Some observations:

 

1) Obviously, Downey was incredible. I don't care if he was 9-29. Even when he missed, our D was so locked in on him that our bigs were out of position, hence USC hurts us on the offensive glass.

 

2) Cuz was equally as impressive for us. His big night is overshadowed by the loss.

 

3) Patterson & Bledsoe were just awful. 4 points & 5 turnovers for Bledsoe. And if Patterson is a 1st team All-American, why does he get so few scoring opportunities?

 

4) Our play @ the "3" spot continues to be horrendous. Darius Miller, the most disappointing player on our roster, continues to do very little when playing a big game (aside from the Florida game). Dodson seems to be our most scatterbrained player (how do you miss that wide-open shot?). Having said that, we win this game if either Pat or Bledsoe get their average.

 

5) I'm not on the "I'd hate to be Vandy" bandwagon. I love our team tremendously, but there's only been two games all year that I thought we played to our potential for the game's entirety (IU & Arkansas). Cal said we would see a different team after he had them 24/7 during Christmas break, but I haven't seen much improvement. I'm not doing a Chicken Little thing (nor am I calling for Cal's head), but I confess I thought we'd be much better at this point than we actually are. I'm very, very interested to see how we respond.

If you leave me open I will drain it. Being a good shooter means you can shoot when you are being guarded...not just when you are open.

 

There is open and there is open. I believe what being open is for Downey is a lot different than what it is for you and the vast majority of other people on this planet. Maybe I should have said play off to stop the drive and he will hit the jumper.

GT and LABS, I was just going to post it but see you both beat me to it.

 

 

UK does not have the big time player at the 3 I feel they need to win it all, their two best perimeter players are 1's pretty much and they have studs in the post......no play makers from the wing hurt in the half-court. This is where Kansas has the advantage in Henry and why Henry would have been such a HUGE addition.

 

After the 1 and in some cases more so, the 3 is the most important position on the floor.......its where championships are won.

There is open and there is open..

 

:lol: I quit reading after that. Thanks.

Back to Patterson he took 4 shots...4! He has to get more looks.

1) Obviously, Downey was incredible. I don't care if he was 9-29. Even when he missed, our D was so locked in on him that our bigs were out of position, hence USC hurts us on the offensive glass.

 

Exactly right... :thumb:

Patterson 2-4, get him the ball more. Pound the inside with him and Cousins.

 

Hard to get Patterson the ball if he doesn't really post up hard for it.

Back to Patterson he took 4 shots...4! He has to get more looks.

 

Yea Wall got his numbers towards the end, and Cousins played EXCELLENT but the rest of the team just wasn't there. One upside to this is that we've still got another month to work things out. About a month ago people thought Cousins was a hot head at times, and maybe he was but if that was the case NO WAY he performs the way he did tonight. I'm not pleased with where the team is right now in terms up knowing roles etc but I believe the problems are easy to address.

When everyone was asking does UK need to lose we found out that answer tonight. When UK was down 7 you have Bledsoe and Wall running at the basket throwing stuff up feeling like they "have" to do something. I don't remember either of them attacking the rim then dishing off to a wide open Patterson/Cousins for the jam. The film and experience should really help them.

Back to Patterson he took 4 shots...4! He has to get more looks.

 

He's got to demand the ball. He is just not assertive enough.

I like the old adage..."you want more shots, go get an offensive rebound."

 

Read this from another board, but it makes sense.

Patterson has always deferred in his career. Deferred at Huntington to Mayo, deferred his frosh year to Bradley and Crawford, deferred to Meeks last year and now is deferring to Cousins.

Maybe being assertive and really aggressive is not in his makeup?

As much as I hate listening to the song, I swear I think I'd rather hum along to "Rocky Top" than to ever have to hear that stupid bird again.

Horn is 3-0 vs UK I wonder if any coach ever won his first 3 games aganist UK.

 

I remember Dennis Felton starting out 3-0 vs. UK. 1 at WKU and his first 2 at Georgia. There might be others but I do remember Felton for sure.

It occurs to me that those comparing Downey to AI are comparing him to a sure-fire NBA HOFer.

He is a very good shooter. Leave him open for threes all night and watch what happens. UK defended Downey perfectly tonight. Where they blew it was not collapsing to the rim with him when he drove and stopping the second chance points. I also would have pounded it inside even more on offense to get USC's bigs in more serious foul trouble and off the floor.

 

I think that's why they got the second chance points. The bigs had to help out on him after he blew by the guards, leaving their guy open for the rebound of his 20 missed shots.

EXPOSED!!!!

 

 

Kentucky won't finish in the top 5 of the last poll, and won't even make it to the Elite 8. You can take it to the bank. :sssh::popcorn: