Even as a UK fan, when they showed the starting lineup I knew I should have gone offshore. If UK had Meeks and Jasper they may have had a chance but at this point they just don't have the offensive firepower to beat a team the caliber of UNC. I really liked what I saw as far as toughness early on, UNC didn't get anything easy in the early going. Porter and Courey apparently are getting it done in practice but it's apparent they should only play in very short spurts. I really like what I've seen from AJ Stewart, he's long and is a nice shot blocker. Sounds like BG isn't too hopeful about the return of Jasper and Meeks, and I think this team will be much better when consistent minutes are granted to AJ and Legion instead of Corey and Porter.

Just got back from the game.

I gotta give credit were credit is due & that is to UK. They played much better than I expected. To bad for UK fans they didn't play the 2nd half like they did the first.

Green really stepped it up for my Tar Heels scoring 20 points.

UK pretty much shut down Hansbrough. He only had 14 points & 10 of those were free throws.

Ellington also had a good scoring night with 18 although he was only 6/16 from the field, 2/4 from down town.

Bobby Frasor for UNC stepped up & had 9 points on 3 threes.

Lawson was not 100% but the guy was still the quickest player I have ever seen. He was going around the UK guards with ease, especially whoever was guarding him at the beginning of the game, Porter maybe???

Patterson & Bradley had nice games.

It seems as if Crawford hit 5 three pointers in a row at one point. He was lighting it up. He was actually 3/8 but still. Although he did have 5 turnovers (more than anybody for both teams)

UNC forced the cats into 19 turnovers mostly coming from the guard position.

The Heels were just to fast for the Cats.

I sat in UK's student section in the upper arena. I was actually surprised to see as many UNC shirts as I did.

The fans in the lower arena of Rupp were stuck to the seats or so it seemed. Those riches need to give those seats up to people who are die hard UK fans. Not social UK fans. The lower arena filed out with a few minutes left in the 4th.

Although I was in the nose bleeds, I had a great time. First time I have ever seen UNC live. I didn't get heckled for wearing my UNC shirt except for the friend that got me & my g/f our student tickets (I am not a UK student) but that was expected. Go UNC!

And UK is on there way to another 10+ loss season...

 

Ten Loss Tubby!

 

No, wait...

As a UK alum who does not care about basketball, when can we go back to the traditional Kentucky uniforms (updated early Pitino years)? I'm tired of the Nike look!

I have to agree with your Scarface, Lawson is as quick as they get. He has a bum ankle but is qicker than 95% of the men on earth. What grade is Green? I'd never heard of him until today and he lit UK up. UK will take some lumps but I still feel like BG has them on the right track, he's just a little short on talent right now.

I have to agree with your Scarface, Lawson is as quick as they get. He has a bum ankle but is qicker than 95% of the men on earth. What grade is Green? I'd never heard of him until today and he lit UK up. UK will take some lumps but I still feel like BG has them on the right track, he's just a little short on talent right now.

 

Green is a Junior.

 

This was UNC's 4th straight win vs the Wildcats.

 

UK will definitely be on the up & coming towards the end of the season & definitely be a force within the next 2 years.

 

Tar Heels roll to best start since '98-99 at 7-0

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=273350096

Tar Heels too strong for Wildcats, reach first 7-0 start under Williams

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Every time Tyler Hansbrough caught the ball in the post, Kentucky's players swarmed around him, swatting at the ball.

 

The North Carolina big man did not retaliate to the bruising. He responded at the free-throw line.

 

Hansbrough made 10 of 12 free throws as the Tar Heels (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 1 AP) capitalized on Kentucky's 25 fouls and beat the Wildcats 86-77 on Saturday, their fourth straight win in the annual matchup between college basketball's winningest programs.

 

"I've never coached a player who takes as much physical abuse as he does," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said of his star. "He's a bull in the china shop, and all those pieces of china like to hit back."

 

The Tar Heels are off to a 7-0 start for the first time under Williams and the first time since the 1998-99 squad began the season 8-0. Kentucky is now 4-2 under new coach Billy Gillispie.

 

With Hansbrough closely guarded, reserve Danny Green lead the Tar Heels with a career-high 20 points.

 

"There's tradition and history on both sides, so it's a great rivalry, even though we're not in the same league," Green said.

...

Kentucky leads all Division I programs with 1,952 wins, while North Carolina is second at 1,921. The teams have played 30 times, with North Carolina winning 20 of them.

___________

 

Another thing...I laughed out loud when I walked pass a guy with a Gardner-Webb Hoody on in Rupp. Good stuff.

I don't think anyone else has mentioned this yet, but Joe Crawford became the 54th member of the UK 1,000 point club today. Congrats.

Patterson has won me over. I like the grit of this young man. He is doing the UK name proud. Count me as a fan.

 

One of the major problems of this team is a lack of quickness and speed. It hurts on the offensive end as no one can get to the basket and cause defensive breakdowns resulting in easy baskets or free throws. It happens on the defensive end in rotation and being able to put pressure on someone.

 

AND WHERE WAS THIS TEAM against GW and Stony Brook. When a team shows up against the "name" opponents and not the other teams on the schedule, you can assume a selfish team that is all for the glory and not the dirty work that makes a successful team.

 

And for those TBers that didn't like Vitales word, it is because the truth hurts.

Gritty effort, just not enough horses right now.

Dick Vitale evidently said, UK was undermanned and didn't have the horses...whose fault is that Dicky V? Saw no ill will from fans for Vitale...

 

Today it was glaring that UK lacked a point guard. UNC forced UK to start their offense too far in backcourt.

UK only has two guys that can beat you off the dribble...Bradley and Crawford. Meeks and Jasper could but are hurt. This allows teams to overplay and some of the others aren't quite as strong with the ball, especially evident in the start of the second half, hence turnovers.

 

UK did an admirable job in the halfcourt on defense, but turnovers that resulted in baskets really cost them the game.

 

The first half was as physical a half I have seen out of UK in a long time. The previous regime bemoaned their physical or lack of physical play. The bunch out there was chucking every cut and the hedges were physical as well.

 

Patterson has to get more touches...simple as that.

 

As for substitution patterns. I like how BCG likes to pull people a few seconds before TV timeouts to gain additional rest time.

As for others, what usually will get you pulled is blowing defensive assignments, not being where you are supposed to be on offense, not getting your man on boards, not getting on floor for loose balls.

I have no problem with that.

 

Where was this effort versus G-W? Good question, a few probably mailed it in, but an entirely new system, especially on defense takes time particular for young folks.

You are going from one team that never denied passing lanes to one that does now.

 

One player I have been particularly harsh towards, showed some life today. Perry Stevenson. He seemed very active today and didnt shy away from contact. Fouled out...but liked his intensity.

 

AJ Stewart...growing on me. Plays with energy, quick off his feet, and can move...moving too fast for his brain right now..makes careless passes, but mistakes are out of effort.

 

UK now has 5 games over the next four weeks...more practice time...they will need it and hopefully get some good news on injury front.

 

One question. Will anyone leave over Christmas break?

Clearly obvious that BCG has no faith in Carter or Williams. Pretty deep foul trouble in front court in first half and those two don't get a sniff.

LABS, he said put Meeks and Jasper on this team and it is a different team. Seems like he gave partial credit to injuries. He also indicated that Billy G will be getting top recruits like Patterson.

 

And I would counter that Crawford can ONLY beat people off the dribble that he is stronger than and can bull his way through or dribble forever looking for a lane. I don't think he is quick enough to beat a comparable guard on the other team.

 

Just a question, but from what I have heard Billy G speak of Carter, he is not fully recovered strength wise from the shoulder. Is that accurate or just a cover for him not liking his play? And for what it is worth when I saw Carter play our team in HS, I didn't think he could play at the UK level. Not nearly strong enough.

Probably a cover...he is a wuss.

Williams should never have received a scholarship offer.

As long as we have to start Porter and Coury we are going to have a hard time competing with anyone. Evidently Porter must shoot the lights out in practice, but he is still a defensive liability. Coury is a hard worker, but at this time is not an offensive threat. Bradley needs to show up some time this year. BCG will have a good team in time. It is just going to be hard to watch them until they get to that point.

Just got back from the game.

I gotta give credit were credit is due & that is to UK. They played much better than I expected. To bad for UK fans they didn't play the 2nd half like they did the first.

Green really stepped it up for my Tar Heels scoring 20 points.

UK pretty much shut down Hansbrough. He only had 14 points & 10 of those were free throws.

Ellington also had a good scoring night with 18 although he was only 6/16 from the field, 2/4 from down town.

Bobby Frasor for UNC stepped up & had 9 points on 3 threes.

Lawson was not 100% but the guy was still the quickest player I have ever seen. He was going around the UK guards with ease, especially whoever was guarding him at the beginning of the game, Porter maybe???

Patterson & Bradley had nice games.

It seems as if Crawford hit 5 three pointers in a row at one point. He was lighting it up. He was actually 3/8 but still. Although he did have 5 turnovers (more than anybody for both teams)

UNC forced the cats into 19 turnovers mostly coming from the guard position.

The Heels were just to fast for the Cats.

I sat in UK's student section in the upper arena. I was actually surprised to see as many UNC shirts as I did.

The fans in the lower arena of Rupp were stuck to the seats or so it seemed. Those riches need to give those seats up to people who are die hard UK fans. Not social UK fans. The lower arena filed out with a few minutes left in the 4th.

Although I was in the nose bleeds, I had a great time. First time I have ever seen UNC live. I didn't get heckled for wearing my UNC shirt except for the friend that got me & my g/f our student tickets (I am not a UK student) but that was expected. Go UNC!

 

 

I hope you had an awesome time man.

 

I agree that Lawson is the man he is so fast with the ball it's amazing to watch the kid play.

 

Green did have a great game coming off the bench. Ellington and Frasor played well too. Hansbrough didn't play his best but that's ok. We won.

Guys, I was watching the game and Vitale was saying that he thought Tubbly was ran out of town and talked about all that he had accomplished at UK. But iin the next breath he was talking about Kentucky didn't have the players to compete against NC. So the question is Which is True? Does anyone here know what Dick Vitale was trying to say?:confused:

Guys, I was watching the game and Vitale was saying that he thought Tubbly was ran out of town and talked about all that he had accomplished at UK. But iin the next breath he was talking about Kentucky didn't have the players to compete against NC. So the question is Which is True? Does anyone here know what Dick Vitale was trying to say?:confused:

 

His commentary was ridiculous, IMO. He brought up Tubby and the "5%" of crazy UK fans about 30 times. Completely uncalled for, irrelevant, and unprofessional.

 

You're right though, he then proceeded to say that we didn't have the talent to compete (also mentioned Lofton not being recruited). So who's fault is that?