3 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Great comeback and win! I know it’s beating a dead horse, but man DDP has to find away to get his teams ready to play from the beginning. As it has been an issue both years under him with getting down big early. I don’t know if it’s pour scouting going into the game, not having his team focused or what. However, he does a great job during halftimes with adjustments and getting his team playing well in the second half of games to come back. He has to find away to get this team to start the game to play with the same desperate energy they play with in second half’s when trying to come back.

Today and last game both one big issue in the first half was the other teams shot really well. UT today was raining rainbow shots in from 25-30 feet. When those ridiculous shots quit falling UK got back in the game. Unlike past games UK shot decent to start the game, when they didn't turn it over. Turnovers were the story of the first half today. Poor first half shooting was the key last game. I guess my point is, that it doesn't seem to be the same issue in each game. At least not over the past few weeks.

Now that UK won and it won't sound like ref whining, I have to say there were three calls in that game that were horrible missed calls. Calls I would expect a first year middle school ref to make.

There was a double dribble on a fast break situation. The UT player gathered the ball with both hands off the dribble as he got in the paint, lost control and started dribbling again. No call? Come on!

There was a blatant walk under the basket by a UT big man. He shuffled his feet all over the place then scored a basket. It wasn't even close.  

The worst one was the play where the refs reviewed for contact made by Oweh. After Oweh caught the ball, he took a dribble or two, pulled up for a short jumper and got fouled on the shot. The refs blew the whistle on the shot. THE BALL WENT IN THE BASKET! But the refs awarded Oweh two shots after the review. If it was a shooting foul, it should have been an and 1, not two shots. Terrible miss by the UK coaching staff.

Edited January 17Jan 17 by Voice of Reason

7 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

The Cats have now won 6 of their last 7 when playing at Tennessee. 

Almost hard to believe. 

10 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Today and last game both one big issue in the first half was the other teams shot really well. UT today was raining rainbow shots in from 25-30 feet. When those ridiculous shots quit falling UK got back in the game. Unlike past games UK shot decent to start the game, when they didn't turn it over. Turnovers were the story of the first half today. Poor first half shooting was the key last game. I guess my point is, that it doesn't seem to be the same issue in each game. At least not over the past few weeks.

It’s  hard for me to say well other team just shot well. Which I could buy if this was an exception to the rule. However, the reality is, this has been a common theme under Pope. With his teams getting down big early. So rather it is the same issue or not, the end result has been the same with getting down big early in games, and has now happened both years under Pope. Which this year alone in 11 games against major conference teams they have been down double digits in 9 of the 11. 

4 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

It’s  hard for me to say well other team just shot well. Which I could buy if this was an exception to the rule. However, the reality is, this has been a common theme under Pope. With his teams getting down big early. So rather it is the same issue or not, the end result has been the same with getting down big early in games, and has now happened both years under Pope. Which this year alone in 11 games against major conference teams they have been down double digits in 9 of the 11. 

Well I'm admittedly a UK fan so maybe I don't see it clearly. As a non-Kentucky unbiased onlooker, what do you think the core issue is?

Rick Barnes is considered if not the best one of the top 2 or 3 X and O coaches in the SEC. Just crazy the Pope is 3-1 against him...maybe just maybe Pope is a little better than his detractors would like to admit.

40 minutes ago, theguru said:

What a comeback win by the Cats and all this fighting in high level sports, ugh.  

The NCAA needs to suspend anyone involved in that for the next game. If they don't this stuff will never stop and will only get worse. 

It was over before it started. As long as nobody spit on anyone I'm not worried about it. 

36 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

 I wonder in the Cats storied history have they ever won 3 straight games coming from behind from double digits? The last 3 down 12 at home to Miss. State, down 18 at LSU and today down 17 at Tennessee.

I would venture to say, probably not. 

The player that shined the most for Ky today that nobody has mentioned is Jasper Johnson, played fearlessly and made several shots when UK was down and really needed one, continue the good work young man.

48 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

 I wonder in the Cats storied history have they ever won 3 straight games coming from behind from double digits? The last 3 down 12 at home to Miss. State, down 18 at LSU and today down 17 at Tennessee.

The 1998 team wasn't called the Comeback Cats because they were playing from ahead in the NCAA tournament.  They trailed Duke by 18 at one point in the region finals, 10 at the half, and 17 in the second.  They trailed Stanford by as many as 10 in the second half in the Final Four, and trailed Utah by 12 in the second half after famously trailing by 10 at the half and overcoming what was then (still?) the largest halftime deficit overcome for the title. 

13 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Well I'm admittedly a UK fan so maybe I don't see it clearly. As a non-Kentucky unbiased onlooker, what do you think the core issue is?

Non UK fan? Huh? I been on here for years and probably been one of the most positive UK fans on this site for years. I absolutely love that they came back to win today. My biggest issue is this is not sustainable with consistently getting down double digits to teams, and happened last year too. So you ask what the core issue is? I would say right now for the same issues two years in a row, is Pope. As something he is doing is clearly not translating to the start of games. 
 

We all want UK to be competing for titles. I know I defended Calipari when people acted like he was a horrible coach. Only because he had a resume to back him up that shows he won at a high level at UK and even before UK. It was definitely time to move on though. The question is though, was Pope the right hire. Which I'm more critical of Pope and not defending him like I did Cal when people said he sucked, because Pope doesn’t have a track record to back up that he can win at a high level to show that he will get it figured out. He didn’t have the resume even when he got this job, he only got it cause of being a former player. This is his 11th year as a head coach, and has had double digit losses in 8 years and on his way to a 9th. He has only won two NCAA tournament games in his career too. So he literally has zero track record to show he will get this team to win at the level expected here. Especially when his teams consistently have to fight back from down double digits all the time.  
 

I have zero idea what the reason is for the poor starts to games two years in a row. However, it has now been for the most part two completely different teams, but yet still same slow starts. Which to me then does fall on the coach. I don’t know if he has players over thinking things to start games like VOR said, to possibly being to nice and not demanding enough, to trying to play to many players. However, something clearly is not right when same issues two years in a row. I truly hope he gets it figured out and does show he can win at the level expected here. He is a great guy, he truly loves this team and easy to root for him. 

4 minutes ago, nikeman49 said:

The player that shined the most for Ky today that nobody has mentioned is Jasper Johnson, played fearlessly and made several shots when UK was down and really needed one, continue the good work young man.

You are completely correct! He played big time minutes today and made some big plays especially in the first half. 

4 minutes ago, nikeman49 said:

The player that shined the most for Ky today that nobody has mentioned is Jasper Johnson, played fearlessly and made several shots when UK was down and really needed one, continue the good work young man.

He has continued to get better of the last few weeks. As long as he isn't forcing up bad shots on offense. I'm good with him pushing the ball into the paint off the dribble. He's got good touch withing 8-10 feet and usually with defenders worried about the lob, UK has a slightly better shot at an offensive rebound if he misses. I just hate a forced three because the offense is stalling. 

27 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Rick Barnes is considered if not the best one of the top 2 or 3 X and O coaches in the SEC. Just crazy the Pope is 3-1 against him...maybe just maybe Pope is a little better than his detractors would like to admit.

I think all of us UK fans would gladly trade and be 1 and 3, if that one win came when it mattered most in NCAA tournament. As I said in longer post, Pope doesn’t have the resume to show he can win at the level expected here. This is his 11th year as a head coach. He is on his way to his 9th double digit loss season, and only two career NCAA tournament wins. So he is going to get questioned until he shows he can get it done at a high level. 

5 minutes ago, DragonFire said:

The 1998 team wasn't called the Comeback Cats because they were playing from ahead in the NCAA tournament.  They trailed Duke by 18 at one point in the region finals, 10 at the half, and 17 in the second.  They trailed Stanford by as many as 10 in the second half in the Final Four, and trailed Utah by 12 in the second half after famously trailing by 10 at the half and overcoming what was then (still?) the largest halftime deficit overcome for the title. 

I loved that team.