This team just isn't there. Unfortunately this is a team that you would be real excited about and think "wow this is a team that will be unstoppable in 2 years". But they won't be here in 6 months. Sad and frustrating.

 

:thumb: As Al McGuire always said ... "the best thing about a freshman is they become a sophomore. With our case ... the worst thing about a freshman is they go to the NBA.

Kansas has 1/3rd of their team dealing with rape allegations and their backup big man suspended. And they still came to Rupp Arena and won.

 

I was a bit surprised that they would be able to set aside the distractions and play well enough to win. Figured they would rape what they had sewn and drop this one by double digits. Criminal minds aside, they seemed to the mentally tougher team tonight.

:thumb: As Al McGuire always said ... "the best thing about a freshman is they become a sophomore. With our case ... the worst thing about a freshman is they go to the NBA.

Yep.

I'll still take my chances with Givens, Lee, Robey, Phillips, and Macy.

These guys will get it together by March, Cal's UK teams usually do, there's a lot of talent on this team, If they can get it together on Defense this team will make a Tourney run. But this deep into the season and they don't have it together on D so it's a little iffy to think they can consistently get it together at this point, but if they can improve on D the Cats will make a run in the tournament.

These guys will get it together by March, Cal's UK teams usually do, there's a lot of talent on this team, If they can get it together on Defense this team will make a Tourney run. But this deep into the season and they don't have it together on D so it's a little iffy to think they can consistently get it together at this point, but if they can improve on D the Cats will make a run in the tournament.

Cals teams also are historically bad at the charity stripe and when his team is bad there they usually stay bad there. That cost him a championship in Memphis and a few of his teams here lost in March because of that very thing, this team is no different.

Edited January 29, 20179 yr by Hellbird

Yep.

I'll still take my chances with Givens, Lee, Robey, Phillips, and Macy.

 

Butch Lee?

Calls teams also are historically bad at the charity stripe and when his team is bad there they usually stay bad there. That cost him a championship in Memphis and a few of his teams here lost in March because of that very thing, this team is no different.

 

As a fan I hope they can get a title but that's not realistic right now, But I do think if they can get it right on D then they could make a run in March. In 2014 UK did make the Final Four with nobody shooting over .800 from the line, and in 2011 with only Darius Miller shooting .800 or better from the line.

Cals teams also are historically bad at the charity stripe and when his team is bad there they usually stay bad there. That cost him a championship in Memphis and a few of his teams here lost in March because of that very thing, this team is no different.

 

As a fan I hope they can get a title but that's not realistic right now, But I do think if they can get it right on D then they could make a run in March. In 2014 UK did make the Final Four with nobody shooting over .800 from the line, and in 2011 with only Darius Miller shooting .800 or better from the line.

 

There definitely is something to free throw shooting being a key to success for Cal. The 2010 sucked at free throws and was at 66 percent as a team and didn't make the final four. The 2011 team actually wasn't bad from the line, because as a team they shot over 70 percent from the line and made the final four. 2012 they shot over 70 percent and won it all. 2013 was 64 percent and missed the tournament.

 

2014 they shot only 68 percent as a team. However shot it much better in the tournament and made it to the finals. Before shooting horrible from the line in the title game. 2015 they were 72 percent from the line and went undefeated till the final four. 2016 they shot in the 60s and lost in second round.

 

So besides 2014, the year UK shot 70 percent or better from the line they made the final four or won it all. This year's team is currently at 69.2% from the line as a team.

Don't get me wrong though! Free Throws are important. I'm just saying Defense is the biggest problem right now in my opinion, and if they can improve on D they could make a run in the Tournament.

This is Coach Cal's 8th year at Kentucky. The Cats have been in 4 Final Fours in his first 7 years. Played in 2 championship games, won one championship and have been a legitimate contender for the championship 5 of the 7 years. And yet people say he still can't coach. Give me a break.

 

Still a lot of work to be done and Cal still has over a month to get them ready? Anyone remember the progress the 2013-2014 team made under Cal the last month of the season when the Harrison twins were Freshman? And Monk and Fox are way better. Let's just be patient.

2nd half wasn't pretty no doubt.

 

Most useless regular season in all of sports as far as determining what happens at the end of the year.

Cal is getting all kinds of ammo to convince this crew they better listen to him if they want to win.

This is Coach Cal's 8th year at Kentucky. The Cats have been in 4 Final Fours in his first 7 years. Played in 2 championship games, won one championship and have been a legitimate contender for the championship 5 of the 7 years. And yet people say he still can't coach. Give me a break.

 

Still a lot of work to be done and Cal still has over a month to get them ready? Anyone remember the progress the 2013-2014 team made under Cal the last month of the season when the Harrison twins were Freshman? And Monk and Fox are way better. Let's just be patient.

Kentucky fans are fickle man...

The greatest thing about college basketball and also the worst thing about college basketball is the season hasn't even started yet. This is all glorified exhibition at this point.

Well the drive back to Ashland sucked tonight. Things looked promising for most of the first half, but in the end the cats just didn't do what they needed to do to get the win. They're still a work in progress though and I didn't decide to drive my car off a cliff on the way home. A few adjustments on defense and getting kids to box out better and this team could be a great one.

 

On the bright side of things, I did get to meet Mark Stoops at halftime along with a handful of recruits. Got a picture of my stepdad with "the dancing guy" outside of Yesterday's, for some reason my stepdad loves that dude hah. Oh, and I ran into Danny Ferry on my way out of the pisser at halftime. I would have shook his hand but I had just washed my hands.