Before anybody panics, this is the way it is on the road in Conference play.

I thought that we should've pushed the ball a bit more as a couple times when we got the ball and went up the court Auburn's transition defense was lagging a bit behind and we got some easy buckets out of it. I think we should've made it an issue to up the tempo a bit more but it seems we slowed the ball down quite a bit at times. Regardless, a win is a win and I'll take it.

 

Based on how we played tonight, I fully expect an L this weekend @Tennessee but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Before anybody panics, this is the way it is on the road in Conference play.

 

Agreed. It's like UC winning at Pitt. Pitt is really struggling but a win on the road is huge.

Another thing that is bothering me.... why are we so poor at defenseive rebounding and rebounding in general? It wasn't really an issue early on in the season but it really has become one as of late as many teams are getting many offense rebounds. I understand our defense is great but the fact remains that if you give a team enough chances to score, it will come back to bite you.

 

Also our offense seems to be getting a bit better and more fluid but at times it seems stagnant to me. I thought a couple times we were breaking through the zone defense but we just couldn't put the ball in the basket.

Another thing that is bothering me.... why are we so poor at defenseive rebounding and rebounding in general? It wasn't really an issue early on in the season but it really has become one as of late as many teams are getting many offense rebounds. I understand our defense is great but the fact remains that if you give a team enough chances to score, it will come back to bite you.

 

One thing that does drive me crazy about this team (although a lot of big programs have the same problem) is that they rarely block out on the defensive end. The turn and react to the ball using their athleticism. If they put a body on somebody and then go to the ball, they would give up 4-5 less offensive rebounds a game.

 

^ That is why Show Stopper. Early in the season they could rebound defensively because they were playing opponets who didn't have anywhere near the same athleticism, now they are playing guys who do almost every night. If you watch, it is rare that they box out or body up on a guy. They simply react to the ball.

Agreed. It's like UC winning at Pitt. Pitt is really struggling but a win on the road is huge.

 

I don't think anyone is hitting the panic button. I just think there are some problems that need to be resolved before tourney time. IMO, conference play does a really good of bringing out those problems so that you can work on them. So, I'm actually glad that they did struggle offensively. Its a problem that can be easily solved. No need for panic especially this early in conference play, if this problem is still a problem in mid to late February then it might be time to hit that panic button.

any win on the road is a big win and hard to do. Especially if you are UK,every team plays their A game against us, we are the super bowl to them. WE also play down to a team and play good vs good

I don't think anyone is hitting the panic button. I just think there are some problems that need to be resolved before tourney time. .

 

No question on that.

Not sure where the concerns for rebounding are coming from....They're the best rebounding team in the SEC. :confused:

One thing that does drive me crazy about this team (although a lot of big programs have the same problem) is that they rarely block out on the defensive end. The turn and react to the ball using their athleticism. If they put a body on somebody and then go to the ball, they would give up 4-5 less offensive rebounds a game.

 

You hit on one of my big pet peeves with that one. But it isn't just UK. No one seems to box out. Is there any team anyone can think of that teaches boxing out and has players do it? If I had to guess a team, I would say Michigan State but I don't see enough of their games to say one way or the other. Seeing a player box out is a rarity indeed.

any win on the road is a big win and hard to do. Especially if you are UK,every team plays their A game against us, we are the super bowl to them. WE also play down to a team and play good vs good

 

I heard one of the announcers say that UK was 2-6 on the road in the SEC last year.

Not sure where the concerns for rebounding are coming from....They're the best rebounding team in the SEC. :confused:

 

Because they got hammered on the boards last night till late in the game.

Didn't you give Cal crap for saying UK was locked into too many non conference games? Part of that reasoning was that they way they're currently lined up, he got UofL, UNC, and the SEC/Big East challenge all at home this year.

 

Last year they played at Portland, UNC, and UofL (SEC/Big East was a neutral site format last year).

 

Not to mention all the neutral site games (3 this year not counting UALR at Freedom hall, and 4 last year), so your "at home" part doesn't really stand up.

 

To the bolded point, yes. I called him out as being a chicken for wanting to get out of one of the big three rivalry series and replace them with another home game against a patsy.

 

And don't tell me the neutral site games are some kind of tough test. With the way the vultures scarf up every ticket possible, most all "neutral site" games end up being home games for UK. The team gains very little from them from a toughness standpoint, as a "neutral site" game between UK and any other top-flite team most always is akin to a home game for UK.

 

True road tests — where the shoe is on the other foot for a change and UK has to play five-on-eight (nine, if you count a hostile crowd) instead of the other way around — are what makes a team tough. Not a slew of guaranteed wins against overmatched opponents at Rupp. A team with as much talent as Kentucky should be taking on all comers, anywhere, any time, in order to maximize its potential as a team.

Not sure where the concerns for rebounding are coming from....They're the best rebounding team in the SEC. :confused:

 

I guess just because they were outrebounded by Auburn, as well as gave up 11 offensive boards. A team that goes for a lot of blocks, will probably give up a few more, but still. They don't box out.

You hit on one of my big pet peeves with that one. But it isn't just UK. No one seems to box out. Is there any team anyone can think of that teaches boxing out and has players do it? If I had to guess a team, I would say Michigan State but I don't see enough of their games to say one way or the other. Seeing a player box out is a rarity indeed.

 

It's the high school player in me. Plus these days, I'm a 6', chubby guard, with a terrible knee. If I don't box out, I'm not getting close to a rebound haha!