Some of the predictions in the prediction thread were juuuuust a tad off.

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?t=193888

 

But I did pick the winner.lol

I'm really starting to like that Orton fellow. He's a competitor no doubt, and he seems to be coming along nicely. Look for great things from this one in the future.

I'm really starting to like that Orton fellow. He's a competitor no doubt, and he seems to be coming along nicely. Look for great things from this one in the future.

I love Orton's game. He's going to battle you with everything he's got every second he is on the floor...

I love the Cats but they better not play like they did last night against UNC Tarheels!

I'm the UK Fan man!

Go Big Blue!

That is not the problem.

 

Would you post what you've heard about Liggins ? At least shoot me a PM.

 

I'd like to know what the deal is with him.

Is Hood still hurt with that wrist of his, or did he just not see the floor?

Is Hood still hurt with that wrist of his, or did he just not see the floor?

 

Hood is injured. I think he could be a bigger boost than Liggins. UK has plenty of ball handlers, UK needs shooters.

I watched about half way into the 2nd half. The guard play is way to undisciplined. I like the speed and the push, but the train wreck in the lane will have to reigned in a little. I'm not sure how they finished from the line , but the Cats didn't seem too impressive from the stripe either. Two things that kill you are TOs and missed FTs. If these become a trend, it will be an Achilles heel for this team. That being said, this would have been an L the past 5 or 6 seasons.

 

The past 5 or 6 seasons it would have been a lost? 6 years ago UK was the #1 overall seed, and 5 years ago UK was a double overtime away from the final four. UK has not been as bad as long as people seem to think. I know the past two bad years with Billy G though sure makes it seem like a lot longer though.

The past 5 or 6 seasons it would have been a lost? 6 years ago UK was the #1 overall seed, and 5 years ago UK was a double overtime away from the final four. UK has not been as bad as long as people seem to think. I know the past two bad years with Billy G though sure makes it seem like a lot longer though.

 

That's an eternity in big blue time...:lol:

No doubt, but you have to admit that has to include the ability to stretch a defense and force teams to guard the perimeter by consistently knocking down jump shots. Dodson looks to have that ability, but the rest of the roster is going to have to step it up there considerably.

 

If a team can pack in a 2-3 zone it eliminates most of the DDM concepts and clogs things up for the bigs inside as well as eliminates lanes to drive to the hoop. Not good when your best two guards have taken away what they do best from the get go. Agreed???

 

Its funny how this whole concept of the DDM has taken a life of its own. It has been a great selling tool for recruits. The offensive concepts of it are not that much different from a 4 out 1 in motion offense. It just has a livelier name. Sure there are certain designs and patterns to it, but it is about spacing, where to be on floor and where to attack.

Zones in a sense has man principles but you play an area.

You can run motion offense against a zone, but the different concept for the zone defense to man/man is you react to the ball. You can drive areas and force help and pitch, skip, swing it and get it to block.

I still think UK is going to be more of a post up team than a true DDM team.

I also think that even though it is early, they need a scoring two along with Wall and not so much of Wall and Bledsoe together.

^I agree alot with your last two statments but unless Dodson is going to be able to defend along with shooting then we'll continue to see them two together much of the time

No doubt, but you have to admit that has to include the ability to stretch a defense and force teams to guard the perimeter by consistently knocking down jump shots. Dodson looks to have that ability, but the rest of the roster is going to have to step it up there considerably.

 

If a team can pack in a 2-3 zone it eliminates most of the DDM concepts and clogs things up for the bigs inside as well as eliminates lanes to drive to the hoop. Not good when your best two guards have taken away what they do best from the get go. Agreed???

You make a good summary of a major weakness for UK so far this season, and a big concern unless it can be corrected. Last night was an excellent example. The DDM is not much without good perimeter shooters. A packed in zone with little respect for the 3 shooters is death to the DDM. Wall and Bledsoe discovered that against the Red Hawks. Wall is good but even he can't dribble through a wall.

You make a good summary of a major weakness for UK so far this season, and a big concern unless it can be corrected. Last night was an excellent example. The DDM is not much without good perimeter shooters. A packed in zone with little respect for the 3 shooters is death to the DDM. Wall and Bledsoe discovered that against the Red Hawks. Wall is good but even he can't dribble through a wall.

The real concern is UK was solid from distance against Miami IMO.

 

They shot at a solid clip from outside, and Miami still packed it in and took the game down to the wire. Granted that was helped by hitting pretty much everything on the other end and stretching the lead out early and often.

 

I simply think as an opposing coach, the game plan for defending UK over 40 minutes will include a lot of falling back and packing it in (which was a thorn in the side of Cal at Memphis St) and that will produce a lot of results like the Miami game where talent alone pulls it out at the end for UK most of the time.

 

This will be a very good team by the end of the season, but there will be some unexpected bumps in the road as Cal figures out how to mesh the limited experience with an amazing haul of new talent...

The real concern is UK was solid from distance against Miami IMO.

 

They shot at a solid clip from outside, and Miami still packed it in and took the game down to the wire. Granted that was helped by hitting pretty much everything on the other end and stretching the lead out early and often.

 

I simply think as an opposing coach, the game plan for defending UK over 40 minutes will include a lot of falling back and packing it in (which was a thorn in the side of Cal at Memphis St) and that will produce a lot of results like the Miami game where talent alone pulls it out at the end for UK most of the time.

 

This will be a very good team by the end of the season, but there will be some unexpected bumps in the road as Cal figures out how to mesh the limited experience with an amazing haul of new talent...

 

I think reasonable fans expect some bumps in the road. The team is too young and has some weaknesses to go along with a pretty tough schedule.

The past 5 or 6 seasons it would have been a lost? 6 years ago UK was the #1 overall seed, and 5 years ago UK was a double overtime away from the final four. UK has not been as bad as long as people seem to think. I know the past two bad years with Billy G though sure makes it seem like a lot longer though.

 

Have we forgotten about Tubby's last two seasons? :thumb: I think most fans have blotted those two years out of their memory.