We can’t blame it on Coury anymore. Why does it take a few slaps across the face to get us to wake up?

What you say is certainly possible. I hope that’s not the truth of it, and I can’t say I’ve seen Roy’s teams play that way. Occasionally his teams play the way we did last night — getting spooked out of the gate, then settling down (sometimes too late).

Statistics don’t play the game; players do. UNC’s players whipped our guys in the first 10 minutes. They attacked our guards and played the passing lanes, which forced turnovers. They went up by 20. As Roy Williams said, UNC “meandered” after that. Yeah, we played hard, and we cut it down to 13 near the end of the game, but every time we surged a little, they immediately shut us down and scored 4-6 points.

Their players whipped our players at all the critical junctures in the game. VMI’s players also whipped out players at all the critical junctures of the game.

We have tough players and a stubborn coach. We’ll win at least 15 games this year.

That must have been our GOOD stretch. (Heh, heh…)

is a direct function of our hideous number of turnovers. Turnovers matter because they provide the opponent with an extra opportunity to take a shot, and that’s what UNC did.

We had 28 turnovers, and they took 25 more shots than we did. Hmmm.

I’m certainly not looking for moral victories, just some sense of whether the glimmer of hope that appears to be shining through the darkness seems to be justified based on what actually happened in a game I was unable to see.

Both VMI and UNC attacked our starting point guard — Porter — right out of the box, and both forced turnovers and scored points. But when Porter was under attack, none of the other players — Harris, Stephenson, Patterson (his highness), Meeks (the prince) — came to Porter’s rescue. When Liggins was in the game, his teammates deserted him also. As a result we couldn’t get the ball up the court and over the center line successfully.

Most of the blogs — and coach G — have framed this issue as Porter v. Liggins. I see this situation as Porter & Liggins, LLC. With Patterson, Stephenson and Meeks as junior partners. Neither Porter nor Liggins seem interested in scoring. But P, S & M like to score. So we get 2 guys getting off on feeding three. Harris — a great defensive player, wonderful hustler, and opportunist — would be better coming off the bench — like James Lee.

Right now, we need players in the game who can get the ball up the floor and over half court in the beginning of the game. So we don’t get down 15-2. And get us into some semblance of an offense. I think Liggins, Porter, Meeks, Patterson, Stephenson could do it.

Liggins had 7 assists, Porter had 4.

Not Liggins or Porter. The problem is that the VMI coach and then Roy Williams watching the video tape of the VMI game, decided that the best way to take control of the game is to jump on Porter bringing the ball up the floor and then for everybody else to jump into the passing lanes. (Classic Pitino.)

At this point, Porter’s problem is who do I throw it to? Porter’s problem (and Gillispie’s) is that there is nobody there to catch a pass from Porter. Porter is not a natural point guard, but his current problems have less to do with his natural abilities, than with the basketball instincts of his teammates and coaches.

Right now — based on the videotape opposing coaches have seen so far — I would start Liggins & Porter to get the ball over the center line — with Meeks, Patterson & Stephenson.

Liggins & Porter could help Meeks calm down — they would pass it to him only when he had a good shot in front of him. With two passers and no shooter on the perimiter, Patterson might work harder to get open for a pass. Stephenson is just a blue collar player — he’s going to block shots, go to the board — whatever the situation.

With Liggins & Porter bringing the ball up and getting the offense started, Meeks could get good shots.

And certainly what I want to believe.

So we were an 18 point underdog and lost by 19? It’s just a shame we let them cover the spread in the first eight minutes.

Negativity existed in the early 1960’s when Rupp’s team “struggled” by UK standards. And early 70’s and mid 80’s under Hall. Late 80’s under Sutton. And Most of 2K’s under Tubby.

Never helped, then or now.

I do hope he heels quickly. I broke my wrist last summer in a manner similar to what happened to Zeller (stuck my hand out to brace a fall and hit the ground hard) and after 3 months in a brace it improved significantly. I hope he heals quickly enough that he can get back on the court in the latter half of the season.