Don't stare at your miss Oweh, go get it.

The danger for Kentucky is Iowa State not gonna stay this cold from deep the whole game.  

I love that we are winning.  The biggest concern right now, is besides for the first few minutes of the game. Iowa State is making UK earn everything that, with their great ball pressure. While on the other end Iowa State is getting some great looks, they luckily just aren’t making their open looks. Offensively we have to find away to get some cleaner looks, and defensively we have to get more pressure on them. As Iowa State will eventually start hitting if we keep giving them open looks. 

Big sequence, not getting either of the rebound opportunities and then Iowa State cans a three, followed by yet another turnover by Kentucky (when they'd have gotten a dunk).  

Kentucky having a lot of trouble not committing fouls.  Iowa State not shooting well but getting to the line a lot.

30-27 Cats.

ANOTHER turnover by Kentucky. I think that's 11.  

This is a game Kentucky could probably easily be up double digits, but they may not even be up going into the half.

Iowa State leads 31-30 going into the half.  Kentucky led by as many as 11.  

Kentucky has more turnovers (12) than made shots (11).  They played really well in a lot of aspects, and Iowa State shot terribly.  And yet, Iowa State leads.

If Kentucky plays like that in the second half, they're losing by double digits. They looked terrible during the last 12 minutes of the half. 

Once again I have to question Pope and timing or lack there of use of timeouts. He was a few possessions late taking timeout early in the game, when Iowa State made their big run. Then right there at the end of the half, when Chandler was double teamed and struggling to find someone. A timeout should have been used, instead a turnover, and then followed by another turnover and now trailing at the half. 

Just now, sportsfan41 said:

If Kentucky plays like that in the second half, they're losing by double digits. They looked terrible during the last 12 minutes of the half. 

Defense. Been a constant issue under Pope. Other teams can pressure the ball and make it hard on teams. We don’t really make things hard on teams, we just have to hope teams are not hitting open shots. Which luckily Iowa State missed a lot of their open looks, we were not really making it hard on them. 

1 minute ago, futurecoach said:

Once again I have to question Pope and timing or lack there of use of timeouts. He was a few possessions late taking timeout early in the game, when Iowa State made their big run. Then right there at the end of the half, when Chandler was double teamed and struggling to find someone. A timeout should have been used, instead a turnover, and then followed by another turnover and now trailing at the half. 

I give him grief for the first run but I don't know, it's tough when you only have four timeouts to spend a second there late.  

Kentucky attempted eight twos and 15 threes.  And consequently, almost never got to the line.

UK pulled a few shots out of their rears that they normally would not make. Iowa State left a lot of points on the board. Could easily be 40-25 at the half. Once the Cyclones ratcheted up the defense, it was a struggle to even dribble the ball.

Who is the better defender? Collin Chandler, or a cardboard cutout of Collin Chandler? 

Same with handling the ball. His inspiration must be those old Bob Cousy clips where he is dribbling the ball out in front of himself.

5 minutes ago, DragonFire said:

I give him grief for the first run but I don't know, it's tough when you only have four timeouts to spend a second there late.  

For me you have a team better than you not playing well, and you have momentum going into the half. I think it is worth it there, to settle things down to help ensure you keep that momentum and not let the better team get the momentum going into the half. 
 

Hopefully though saving that timeout does end up helping them out. 

4 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

For me you have a team better than you not playing well, and you have momentum going into the half. I think it is worth it there, to settle things down to help ensure you keep that momentum and not let the better team get the momentum going into the half. 
 

Hopefully though saving that timeout does end up helping them out. 

Not saying you’re right or wrong, but I’ve stopped trying to understand timeout logic at the college basketball level. I’m an NBA guy where timeouts are linked more to strategy. In college, they are about stopping momentum with a hopefulness of preserving only one timeout for the final minute. It drives me nuts.