Maker's Mark -- the Cure for my Big Blue Blues

by Glenn Logan on Dec 15, 2007 6:42 PM EST in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

So here I am, back at the house, with a very large glass of Bill Samuels' finest over lots of ice. In probably 1 to 2 hours, I'll have a temporary cure for my Robert Vaden hangover. Did I mention in my adversary analysis that we had to guard Vaden? I'm sure I did.

It's never fun to attend a game in person that your team loses, especially when it is the first one in a while. I usually manage to make one or two live UK games every year, and it sure is unpleasant to walk out a loser.

Here are my first-blush impressions of this game.

For 30 minutes, we looked very good on both sides of the floor. For the last 10, we looked like a different team.
Mike Davis completely outcoached Gillispie in this game. He had the officials calling it his way, and the crowd was outraged many times that Davis didn't get a tech. Give him credit -- he worked the refs, and mostly got his way with them.
Gillispie tried two people on Vaden -- Crawford and Porter. Porter will have more bruises than an MMA fighter tomorrow, as he got hit hard by every player on UAB's team. In this game, a moving pick would have required a closed fist, an elbow, or a running start.
Crawford could not guard Vaden, and would have fouled out of the game. Porter could not guard Vaden, as he was 3 inches too short, a step too slow, and couldn't jump high enough to get a hand in his face when he wasn't looking like a pinball.
We don't know if anyone else could have guarded Vaden, because Gillispie didn't see fit to try anyone else.
Patrick Patterson struggled mightily in the second half, and the UAB's defense was much more aggressive.
18 turnovers to 9. All you need to know.
The Cats didn't shoot bad. They just didn't shoot enough.
Vaden was supernatural -- 10-18 from the field and 7-11 from 3. I have seen hot players before, but he was impossible to guard. He would have lit up Rajon Rondo just as much, because you can't guard a player run off that many staggered screens no matter who you are.
How do you shoot 57% and lose? For that matter, how do you shoot 57%, outrebound the opponent 22-15 on the offensive glass, and lose?

I am very disappointed in Gillispie's coaching at this particular moment. This loss is on him just as much as it is on our turnover-prone team. He didn't adjust to Davis' adjustments at all. By the last 10 minutes of the game, Kentucky's tongues were hanging down to their knees. UAB absolutely dominated the last 12 minutes, and they did so by taking the ball away from Kentucky and making shots -- easy shots, tough shots, long ones short ones ... It was not what I hoped for.

No matter what you think of our talent, we surely have enough to compete with UAB. How did we lose? It's a mystery. We could have double teamed Vaden every time he touched it and likely would have won the game. We held the guy to 5 points in the first half, and the second half, he lights us up for 28 points. Hello, coach -- guys having crazy good games demand adjustments, and changing the man guarding him one time doesn't qualify.

Congrats to UAB for a gutty, come from behind victory, and Robert Vaden in particular for reminding all of us why he was so highly thought of out of high school. Mike Davis has now tied the number of wins he had at IU against us at a much less storied school.

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Posted below ...

I'm pissed off about this game. Cats had this one and let it slip away. Gillispie's in-game adjustments were not super effective, and without the personnel to trade buckets, Vaden's career night was just too much.

I'm also starting to just basically write off this year. I had high hopes, and I'm not the type generally to get defeatist, but I'm also too wrapped up into every game's outcome to keep watching us lose.

I'd like to think I was bigger than that, but I'm not, and the sooner I realize that and deal with it, the sooner I'll stop teaching my 6 month old new and creative curse words.

I was encouraged to see the Cats play better. Porter in particular seemed to have the kind of game he's capable of. 7 assists, some key threes and generally capable. He's not supposed to be playing 35 minutes a night, and when he does there are predictable missteps.

Stevenson was a non-factor, and AJ was not even a participant, which is killer when your team is reliant on mediocre athletic ability from several key players.

I think if Jasper and Meeks are out for the season, you're looking at a probable 13-15 loss season. The Big Blue Nation will hyperventilate, skewer the coach and players to death, call each other names and all that, but we did that even when we were winning 29 games and going to the Elite Eight, so why change when things are actually terrible?

Resignation to one's fate isn't really my style, but I don't know what else to do. I mean, Mark Coury is starting ... if I can't accept defeat at this point, what does it take?

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on Dec 15, 2007 7:00 PM EST reply actions

I hear ya ...

I do.

At this particular moment, staring at the last 30% or so of my triple MM, I still feel the loss -- I just don't care quite as much.

I have to say that Mark Coury gave us some very good minutes, and played good first half defense. He was less effective in the second half, but Gillispie just isn't coaching well right now in my opinion.

I'm not down on BG -- I have faith in him, even when he lays down. For this one, I was there in person 5 rows back under the basket, and brother, trust me, he laid down. Mike Davis ate his lunch, including his M&M's. And that isn't good.

Patrick Patterson must be despondent. He gave maximum effort only to foul out. Perry Stevenson played OK, just not good enough -- not really any better than Coury.

Ramel and Joe? Not bad. Not bad at all, just too much Robert Vaden for anyone. Maybe Gillispie didn't think he was any good, or that he would cool off, or that Michael Porter was actually a Transformer and would become Michael Jordan. Coach Gillispie apparently didn't watch enough tape, because Vaden never cools off when he gets hot. I saw enough of IU a couple of years ago to know that.

Eh, well. We will get better, and healthier, we just have to keep the faith and keep our arms and hands inside the ride.

by Glenn Logan on Dec 15, 2007 7:16 PM EST up reply actions

UAB

The 7+ minute stretch when UK did not make a field goal was the difference in the game.

I'm not sure I understand UK's inability to attack a zone. Davis used the 1-3-1 very effectively throughout the game. Clyde did not have an answer. But that is nothing new. Kentucky has been impotent versus the zone all year. Any coach who, from this point forward, doesn't employ some type of zone should have his head examined, roughly and thoroughly. The players are simply as lost as Amelia Earhart.(sp)

This unsettling fact falls into the lap of Clyde. Maybe he is preparing the team to face zones, and they just aren't executing, but they seem clueless to me.

Turnovers once again contributed to the L. 18-9 is simply not acceptable, and will get you beat every time.

The foul on Patterson at the end of the game was a horrific call. But when a team makes so many mistakes on their own, it's hard to find fault with the officials.

I am also curious as to why Porter "defended" Vaden for the entire second half. My Gawd man, he was abused and misused by Vaden for the full 20 minutes. Porter played his heart out, but giving up 3 inches was too much for him to overcome. The best way to slow down someone who is as unconscious as Vaden was is to get physical. Bump, elbow, grab, whatever. Just let him know he's not on the playground back home schooling the middle school JV team.

I thought out big 3 performed reasonably well, especially for the first 30 minutes.

Stewart, MIA. Perhaps he fell asleep on the bus ride from Lex.

Patterson continues to impress. He made a couple of terrible passes that became turnovers, but overall he played very well. They still need to get him the ball more. He was in excellent position a few times to receive, but no pass was forthcoming. Please guys, reward the hard workin' big fella.

Hopefully their confidence won't waver. Can you imagine how bad this team would be if they lost confidence?

Still waiting on Jasper and Meeks. Their appearance will cure a lot of ills.

Louisville lost, so the gods haven't completely lost their minds.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 15, 2007 10:15 PM EST up reply actions

A Bit More

Harris had 5 turnovers in 12 minutes.

20 assists on 28 made baskets is excellent.

I don't think I have ever seen a team shoot 57% and lose.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 15, 2007 10:48 PM EST up reply actions

Can We Beat Anybody?

There is something wrong in Big Blue Basketball. I can't put my finger on it but there is something going on internally with this team. Every player that we had last year is playing worse this year. Is there a disconnect between coach & players? I am very disappointed with BCG coaching up to this point. Why doesn't he ever change up defenses? We looked good for a half then when UAB threw that 1-3-1 zone at us, we looked as if we had never seen one or knew what to do with it. Surely they work on different defenses in practice - maybe not since the coach never tries anything different in a game. I am not giving up until Jasper & Meeks get back, if they do, but things sure look bleak at this point. I don't see how we can beat anybody in the SEC & these early losses are surely going to hurt us with the selection committee.

by Bluegilla on Dec 15, 2007 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

Wow JL for you to sound like this is a bad sign...

You know much more about Kentucky sports than I and the majority of the posters on here do, and since you are usually right on the money most of the time this worries me a great deal.

Whenever you've had a good feeling about our chances in football we've always won. When you haven't been we've always lost. 100 percent of the time without exception. And since you're more of a basketball man than a football man this really has me concerned.

I think this whole season depends on when and if Meeks and Jasper can recover from their injuries. I still think we can salvage this season if they both get healthy Meeks especially.

I still think we can right the ship. But it's going to take a lot more time and effort than even I thought it would.

Until then we will just have to take our lumps and be patient with Billy G and see what happens.

Sad but true.

by ukcatfan191 on Dec 15, 2007 8:12 PM EST reply actions

Can he coach??

Just curious...BG can truly coach...I know he can run players until their feet bleed, I know he can recruit (PP is evidence as is Darius etc.), I know he can run grueling practices on game days (this practice may have led to injuries), I know he can text with the best, I know BG shuns the motion game, I know UK plays no zone, but I don't know can he coach X's and O's...

Someone will quickly point out it is "the Jimmies and Joes not the X's and O's"...but can BG take inferior talent and have them play over their head? Can he get the best out of what he has? Can he teach 5 players to run a play? If it is structured play then where is the structure?

Believe it or not, I am not upset, just curious...been a fan since Cotton Nash days...gray and old
JMT

by JohnMarkTrent on Dec 15, 2007 8:15 PM EST reply actions

Coaching & Commitee...

I too question his coaching based on what I've seen and as far as a selection committee goes, you can forget about anything other than (maybe) the NIT.

I am so disappointed. I really thought we were a better team than what has been displayed thus far in the season. I still think we are, and, unfortunately, Billy is not impressing me or any of the UK faithful here...

by ukfansinga on Dec 15, 2007 8:20 PM EST reply actions

not too worried about the present...

because I had already kind of written off this year. After all the injuries and then Legion's departure, I thought too much was aligned against us this year for us to do much. But since Gillispie came on board I'd felt pretty good about UK's fortunes in the near future. Remember how elated the whole BBN was around October? I can deal with one bad year, a la that under .500 year UNC had--losing to our rivals, not making the tourney, being lucky to get invited to the (gulp) NIT...as long as I feel like we're on an upswing overall and that better times are soon ahead. But as much as I hate to say it, I'm starting to lose a little of my faith in BCG's ability to actually coach a game. Probably this is way too early for me to jump to that conclusion and trust me, I hope and pray I'll eat those words very soon. But damn, this is at least 2 games where we've lost not because the other guys had more talent, but because of what looked suspiciously like us getting outcoached. I don't really worry about Gillispie's ability to get talent in here, so I'm relatively sure that we should get a lot better than THIS. But I sure as hell hope we don't have another John Brady here, getting the talent but just not producing much with it. I just don't how far we'll go with coaching performances that are outshined by those illuminaries of the game such as anonymous dude at Garder Freaking Webb and crazy ole' Mike Davis. (and by the way, Tru, your diagnosis of his KDS disorder was about the only thing that made me smile on this crappy, cold, drizzly day where I'm nursing a vicious hangover and watching my Cats lose to UAB. well, that and Louisville losing too.)

I'm trying not to lose the faith for the long term, and really I haven't exactly, but games like this are testing it a bit.

Well, it can't get any worse, right?? Someone tell me it can't get any worse...

by blue kentucky girl on Dec 15, 2007 9:45 PM EST reply actions

We do have enough talent to

comptete with UAB; UK did compete with UAB.. but UK is not better than UAB. No, would not have lit up Rajon Rondo, not like he did to Porter.. Porter is in over his head. There is no other option unfortunately.

Again.. lack of top talent and athleticism does UK in. No dount Meeks and Jasper make this an entirely different game.

UK has three players who are truly good enough to start for UK (in the traditional sense)-- Patterson and our two injured young men. Crawford and Bradley have SEC talent but are substitute material.

UK's talent is not going to change this year and there is little reason to believe the results will either. Crawford and Bradley are lame duck players who I expect to pack it in and call it a disappoining career at UK.

by BeatUL on Dec 15, 2007 11:25 PM EST reply actions

Let's all just take a breath...

I seem to remember that last year was to me one of the most frustrating years I have ever had as a UK fan. The team was up and down all year long. When Jasper was running point we seemed to be just ok. Take him out and run the team with Bradley or anyone else and we fell apart. Now here we are a year later, without Morris, Perry and Woo. We are trying to ride the coattails of a freshman who is dang good but just can't carry a team yet. And we are trying to do it all while learning a new coaches system and losing a nice recruit in Alex Legion. Toss in an injury to the only man who could run the team last year and the only man who could score at will last year and you have the makings of what we are seeing now. I won't tell you that it won't get worse because it will get worse until we get Meeks and Jasper back. Even then it won't get too much better. Blame who you will but the cupboard is bare and in this day and age of college b-ball parity, if the cupboard is bare you will lose. And lose a lot. Give the coach some time. He will fill the cupboard and when he does, look out. If the Big Blue Nation will give him time he will build a powerhouse unlike anything we've seen here in years. Mark my words. To borrow a phrase from our recent football campaign...I believe. We just gotta take our lumps and hang in there. Drink hard, curse hard, kick the dog...whatever you have to do to get through, do it. We will be back. And a couple of years from now BCG is gonna wipe that snickering grin right off of Mike Davis' face. And you will believe...

by hoopchi on Dec 15, 2007 11:26 PM EST reply actions

This sucks.

I dislike talking about my team sucking. Everyday at work I get the same thing..."What's wrong with your boys?!?!?!?!" This from someone that asked me the same question last week, the week before that, and wait...yep, the week before that. Since I live in Arkansas I get asked that by numerous folks as I am the resident UK fan. I have been giving the same answer each time and you would think that after repeating yourself dozens of times a week you would get numb to the idea of your team sucking. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE!

I still get sick everytime I have to "explain" why my team sucks this year. I think my co-workers keep asking because, like me, they can't REALLY BELIEVE that UK can't even beat a mid-major much less a high school all-star team. Give me this year's McD's All-Star selections and suit em up and I guarantee they'd lose by double digits.

I hope the team knows that we still wear the UK blue and bleed UK BLUE but it is tough to resign oneself to having to explain the phenomena that is the 07-08 UK squad to others that look to our proud program as the standard bearer for college basketball. Sure there are other teams that represent the majesty of college basketball very well, but when you ask the man on the street what the first thing that comes to his mind when you say Kentucky, there is a large section of folks that will immediately say basketball. I believe horses, Judd and fine ass ho's is next in that order.

I do believe Gillispie is going to get it done. I just hope that the players give him the chance. Oh yeah, I am also sick of hearing "when Jasper and Meeks....when Meeks and Jasper.....when, when, when, when..."

WHEN I SEE IT I WILL BELIEVE IT!! WHEN I SEE THEM CAUSE THE TEAM TO GET BETTER SUBSTANTIALLY I WILL BELIEVE IT!!! I don't want to hear about what those two will do because we don't know for sure if they will do anything more than spell the other guards for a bit.

Last year Jasper couldn't hit spit and teams left him wide open creating a five on four atmosphere. Sure his passing will be helpful but if you can't shoot then your man can leave to double down on someone else.

Meeks is a lost cause for this season I can feel it. I feel it for him and our program but I would rather have a down year and have a killer Meeks next three years than have him come back early and be 75% the rest of his career here.

WE WILL GET BETTER AND BE BACK ON TOP AGAIN!!!!

by bluecrip on Dec 16, 2007 12:28 AM EST reply actions

I second that.

"I believe horses, Judd and fine ass ho's is next, in that order."

I could not have written it better myself.

Tell your Arkansan friends they haven't tasted victory against the 'Cats since February of '01. That's a mighty long time, even in Arkansas.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 1:07 AM EST up reply actions

LOL

"I believe horses, Judd and fine ass ho's is next, in that order."

As a Kentucky girl, I'm thrilled to find out that around 4th on the list of things our state is known for is its selection of "fine ass ho's."

: )

by blue kentucky girl on Dec 16, 2007 2:42 PM EST up reply actions

What he meant was...

... the overwhelming number of elegant, virtuous, beautiful women is extraordianry.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 2:48 PM EST up reply actions

very nice, Ken!

Doesn't quite have the ring of "fine ass ho's," though, does it?

by blue kentucky girl on Dec 16, 2007 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

No...

...it doesn't have the Don Imus quality to it, but it is much more gracious.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

I third that.

I can stomach what is going on knowing that next year we have a seasoned Patterson, a healthy, hungry, seasoned scorer in Meeks and a legit point guard (who can defend) in Jasper and two, if not three (Hopson please!) tremendous athletes coming in.

I will make it through this season by blaming Tubby, enjoying Louisville tanking and lots of Beam & coke. Hell, it works for me.

by BeatUL on Dec 16, 2007 4:23 AM EST up reply actions

Beat UL

As far as players coming in, BCG's recruiting abilities may take a hit if recruits start noticing that being a great recruiter doesn't necessarily relate to being a great coach!

Perhaps if coach would come out & explain why is doing some of the stuff he is doing, perhaps, again, perhaps we in BBN could stop the questioning. However, the fans here know basketball, we've seen it when it's great, therefore we know when it's not working.

by Bluegilla on Dec 16, 2007 11:07 AM EST up reply actions

He has already

proven he is a great coach. Look at Billy Donovan, he kept landing big time recruits even when he couldn't get out of the first round of the NCAAs.

by BeatUL on Dec 18, 2007 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

heart broken

If you watched the game today you saw us at our best and at our worst, I thought we were really coming together there midway through but oh well. Always a good first half and a dissapointing second. Did anyone else notice how quiet Patterson was? Not his fault, so many bad shots taken that should've been entry passes to him. Shows how good he is when he gets so few touches and still walks away with good numbers and a solid game.

by spork on Dec 16, 2007 12:43 AM EST reply actions

Stubborn strategy or lack thereof...

For all of his talk of "family" and relationships, I'm not sure that the majority of the players on this team like Gillispie. I understand that he's the chief and they are the braves, but his constant head games may be wearing thin on the psyche of this team.

I know Joe Crawford supposedly doesn't play hard enough, but the fact is that he seems like a psychological mess out there. He is one of three players on this team who can create his own shot (Bradley & Patterson are the other two) while the rest of the team stands around like they're waiting for a bus. Yet, he just seems like he's so confused that he doesn't know whether to go to the restroom or make brownies.

A.J. Stewart may play half the game or he may not get in. Patterson seems to me to be despondent and frustrated. I mean, he's eating boogers, for crying out loud! Obviously, Alex Legion had enough. There's a fine line between pushing teams until you break their will and pushing so hard that you break their spirit. With the losses piling up, I'm afraid BCG is heading toward the latter.

by ReverendBlue on Dec 16, 2007 5:32 AM EST reply actions

Schwab...

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=96

this was before the UAB game but Howie's take on the cats is optimistic

by spork on Dec 16, 2007 5:51 AM EST reply actions

The salient point

If you're looking to discuss the "WTF?" aspect in a nutshell, look no further than Gillispie's decision to guard Vaden with Porter and Crawford.

I kept thinking I must be missing something. I'm not nearly as savvy with the round ball as I am with the pigskin, but I just could not understand why a change wasn't made there.

Vaden was UAB's mightiest weapon by a factor of maybe four or five. I don't care WHO you put on him, but find someone who can guard him! Double him! Leave other guys open! Use Patterson! I don't care! STOP HIM and you win this game.

At this point I have to agree with the majority of fans questioning Clyde's coaching ability. It just doesn't make sense. Either he's a genius and none of us (including his players) are getting it yet, or he's really making some odd moves out on the court.

I also don't understand grueling gameday practices. That's nonsense. Nobody does that anymore. That's what loses you some ball games.

Orange & Blue Hue http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on Dec 16, 2007 8:54 AM EST reply actions

why does a post require a subject?

i almost hate to post this but signs point to the idea that passion does not correlate well with ability. is it possible that Coach is strong in the former and weak in the latter?

by Clandestine on Dec 16, 2007 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

I will go out on a limb and say..

BCG is a better basketball coach than you are and that you don't know what you are talking about.

by BeatUL on Dec 18, 2007 12:22 PM EST up reply actions

You think so?

Actually, it's safe to say that the jury's still out on that.

Besides, you do realize it's pretty stupid to suggest we should all just shut up and trust in the coach, right? Half of the point of watching and enjoying sports is debating what's right and what's not. So rest easy, chum. Criticism has taken place and no one has died. It will continue, and no one will visit the hospital because of it. Go outside, breathe some fresh air, and attempt to regain some perspective.

Orange & Blue Hue http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on Dec 19, 2007 10:19 PM EST up reply actions

Cats rebuilding will take time......

I agree that BCG should have put someone else on Darth Vaden when he got hot, some taller and as quick to shut his opportunities down.

Grin and bear this season as the Cats rebuild.

Live in Houston so we (Alumni group) will 300 strong and loud for the game Tuesday.

by kycats76 on Dec 16, 2007 9:14 AM EST reply actions

Confused

I join the chorus. I am sad. I am confused. I thought BCG seem totally disconnected from the floor play when he needed to be engaged. What was he thinking most of the second half....certainly the last three minutes? When he lost PP2 what was the plan for the last shot....and if he had one who knew what it was? I never understood the lack of adjustment to the 1-3-1. Perhaps the entire SEC should just adopt that or some form of it and have at us since the team does not recognize what the attack plan should be. BCG seemed to have a plan apart from the game...like the football guys with the laminated play choices on the sidelines....and the first ten are scripted. I should at least throw in that I was encouraged by many parts....expecially the 57% and the 3s going in for some of the guys. I was elated as they showed their pleasure at their own performance in the first half. I support the premise of many of the posters before me...this one seems to be on BCG.

by CAWebb on Dec 16, 2007 2:10 PM EST reply actions

Sicker still

I get sicker by the day with this nonsense. I tried to understand when BCG virtually said they would never play a zone defense. While I think that gives a huge edge to your opponents preparation I wrote it off as just BCG philosophy. Now sombody's gonna have to explain this to me.......Does that also mean we don't run any offense against a zone. Someone send a memo or newsflash to BCG. If you can't score against a zone maybe, just maybe it's a heckova defense and you should give it some thought. I don't know....I'm not a coach...but dammit does that have even a sniffling of credibility??

I was slammed for saying 15 wins this season was a longshot.....anyone care to find 11 more.

Returning now to fetal position!

by modcpa on Dec 16, 2007 4:00 PM EST reply actions

You May Have Been Right

15 wins at this point certainly seems like a stretch.

If Meeks and Jasper come back strong I feel 15+ wins is attainable, but they better hurry.

I agree with your lamenting UK's lack of competence versus the zone trap. The question you ask has been asked many times, just on this blog alone. I feel it is a legitimate gripe.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 4:28 PM EST up reply actions

Gillispie Outcoached?

No way...no way at all........this was a simple case of one man simply going off on a less than talented UK team..nobody (nobody with less than 3 fouls anyway) could have guarded Vaden. This was the best game we have played so far. Stop being so emotional or everybody will be jumping off bridges before New Years....accept the fact that is is a rebuilding year and a year filled with injuries. We will be okay in the long run......we will be lucky to break even so cheer, cheer, cheer and watch the program develop. I firmly believe that some of these young men who are stuggling now will be on that team 3 years ago cutting nets down in SEC Tourney, Region Finals and possibly Final Fours. These young men struggling now will be heroes in history's eyes...believe me.

by Chuck Alexinis on Dec 16, 2007 4:47 PM EST reply actions

Well ...

I was sitting 18 feet away from Mike Davis, and there was no doubt he got the better of the coaching battle. None. Whatever.

Look, coaches have bad games, too. Nobody is perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing, including Coach Gillispie. He absolutely failed to adjust to Davis' adjustments at halftime. As the game wore on, it became clear he had no intention to do so. And in my opinion, he let his team hang their heads a bit after that 16-0 run. I may be wrong about that part, but it was the impression I had.

I happen to agree with you about Vaden. He was running Porter off at least five picks every possession, sometimes 3 and 4 at a time. It was the old IU offense that Knight perfected with the staggered screens. When you have a hot player, it is virtually unstoppable with conventional man-to-man defense, which it was designed to disadvantage.

Both this team and our coach will have better days. The team actually played good basketball for most of the game. And I also agree with you that we will be much better when we get some help from our injured players.

If we play this game every time, absent the turnovers and a couple of inexplicable coaching decisions, we will be OK. But we can't live forever in a Big Blue Bubble -- it's dishonest. If we can't honestly discuss the shortcomings and failures as well as the successes and accolades of our team, what's the point in having this blog at all?

by Glenn Logan on Dec 16, 2007 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

Well.....Response

I am not living in a Big Blue bubble. I just disagree about who outcoached who.....Why the heck didn't Davis not employ the zone more? As soon as he went man to man, we exploited it time and time again.

Look, we simply do not have the talent or the experience along with injuries to compete on a level that is expected at UK. And, in my opinion, UAB is a better team than us. Simple as that.

Until we get healthy (hopefully this year) and get better players (next year), and WHATEVER THE HECK IS GOING ON BETWEEN COACH AND CRAWFORD BEHIND THEM, we will continue to struggle.

Coaching had little to do with losing the game regardless of how close you were sitting to him...not having enough talent did........and it will continue to be that way for the rest of the year.

by Chuck Alexinis on Dec 16, 2007 5:26 PM EST reply actions

One more thought

If Vaden hadn't of gotten hot, we are not talking about coaching decisions. When guys have nights like that, it trumps everything.

by Chuck Alexinis on Dec 16, 2007 5:40 PM EST up reply actions

Gillispie

I don't agree.

UK's year long ineffectiveness versus the zone is troubling. Regardless of whether Vaden was hot or not has nothing to do with UK's inablilty to attack the zone trap.

If the problem had first reared its ugly head yesterday, you wouldn't read and hear the questions to the extent that they now exist. But this has been a year long trend.

Davis did not use the zone trap the entire game yesterday for two reasons. He used it as a change of pace defense to confuse UK, which it did. When UAB got down 14 he probably saw the game getting out of hand, and went to it, until it stopped working. Davis, like most coaches, assumed UK would make the requisite adjustments in attacking his defense, but they never did. He therefor left the zone in place for the remainder of the game.

Probably the second reason he did not use the defense the entire game is because players expend a tremendous amount of energy. That's one of the reasons it was so effective late in the game. Davis had only used the zone intermittently throughout the first 30 minutes.

As far as Vaden is concerned: absolutely no ball denial was used against Vaden. He was allowed to catch and shoot, or catch and drive. Defense is not only guarding the ball, but also denying the ball. Porter is incapable of ball denial against an athlete of Vadens caliber. Sure, they set a variety of screens for him throughout the game, but fighting through the screener is a part of playing defense. At the very least Gillispie should have rotated players on Vaden. Porter was grabbing his shorts during the last 5-6 minutes of the game.

As I have posted earlier, these are legitimate questions. I believe in Clydes abilities, his track record, while not long, is very impressive. Looking for answers is a part of being a fan when your team is not winning.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 7:24 PM EST up reply actions

Actually, Ken ...

from where I was sitting, Porter was trying to deny Vaden the ball, and did the best he could. He was doing that the whole game, but it's real hard to deny the ball from a player like Vaden who is a step quicker, taller and with longer arms than Porter. Not to mention the screens, which seemed to always be available.

The entire second half, I was sitting literally right under the UAB basket, 20 feet from the court. I saw everything happening on the defensive end, and Porter, God bless him, was doing everything but grabbing Vaden's jersey as he weaved around screen after screen. Nobody can "fight through" that many screens.

I think we needed to go to junk on him, and Gillispie simply refused to do so. And it didn't work out for him. I think you almost have to go junk on a player having a game like that, especially with a lead. I saw Pitino do that several times during his tenure. Didn't always work, but more often than not, it did.

Crawford guarded him for about 2 possessions in the second half. The first possession somebody else shot, and the second, Crawford tried to block his three and fouled him. Gillispie immediately took him off Vaden and put Porter back on him. Gillispie claimed to have tried Harris on him, but if so, it couldn't have been for more than a possession or two, and I can't believe I would have missed that in the second half.

When a guy is going off like that in front of my eyes, all I can watch is the player guarding him. Getting a shot from another player in that situation is a victory, whether it goes in or not.

That's how it unfolded. Right in front of my eyes. Every time down the floor, Vaden would get the ball off screens and shoot. It was otherworldly.

by Glenn Logan on Dec 16, 2007 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

Ball Denial

Exactly.(To your first paragraph)

Porter was incapable of ball denial. Which is why he had no business attempting to contain him for almost the entire game.

I am with you on the Harris thing. If Gillispie put Harris on Vaden it was for only one possession, because I don't remember seeing Razor guard him. Of course no one guarded him...effectively anyway.

by Ken Howlett on Dec 16, 2007 8:57 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah ...

I must agree that Porter was incapable of denying Vaden the ball, and if denial was the goal, he was the wrong guy. If he is the best we could do, then I guess we were just screwed from the git-go.

The interesting thing is, Vaden had only 5 points at halftime, so clearly, whatever it was we were doing in the first half worked.

by Glenn Logan on Dec 16, 2007 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

Fair enough ...

We can surely agree to disagree.

I don't agree that UAB is a better team than UK. It may be very slightly better than the team we are able to field at the moment, though.

We really didn't struggle in this game. The Cats actually played quite well, just not for 40 minutes.

We can disagree on the coaching. Davis made adjustments at half time, and was constantly getting the referees to see things his way. That is my observation. Whether or not my proximity to the matter is relevant is largely predicated on what you think of my ability to make such a judgment, and I agree that is certainly a subjective opinion.

But it is inarguable that Gillispie didn't respond adequately to a) the change in defense and b) the change in offense. We could have done any number of things to stop Vaden, and we did none of them, including trying different players on him. He tried Crawford for maybe 2 possessions and claims he tried Harris, but if he did, it was so fast that I don't even remember it. And I was watching Vaden like a hawk the whole game, because I knew where UAB's scoring was going to come from.

by Glenn Logan on Dec 16, 2007 7:02 PM EST up reply actions

Adjustments

Maybe BCG realizes some adjustments just don't work. We are assuming changing things would have worked; we don't know that. "We could have done any number of things to stop Vaden." You don't know that.. "to try to stop" would be more accurate.

Two starters injured, no depth, poor inhereted talent.. I understand the criticism of BCG but early in the season he found himself behind the 8 ball.

by BeatUL on Dec 18, 2007 12:31 PM EST up reply actions