10 hours ago, Tomcats1990 said:

CAL is average at best with Xs and Os and when he doesn’t have the most talent on the floor it shows. Tenn lived in the paint that last 12 minutes. You have gotta zone some to try and stop that constant penetration.

Before I offer viewpoints, why do you think UT had so much success in the paint?

That question is open to anyone.

35 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Before I offer viewpoints, why do you think UT had so much success in the paint?

That question is open to anyone.

Simple terms this team is an elite shot blocking team. That’s the only part of this KY team that is elite. Most of these kids most of the time get blown by on the dribble with little to zero help defense. They give up more layups and dunks then any team ever at KY.

Seems like UK has made a habit of folding in the second half of games. That’s not on the players to correct. 

Their man to man D as bad as it gets most of the time is the least of their problems.  The offense is atrocious. CAL says he needs to recruit more shooters, he has plenty of those he needs to recruit shot makers.

33 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Before I offer viewpoints, why do you think UT had so much success in the paint?

That question is open to anyone.

Sarr's last foul, his fourth, was at 8:53 with the score tied 58-58.  After that it seems Tennessee did go inside to see what they could do.  A couple of layups and dunks followed. 

Sarr also had only one block all night.  A seven footer should have more than that or they should at least be an intimidation factor.  He also had only 5 rebounds (4 defensive).  You would like to see a 7 footer getting close to a double in a big game. 

I see where people are saying Sarr is auditioning for the NBA.  Why is that not expected from a senior?  But he is actually the most consistent (scoring-wise) of any of the roster.  That said - it would seem his role defensively should have been the enforcer.  However, that requires leveraging zone to protect him from fouls.  And, well....we know about the feeling on zones. 

My guess maybe that he does not want to play that role and maybe Cal is going along with it as a "player's coach". 

 

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, Bluegrasscard said:

Sarr's last foul, his fourth, was at 8:53 with the score tied 58-58.  After that it seems Tennessee did go inside to see what they could do.  A couple of layups and dunks followed. 

Sarr also had only one block all night.  A seven footer should have more than that or they should at least be an intimidation factor.  He also had only 5 rebounds (4 defensive).  You would like to see a 7 footer getting close to a double in a big game. 

I see where people are saying Sarr is auditioning for the NBA.  Why is that not expected from a senior?  But he is actually the most consistent (scoring-wise) of any of the roster.  That said - it would seem his role defensively should have been the enforcer.  However, that requires leveraging zone to protect him from fouls.  And, well....we know about the feeling on zones. 

My guess maybe that he does not want to play that role and maybe Cal is going along with it as a "player's coach". 

 

 

 

 

 

Good assessment. I will throw in that Sarr picks up more dumb fouls than any player I've ever watched. So many aren't even from challenge at the rim. Plus he is maybe the softest UK big Ive watched under Cal.

12 hours ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

Blame Cal all ya want ever game but these players suck. So many bad tunovers and they cave down the stretch.

Blame him for recruiting them. Hopefully individuals improve by next Nov.

I agree. We could reincarnate John Wooden and Adolph Rupp and have them as co-coaches of this team and they would still be terrible and win  very few games .
Cal, Rick, Self, Williams, Donavon......everyone loses with this team.

Cal does have to take responsibility in that they’re his recruits. But I think he was hoping he could land Cade Cunningham (which was never going to happen) and he got caught in the same trap as a lot of basketball talent gurus and overrated most of these kids. Boston is not a 5 star player. They have no 5 star freshmen on this team, or any 5 stars for that matter.  It would be a stretch  to list any as 3 stars. 

6 minutes ago, The Professor said:

Cal does have to take responsibility in that they’re his recruits. But I think he was hoping he could land Cade Cunningham (which was never going to happen) and he got caught in the same trap as a lot of basketball talent gurus and overrated most of these kids. Boston is not a 5 star player. They have no 5 star freshmen on this team, or any 5 stars for that matter.  It would be a stretch  to list any as 3 stars. 

I’m sure this wasn’t the intent, but this reads as Cal needs five star players to win. 

2 minutes ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

Good assessment. I will throw in that Sarr picks up more dumb fouls than any player I've ever watched. So many aren't even from challenge at the rim. Plus he is maybe the softest UK big Ive watched under Cal.

Good observation on fouls.   That 4th foul was also after he turned it over - with the score tied.   Not great senior leadership (the turnover or the ensuing foul). 

Teams need stout paint defense now.  So soft big men are definitely a liability.  Here is a question.  Given how much the game has become a paint-and-three game, would the twin tower concept be good in today's world? 

 

 

5 minutes ago, TheDeuce said:

I’m sure this wasn’t the intent, but this reads as Cal needs five star players to win. 

CAL’s OAD has to have not only 5 star players to work, he has to have a couple of elite to generational players year in and out to be the Gold Standard.

11 minutes ago, TheDeuce said:

I’m sure this wasn’t the intent, but this reads as Cal needs five star players to win. 

No, that wasn’t my intent. I was just saying that the players he signed were overrated and some listed as 5 stars, and they’re not at that level. Villanova has proven programs can be successful without stocking up on 5 stars. Players that hang around for 3 years and get better and improve are very important. Of course, I’m not saying to ignore 5 star recruits, lol. 

In terms of Cal's X-Os.  I have rarely been impressed (sorry @MJAlltheWay24).   And using timeouts to stop big runs seems to be something Cal does not like to do.  But he did it last night with the score 56-58 in favor of UK.  Eight points of a ten point lead were whittled away.  So he did call a TO to steady the ship.  

After that TO:

Askew turnover

Askew rebound

Mintz missed 3

Sarr turnover

Sarr foul

Maybe they just are not getting it, or playing to their own agendas.  But the coach did right coach thing after an opponent run, but the players execution lacked. 

 

 

50 minutes ago, Tomcats1990 said:

Simple terms this team is an elite shot blocking team. That’s the only part of this KY team that is elite. Most of these kids most of the time get blown by on the dribble with little to zero help defense. They give up more layups and dunks then any team ever at KY.

AMEN BROTHER!!! .....  AMEN!!!

Been watching UK basketball since the days of Issel,Pratt,Casey,Steele. Have never had to watch a team that looks so bad on the offensive end. [ Defense not much better]  I've seen better offensive sets at pick up games at the "Y" !!! Never been a big Cal fan,but i will cut him a little slack. You will have a off year from time to time. My biggest problem... this team hasn't really gotten any better in three months!!! Keep doing the same stuff ,about every game. It is really hard to watch this team play....So I'm not!!!!       Later gentlemen.

What’s (justifiably) gotten lost after last night’s debacle is that the second half of the Missouri game and the first 30 minutes last night is the best stretch of play UK has had all season. Obviously bookended by horrendous stretches. To me that shows substantial improvement yet they don’t have the horses to sustain it. Last night they were in desperate need of “that guy” to keep them afloat.