1 hour ago, sportsfan41 said:

I'd love to see UK find that in the portal but I'd be completely shocked if they did.  Reeves was an elite scorer that was really over looked this year in my opinion. 

Every year there are kinds of players entering the portal. Especially players like how Reeves was at a smaller school, wanting a chance to play in the spot light. Same with the star Tennessee got this year from a smaller school. So I do think there will be guys like that to be had in the portal. Which with the new NIL should help their chances at getting a guy like that. With how things are now, money talks. 

19 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

4 1/2 months and that team never got a bit better, that’s definitely on the coach when that happens 

I disagree that the team didn’t get better.  This team was playing its best basketball of the season over the last couple weeks  before the SEC tournament started. Then I don’t know if moment got to big for them, but then disappeared when it mattered most. 

1 hour ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

The thing is guys, we can put together whatever team we want but it’s not gonna make Cal a better in game coach or keep him from panicking 

Here is the thing Cal honestly did great for the most part from the time he got here till the season when Covid cancelled the NCAA tournament. He always had his teams playing its best come tournament time, he had teams that beat higher seeded teams in the tournament. Beat top seeded OSU in 2011.  Out coached Pitino in the sweet 16 in 2014 when Pitino had the better team. However, all that seemed to change after Covid cancelled the 2020 tournament. Then had the horrible season during the Covid year, much like coach K was horrible that year too. However Cal that horrible season, then having player in Clarke get killed in a car crash. Calipari just has never seemed to get his mojo back after that year and all that transpired. Before all that all the buttons he seemed to push would work. However, since then nothing he has done really has worked. Especially in regards to the tournament. Which he may not ever be able to get that mojo back while here. 
 

Coach K had a similar rough run from 2005 to 2009 when he had a first and second round exit, and no better than a sweet 16 in those 5 years. So not quite as bad as the last 4 years here. However, would have had people very upset in those 5 years with those results. Then coach K from 2012 to 2014 lost in the first round to a 15 seed and a 14 seed too. So even the best coach of all time has had tough stretches. Only difference is after those tough few years for coach K, he then would follow it up with a championship. That is why next year has to be a make or break type year for Cal. I think all parties on both sides have to know going into it, that things have to get back on track next year or else time to part ways. 

45 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

I disagree that the team didn’t get better.  This team was playing its best basketball of the season over the last couple weeks  before the SEC tournament started. Then I don’t know if moment got to big for them, but then disappeared when it mattered most. 

It's like they didn't win the last 8/9 SEC games, including big ones on the road.

Sure they sucked in the SEC tournament and obviously Thursday. But don't get the constant, "they didn't get any better all year."

They absolutely got better. Several individuals got quite a bit better even (e.g. Sheppard, Edwards, Theiro) and they got better as a team. They just completely fell flat when it mattered most, which is largely on Calirpari.

Just now, MJAlltheWay24 said:

It's like they didn't win the last 8/9 SEC games, including big ones on the road.

Sure they sucked in the SEC tournament and obviously Thursday. But don't get the constant, "they didn't get any better all year."

They absolutely got better. Several individuals got quite a bit better even (e.g. Sheppard, Edwards, Theiro) and they got better as a team. They just completely fell flat when it mattered most, which is largely on Calirpari.

Honestly I rewatched the Oakland game, and I’m not sure what else Cal should have done. They were prepared well for the zone IMO, but simply missed a lot of layups and even dunks. Defensively he tried multiple defenders on that guy, even facing guarding him and the guy simply made some tough very contested shots including banking one in. Which I don’t think it was Cal’s fault that your star Freshman Sheppard and Dillingham both seemed to let the moment get to big for them. I know I definitely didn’t see that coming with Sheppard who had been so calm all year. However, he seemed anxious as can be and just throwing the ball around for many turnovers. Now obviously with how the team has failed the previous 3 years before this year, doesn’t help Cal’s cause at all. However, in regards to this game specially I’m not sure what else he should have done. Players have to make plays in this tournament, and besides for Reeves. The guys you thought you could count on didn’t perform. 

50 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

That is why next year has to be a make or break type year for Cal. I think all parties on both sides have to know going into it, that things have to get back on track next year or else time to part ways. 

I think that's what this year was for a large chunk of BBN. Even I said before the season, he has to make a run this season and he didn't.

Now I'm not clamoring for Kentucky to move on but it's why I just can't defend it anymore and if his time has come to an end, no belly aching from me.

7 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Honestly I rewatched the Oakland game, and I’m not sure what else Cal should have done. They were prepared well for the zone IMO, but simply missed a lot of layups and even dunks. Defensively he tried multiple defenders on that guy, even facing guarding him and the guy simply made some tough very contested shots including banking one in. Which I don’t think it was Cal’s fault that your star Freshman Sheppard and Dillingham both seemed to let the moment get to big for them. I know I definitely didn’t see that coming with Sheppard who had been so calm all year. However, he seemed anxious as can be and just throwing the ball around for many turnovers. Now obviously with how the team has failed the previous 3 years before this year, doesn’t help Cal’s cause at all. However, in regards to this game specially I’m not sure what else he should have done. Players have to make plays in this tournament, and besides for Reeves. The guys you thought you could count on didn’t perform. 

Yeah idk. I'd have to watch it again. Which I can't bring myself to do.

My friends would say it's Caliapri's fault that Sheppard and Dilly didn't play like themselves cause of how we poorly prepared them and how Cal had them play against the zone. Or that Cal didn't plan better defensively to not let Gohlke even catch the ball.

14 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Defensively he tried multiple defenders on that guy, even facing guarding him and the guy simply made some tough very contested shots including banking one in.

How many times did Cal have them pick them up full court like NC State did we let them walk it up and get into their sets and tried to guard Gohlke after he got the ball. I will give you they tried to guard more after hit the first 3 or 4 that were pretty open then he was in the zone.

12 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Honestly I rewatched the Oakland game, and I’m not sure what else Cal should have done. They were prepared well for the zone IMO, but simply missed a lot of layups and even dunks. Defensively he tried multiple defenders on that guy, even facing guarding him and the guy simply made some tough very contested shots including banking one in. Which I don’t think it was Cal’s fault that your star Freshman Sheppard and Dillingham both seemed to let the moment get to big for them. I know I definitely didn’t see that coming with Sheppard who had been so calm all year. However, he seemed anxious as can be and just throwing the ball around for many turnovers. Now obviously with how the team has failed the previous 3 years before this year, doesn’t help Cal’s cause at all. However, in regards to this game specially I’m not sure what else he should have done. Players have to make plays in this tournament, and besides for Reeves. The guys you thought you could count on didn’t perform. 

He should have called TO after the Dillingham 3 pointer to cut to 1 with 1:08 left.  Precious time and a poorer defensive squad were left on the court.

We hit a point mid way through 2nd half when we panicked and jacked up quick 3's with no ball movement or penetration.  

We allowed them to walk the ball up the court and dictate tempo with never going to any kind of pressure.

He never tried Edwards (Thierro got hurt) on the shooter to see if added length affected him.

He didn't hedge out/double the shooter and make the screener roll and beat them.

 

I only watched the game once, but these stick out with me.

12 hours ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

How many times did Cal have them pick them up full court like NC State did we let them walk it up and get into their sets and tried to guard Gohlke after he got the ball. I will give you they tried to guard more after hit the first 3 or 4 that were pretty open then he was in the zone.

The first 3 or 4 he hit were not pretty open. Even one of them he hit he was running to his left with a guy in his face and still made it. He only had about two made threes in the game that wasn’t really contested. One of them when he got Sheppard on a pump fake, and took one dribble to the left for a wide open three. Which as for NC State, it would have been interesting to see if NC state played that way if they didn’t have the benefit of seeing them go off on UK the day before. 
 

I mean I get it, some on here think every single thing Cal does is wrong.  Any mistake a player makes is Cal’s fault. Which there were definitely a good amount of games where Cal didn’t do great. I just don’t think this game was as much on him. 

12 hours ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

I think that's what this year was for a large chunk of BBN. Even I said before the season, he has to make a run this season and he didn't.

Now I'm not clamoring for Kentucky to move on but it's why I just can't defend it anymore and if his time has come to an end, no belly aching from me.

Agreed. To me you move on as long as you know for sure you have a top guy that can come in and do well right away. If you don’t know for sure you can get that. Then you have to consider which thing would get the program turned around quicker. Giving Cal another year, or getting someone else and possibly take a little time to get going again if at all. 

30 minutes ago, okie1 said:

He should have called TO after the Dillingham 3 pointer to cut to 1 with 1:08 left.  Precious time and a poorer defensive squad were left on the court.

We hit a point mid way through 2nd half when we panicked and jacked up quick 3's with no ball movement or penetration.  

We allowed them to walk the ball up the court and dictate tempo with never going to any kind of pressure.

He never tried Edwards (Thierro got hurt) on the shooter to see if added length affected him.

He didn't hedge out/double the shooter and make the screener roll and beat them.

 

I only watched the game once, but these stick out with me.

No doubt.  Kentucky had three timeouts at the time.  That's the maximum they even could have because there's the one use it or lose it in the first half.  So Cal at no point in the half thought it was necessary to call a timeout to talk things over. The first timeout he called in the second half was with 4 seconds left.  So yes, absolutely should have called a timeout there.

It was closer to 1:05 when the shot was made.  Ball bounced straight to Mitchell, who chose to let it bounce off him and then lay there on the floor.  Multiple other Kentucky players were around it and chose to let it sit there.  The official made no move to the ball.  At 58 seconds left, Gohlke flipped it to the official.  At 56 seconds left, the Oakland inbounder touched the ball for the first time.  Nine seconds gone for almost no reason at all.  Kentucky had used the time to set their defense, but a timeout could have done that much better and with no time elapsed.  At the 53 second mark the ball is inbounded, and shot clock starts.  12 seconds gone without the shot clock having to run.  Oakland bled a tremendous amount of time right there. Gone was any hope of a stop and then a 2 for 1 or something of that nature, which became a pretty big deal when Oakland hit a three with less than 30 seconds left in the game, meaning Kentucky's only option became hit a shot and foul.  That whole sequence really can't go anywhere but Cal.

Do you know what Oakland did when the ball went through the net to put them up four? THEY CALLED TIMEOUT.

(Not related to 2024-25 Kentucky, but since I rewatched the end sequence for this post, I still can't believe the shot Sheppard took on that next possession.  Down 4, coming out of a timeout, they inbounded to him, he dribbled right up court, and jacked up the first deep three he got, front rimming it.  No one near the basket to get a rebound or anything. Man thinking about him in that game just makes me furious.)

42 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

The first 3 or 4 he hit were not pretty open. Even one of them he hit he was running to his left with a guy in his face and still made it. He only had about two made threes in the game that wasn’t really contested. One of them when he got Sheppard on a pump fake, and took one dribble to the left for a wide open three. Which as for NC State, it would have been interesting to see if NC state played that way if they didn’t have the benefit of seeing them go off on UK the day before. 
 

I mean I get it, some on here think every single thing Cal does is wrong.  Any mistake a player makes is Cal’s fault. Which there were definitely a good amount of games where Cal didn’t do great. I just don’t think this game was as much on him. 

I know that players make mistakes and we went for pump fakes all night.

The lack of timeout is a coaching error.  I can tell you another good call by Oakland coach.  They made a basket with 4 minutes and change and he immediately calls a timeout.  

With the extended TO times in the NCAA, they then picked up the under 4 timeout about 30 seconds or so of gametime later.  

This was 5/6 minutes of rest his guys got, going into the most crucial time of the game.  

He was thinking ahead and prepared to call that timeout.  Cal wasn't.

 

 

 

 

If Cal returns, my #1 suggestion would be to bring back John Robic. Apologize to him, do whatever it takes to bond that bridge so to speak and get Robic back.

 

47 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

If Cal returns, my #1 suggestion would be to bring back John Robic. Apologize to him, do whatever it takes to bond that bridge so to speak and get Robic back.

 

Whatever happened to Robic?