13 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Yes, Cal did make some moves and call timeouts. But to your favorite topic, no zone defense and UK's best shooter fouled out.

So do you play a little zone when getting beat off the dribble 3 out of 4 times? What adjustments?

"I'm not here to win championships; I'm here to get these young men into the NBA."

Told everyone in the Commonwealth plainly where his priorities lie.    We just didn't believe him.

It's wonderful that the next recruiting class is expected to be a premier class - but will they be coached at a collegiate championship level?    UK has lots of experience with highly-ranked recruits who never mattered because they weren't utilized well.

Not saying Cal is a bad coach - he's an extraordinary recruiter, and does many things well.   But I've become convinced UK needs a "game management" coach to really make the team better than the sum of the parts.

7 minutes ago, ColonelMike said:

"I'm not here to win championships; I'm here to get these young men into the NBA."

Told everyone in the Commonwealth plainly where his priorities lie.    We just didn't believe him.

It's wonderful that the next recruiting class is expected to be a premier class - but will they be coached at a collegiate championship level?    UK has lots of experience with highly-ranked recruits who never mattered because they weren't utilized well.

Not saying Cal is a bad coach - he's an extraordinary recruiter, and does many things well.   But I've become convinced UK needs a "game management" coach to really make the team better than the sum of the parts.

100% agreed, well said and very much past time to more forward with another leader.

48 minutes ago, nikeman49 said:

So do you play a little zone when getting beat off the dribble 3 out of 4 times? What adjustments?

Yes, we agree.

This is disappointing I was expecting to be behind the tv screen at 3 pm today. I've been through so many heart breaks over the years as UK Fan I just usually don't even get on a message board right after a loss I sleep on it. The good times aka National Championships are so rare even for Kentucky I cherish every year we win one.

2 hours ago, bugatti said:

For whatever reason Vandy matches up incredibly well with UK. Just like how UK matches up well against UT. Several players that could break down the (below average) defense and operate in crunch moments of possessions. Oscar had some horrific sequences on both ends of the court.

Of all sports, my opinion (which is worth about a nickel), basketball is much more about matchups.  This is the reason why you get "March Madness."  Yes Vandy's skill set gives Kentucky problems, but then you turn around and look at let's say Texas A and M, and Kentucky would have given them huge problems.   

12 hours ago, Kentucky Windage said:

How bad did that 5th foul on Reeves hurt. Came off a screen, had to make a basketball play that's made in every game, nails the 3. Ref calls an offensive foul, no basket. Would've made it a 2 point game with 1:30ish to play. 

Don't forget the fact that the guy was draped all over Reeves.  Loved the replay when the commentator played it down and said Reeves "got frustrated".  

23 minutes ago, sportsfan41 said:

Don't forget the fact that the guy was draped all over Reeves.  Loved the replay when the commentator played it down and said Reeves "got frustrated".  

Reeves got frustrated because he was not able to execute off Oscar's pick. I am amazed at how poorly players on all levels execute a basic pick play. If you execute the pick and roll properly, it is very difficult for a defense to stop it. Stockton and Malone both went to the NBA HOF because they could execute the pick and roll even when the defense knew it was going to be run 30 times a game.

If Reeves keeps his hands from pushing the defender, beats the defender to the pick and then cuts hard off it close to Oscar, he will get open. He did push off and that is why he was rightfully called for a foul. If he had not pushed off, he either would have got open or got a foul called on the defender for holding him. The onus on making the pick work is not on the person setting the pick. 

 

13 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Well that sucked. Defense struggled and even when they did have good defense, Vandy would make a ridiculous shot as the shot clock went off. This game was very similar to the South Carolina game with some of the shots Vandy made today. 
 

I guess the one good thing is this UK team has bounced back every time people started write them off and say they had no chance. People said no chance at Tennessee and the Cats won. People said no chance at Arkansas with Wallace out and coming off the Vandy loss, and the Cats won. Now with this early SEC exit, people will say no chance in the big tournament. So hopefully they will bounce back and prove people wrong and go on a run. 
 

With that said it’s definitely a downer entering the tournament with this early exit. 

The bolded is dead on, looked just like the SC game.

13 hours ago, futurecoach said:

I’m assuming he meant they will most likely be playing against a 10 or 11 seed. At least that is what I hope he meant, because I agree no way they go from a most likely 6 seed to a 10 or 11. At worst I think they may fall to a 7 seed now. 

I was saying that they will be a 6 or a 7. AND that after the Arkansas game, Lunardi and one of the other “experts” had them as a 5. 

13 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Just letting you know it would be a surprise if they fall to a 8 seed. And no doubt this team very easily could lose their first game again. Some of the games they have lost this year definitely would make it very reasonable to believe they probably don’t make it out of the first weekend. 
 

With that said this team has also shown that they can surprise and all of a sudden look like a very good team and win games you wouldn’t expect. This team at times have also shot free throws really well too. Even though they sucked tonight at it. Which in the NCAA tournament we see every year teams go on runs, that you would never expect because of how flawed they were during the regular season. 
 

Which Reeves has shown he is a guard that definitely could be a weapon for us in the tournament. Wallace has been banged up struggled with his shot recently. If he can rest up some more now with this extra time off. I think their guard play could end up being fine. Which it has been good in those games they have surprised us in this year. 
 

So in no way am I saying this team definitely makes a run, because it’s impossible to know which team you will get.  At times they have looked like a team that could do something and at times have looked like a quick exit team. I’m just going to choose the optimistic route and hope this team can be one of those teams that goes on a surprise run that happens every year that people never expect to happen. 

A cliche that bears repeating. In order to keep advancing in the big dance, a team must have the requisite skills to overcome their worst game. Is UK so equipped?

And a question that may have already been asked and answered. 
 

When was the last time Vandy beat UK twice in the same season?   Even though I have a soft spot for Vandy (my oldest graduated from there in 2002), I know next to nothing about their basketball history. 

46 minutes ago, mcpapa said:

A cliche that bears repeating. In order to keep advancing in the big dance, a team must have the requisite skills to overcome their worst game. Is UK so equipped?

I think that phrase works more for the favorites. Can a favorite still win even when they are not at their best. Kentucky is going to be a 7 seed because they can’t win when they are at their worst, and is why they are seeded low. So they are going to now have to be one of those low seeded teams that suddenly figure it out somehow and click at tournament time and play at their best each game. Then hoping maybe one of the favorites can’t survive having an off day against them. 

1 hour ago, Voice of Reason said:

Reeves got frustrated because he was not able to execute off Oscar's pick. I am amazed at how poorly players on all levels execute a basic pick play. If you execute the pick and roll properly, it is very difficult for a defense to stop it. Stockton and Malone both went to the NBA HOF because they could execute the pick and roll even when the defense knew it was going to be run 30 times a game.

If Reeves keeps his hands from pushing the defender, beats the defender to the pick and then cuts hard off it close to Oscar, he will get open. He did push off and that is why he was rightfully called for a foul. If he had not pushed off, he either would have got open or got a foul called on the defender for holding him. The onus on making the pick work is not on the person setting the pick. 

 

AAU doesn't teach that kind of mindset and I imagine the HS coaches of these superstars are afraid they will upset them and they will leave.  Fundamentally recent UK teams have been weak in my opinion.

Shows how bad the Cats D was last night Vandy had 9 turnovers in the entire game, and they already have 6 turnovers today in just over 6 minutes.