There is no sustainable way Ky can win vs quality opponents if the outside shooting doesn’t improve. The style of major college hoops has evolved to the point where you can’t just pound inside and succeed. The teams that advance in tourney play have two major components, point guard play and outside shooting and right now Ky has neither. It isn’t genius mental capacity to figure this out so get in the gym and figure it out, and do it soon before you get in the double figure column in losses.

2 hours ago, bugatti said:

Ok, so did the KU player that was "sick" not have COVID or am I missing something? Dude was experiencing all the symptoms; yet, because he tested negative he was allowed to play. Given the climate - even if he is negative - he should not have been out on the court, imo.

They said he tested negative 2-3 times.  I'm not saying this because I'm a Kentucky fan (I saw a lot of UC and UL people saying the same on Twitter), how the hell does that guy play last night?

Even if he doesn't ever test positive for COVID-19, how the heck you do play with all those symptoms.  Even if it is "just the flu or a chest cold".  So dumb this year.

And then ESPN slobbers over him for courage.  

1 hour ago, nikeman49 said:

There is no sustainable way Ky can win vs quality opponents if the outside shooting doesn’t improve. The style of major college hoops has evolved to the point where you can’t just pound inside and succeed. The teams that advance in tourney play have two major components, point guard play and outside shooting and right now Ky has neither. It isn’t genius mental capacity to figure this out so get in the gym and figure it out, and do it soon before you get in the double figure column in losses.

The way this team is built, it makes me think that these guys were recruited with thinking that Immanuel Quickely was going to be on this team.

2 hours ago, bugatti said:

The four teams combined in the Champions Classic went 18 for 85 from long range, or 21%. UK was 3 of21 for 14.2%, KU was 5 of 21 for 23.8%.

I still think Mintz's foot was on the line.

Yep, from the one angle it sure did look like his foot was on the line.

1 hour ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

They said he tested negative 2-3 times.  I'm not saying this because I'm a Kentucky fan (I saw a lot of UC and UL people saying the same on Twitter), how the hell does that guy play last night?

Even if he doesn't ever test positive for COVID-19, how the heck you do play with all those symptoms.  Even if it is "just the flu or a chest cold".  So dumb this year.

And then ESPN slobbers over him for courage.  

Exactly my point. In all sectors of life we are encouraging people to stay home if they are sick, COVID or not. It seems irresponsible.

5 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

And therein lies one of the big flaws in a one and done system.   You've got such a limited amount of time with that kids.  In someone like Clarke,  you've got a kid with exceptional athletic ability who is certainly at UK just to refine his game and audition for the NBA.  That's what Cal sold him on and that's what he'll do for him.   He's not going to play someone out of position in regards to where they'll be drafted.   You will see him work to improve an aspect of a player's game to benefit both the player and the team.   But these elite recruits don't come to Kentucky to learn a new position--especially not one that they aren't going to play in the NBA.  And changing a natural scorer with a good handle, like Clarke,  to someone to run the point and facilitate other's offense in a couple of months-- that's going to be really tough.   

There is many people who actually projected Clarke as a guy who may run the point in college from what I read.

 

5 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

And therein lies one of the big flaws in a one and done system.   You've got such a limited amount of time with that kids.  In someone like Clarke,  you've got a kid with exceptional athletic ability who is certainly at UK just to refine his game and audition for the NBA.  That's what Cal sold him on and that's what he'll do for him.   He's not going to play someone out of position in regards to where they'll be drafted.   You will see him work to improve an aspect of a player's game to benefit both the player and the team.   But these elite recruits don't come to Kentucky to learn a new position--especially not one that they aren't going to play in the NBA.  And changing a natural scorer with a good handle, like Clarke,  to someone to run the point and facilitate other's offense in a couple of months-- that's going to be really tough.   

Also Cal has played guys in different spots, than what they probably would play in the NBA. Which Cal had even mentioned before he has the ability to be a point forward type.  Jamal Murray pg his whole life, 2 guard at UK, back to pg in NBA. Bledsoe exact same thing. Quickley most likely will be back to playing more of his pg spot in the NBA. Briscoe pg his whole life, never played the pg spot in two  years. So I’m not sure where you get the whole, Cal won’t play a person at a different spot that he is use to, or projected to be. He really has done that his whole career at UK

 

12 hours ago, John Anthony said:

For those complaining about players leaving, being 1 and done, that’s what we initially signed up for with Cal.  Come for a year help us get a banner of some sort, then go get your millions, “succeed and proceed” I believe was the slogan.

Occasionally we get a Darius Miller, Dominque Hawkins, Polson, or Willis we get to know through a TV screen for 4 years, instead of 1.

Cal was the AAU coach with the best players who ran you out of the gym, that’s peak Cal.  He once said “we’re gonna come to your hometown and beat your team”. “You will hate us.”  Now we’re like some version of Virginia, or Villanova, that’s not his game.

Here is my issue for the people who complain about the one and done. Coach Cal has recruited guys that I don’t think he even believes would be one and done, and he coaches them up enough. To where they ended up being first round or lottery type picks. 
 

Then even when players do stay. If that player is not a star as a freshman, fans go crazy and rip that player apart. Saying they suck, they shouldn’t be on the court, that they are a waste of a scholarship. So fans say they are sick of one and done, yet they also want players to be stars right away. It simply doesn’t work that way. 
 

I think people want players like when Pitino was here. Yet they don’t realize, many of those same players like a Delk, Mercer, Walker, etc, would have all left earlier than they did back then, if they were playing in today’s world of college basketball. 
 

Tony Delk is the perfect example, back then he stayed four years. If he played college ball in today’s world, he probably would have left no later than his sophomore year. If a player is a star, they are going to leave these days. Yet our fans seem to want a player to be a star right away, but then for them to also stay, which is not realistic. 

52 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Here is my issue for the people who complain about the one and done. Coach Cal has recruited guys that I don’t think he even believes would be one and done, and he coaches them up enough. To where they ended up being first round or lottery type picks. 
 

Then even when players do stay. If that player is not a star as a freshman, fans go crazy and rip that player apart. Saying they suck, they shouldn’t be on the court, that they are a waste of a scholarship. So fans say they are sick of one and done, yet they also want players to be stars right away. It simply doesn’t work that way. 
 

I think people want players like when Pitino was here. Yet they don’t realize, many of those same players like a Delk, Mercer, Walker, etc, would have all left earlier than they did back then, if they were playing in today’s world of college basketball. 
 

Tony Delk is the perfect example, back then he stayed four years. If he played college ball in today’s world, he probably would have left no later than his sophomore year. If a player is a star, they are going to leave these days. Yet our fans seem to want a player to be a star right away, but then for them to also stay, which is not realistic. 

Simply put, how fans want teams to evolve and grow is not how anyone in college basketball is doing it, without the team ebbing and flowing too much for this fan bases' liking. I will take my chances with Zion and Anthony Davis. You can have your 4-year guy that may turn into a starter by his Junior season.

I also don't think people realize how much rosters turn over in college hoops these days, aside from mid-majors. What happened to UK this year was EXTREME and not the norm.

Remember when UK had something like 7 draft picks and Cal said it was the greatest day in UK basketball history?  He didn’t lose too many fans that day, but I know of a couple.   

Cal's comments after watching the tape:

Watched the tape of our game and showed our team the last six minutes. We were up four with the ball twice. We came down on five straight possessions and made one or no passes before a shot. It means I haven’t done a good job teaching these kids how to win.

Defensively, rebounding and shot blocking we did enough to win. Offensively, not moving the ball, holding the ball and not creating for a teammate, it’s obvious – and the tape tells the story because film never lies – it’s very clear where I have to take this.

Let me say this though to our fans: Stick with these kids. This is a good group. They really are great kids. They just have to learn and create new habits and we have to teach them and get them on the same page. Time to get back to work.

50 minutes ago, mcpapa said:

Remember when UK had something like 7 draft picks and Cal said it was the greatest day in UK basketball history?  He didn’t lose too many fans that day, but I know of a couple.   

It was 2010 and they had 5 first round selections. Cal caught a lot of flack for those remarks... not sure how many fans he lost or gained. I agree in his general premise.

KU shots 29.9 percent and beats KY. Lowest percentage a team has ever shot and won the game. 

Things can only go up from here but I’m worried we’re in PG transition again.  Where there isn’t a “star” in the class, or if he doesn’t come to UK that can be problematic.  Askew looks bad, he can get better and will need to do so, or else this is his “tryout” year ala Ryan Harrow, Quade Green.

My initial concern is how coachable is this team?

6 hours ago, futurecoach said:

There is many people who actually projected Clarke as a guy who may run the point in college from what I read.

 

Also Cal has played guys in different spots, than what they probably would play in the NBA. Which Cal had even mentioned before he has the ability to be a point forward type.  Jamal Murray pg his whole life, 2 guard at UK, back to pg in NBA. Bledsoe exact same thing. Quickley most likely will be back to playing more of his pg spot in the NBA. Briscoe pg his whole life, never played the pg spot in two  years. So I’m not sure where you get the whole, Cal won’t play a person at a different spot that he is use to, or projected to be. He really has done that his whole career at UK

 

Playing a guy that has traditionally been a point guard at the 2 is not in the same ballpark as taking a shoot first wing and having them play the point-- especially over one season.  

As ugly as the Richmond game was, this one was worse...

Askew is supposed to be a high school senior right now and it shows.

I’m still very high on this team. Too many athletes to not win a ton of games. They’ll be fine.