some of the things they should be able to do.

On occasion, yes. But we're in a state where we've let this charade of Calipari's status as the PT Barnum of college hoops carry a lot more weight than it ought to. He was absolutely and completely right to abandon the platoon system when it proved itself not to work in games against better competition. Yet we let it be spoken as gospel truth about the depth of this Kentucky team all summer and far too long into the season.

 

UK isn't getting anywhere NEAR the production it needs from several key players and its starting to show. UK is taller and faster than every team they play so why can't they score in transition? Why is it proving so difficult for them to get points in the paint for guys that should easily be able to? If Kentucky doesn't outstrip their season average from three by over 20 percentage points, they don't win that game against Ole Miss.

 

This team isn't perfect and has flaws. I think it's fair to ask why Kentucky isn't doing some of the things they should be able to do.

 

:lol2: They're missing shots. Simple as that. It's not complex. Teams, even the really good ones, miss shots from time to time.

 

Let's also not forget they were without 4 starters for the second OT on the road Saturday, and they won. If that doesn't show the depth of this team, then nothing will. Curious as to what players aren't providing "NEAR the production it needs"? I can think of maybe 2 guys that aren't playing up to expectations.

Coaches? Players? System? Something else?

 

If we must look for warts, our shooting guard is shooting 35%, 28% behind the arc. He has taken 169 shots, 67 more than the second player who is hitting at 49% and 50% . Just saying. I do however question Aaron's shot selection and yes I do remember his performance in last year's tourney.

:lol2: They're missing shots. Simple as that. It's not complex. Teams, even the really good ones, miss shots from time to time.

 

Let's also not forget they were without 4 starters for the second OT on the road Saturday, and they won. If that doesn't show the depth of this team, then nothing will. Curious as to what players aren't providing "NEAR the production it needs"? I can think of maybe 2 guys that aren't playing up to expectations.

 

Do they have the same last name?

Do they have the same last name?

 

No. Aaron has been very productive IMO.

 

The only 2 I can think of are Dakari and Andrew, and even still, I don't think either has been underperformed that much from expectations.

Bottom line, if people think this team is underachieving because they aren't winning every game by 20+ points, then that's simply a product of either a) unrealistic expectations, or b) trolling to rile up Kentucky fans.

Man, we really do have to much idle time. Im the worst.....Heck, Im reading this stuff.:popcorn:

No. Aaron has been very productive IMO.

 

The only 2 I can think of are Dakari and Andrew, and even still, I don't think either has been underperformed that much from expectations.

 

Can't agree at all that Aaron has been productive. The shooting guard I spoke of in post 68 is Aaron Harrison. Wasn't he recruited as a top 5 shooting guard in his class?

Can't agree at all that Aaron has been productive. The shooting guard I spoke of in post 68 is Aaron Harrison. Wasn't he recruited as a top 5 shooting guard in his class?

 

I know you did, and yes he was....What's your point? He's not a great 3 point shooter. He's good, especially when he gets hot, but he's never been considered great.

I see two problems with our 2-point 'shooting'...

 

1. Both Harrisons tend to drive out of control and throw up low percentage shots

2. Our big guys are not finishing around the basket

 

How many times have Willie and Dakari had their shots changed/blocked? Seems like it's pretty often.

 

I don't know what Lyles is shooting but he's the one guy that seems to deliver in the middle game. He shoots with confidence in that 15-20 foot range. I like him taking those shots.

 

I'd like to see Ulis get more time against the zone and see if he can penetrate the middle, opening the rim area for our bigs.