Arkansas at Kentucky -- After action report
by Glenn Logan on Feb 23, 2008 6:47 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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PrintI think I am getting used to games like this. Even when CBS lost their feed and their MCS likely flopped over to, of all things, a Duke game, I kept my cool, walked up to the entertainment center and flipped on WHAS radio. My wife nearly had an apoplectic stroke -- unlike me, she hates Duke with every fiber of her being. I merely dislike them intensely.
Kudos to John Pelphrey and a game Arkansas Razorback team for coming in to Rupp Arena and playing us as tough as any team has this year. Quite honestly, I thought they played well enough to win, but the boys in blue just refused to let them. And they have done this three times in a row, and six times in a row before the nasty trip to Nashville. It is impossible to do anything anymore during a Wildcats game for fear of missing something huge, especially in the second half. Every Kentucky game this year comes down to a possession or two, and it doesn't seem to matter who the opponent is.
I must say, I am done criticizing this Kentucky team. No team since the Unforgettables has shown this much ventricular fortitude, and I am nearly numb with awe at the way these guys find ways to win. Today, it was a little bit of everything, including an amazing stop of a Sonny Weems 6-footer near the end by Joe Crawford, and denying Weems the ball for much of the last 4 minutes. Bradley did what he always does -- hit big shots, none bigger than the pull-up jumper on the right side of the lane to give the Cats the lead. Jasper hit a huge three and played excellent defense. Perry Stevenson had 8 points and seven rebounds. Patrick Patterson was, well, Patrick Patterson with a huge double double. Ramon Harris helped out with tough defense and rebounding. It was truly a team effort.
Arkansas failed to exploit their strength, which was their size and rebounding, and the Wildcats simply dominated the glass. Amazingly enough, it nearly didn't matter -- Sonny Weems morphed into a poor man's Michael Jordan at half time and began to nail threes and circus dunks on Kentucky. For a moment there, I thought the line on the Cats would read, much like a racing form, "lacked late response." Wrong. The late response was just a bit later, and more dramatic than others. Instead of clinging to a lead by the skin of their fingernails, the Wildcats actually came back from behind to get the victory.
How did I do on my keys to the game?
- Ballhandling -- Arkansas depends on turnovers for both offensive and defensive efficiency. Deny them that, and UK helps its cause.
Check. Kentucky wound up -1 on turnovers, with only 12 - Good start -- Good starts seem critical to Kentucky's success
Ah, well, not so much. They had a fair start and didn't get down big. - Perimeter shooting -- We can expect to see some zone out of Arkansas, and double teams on Patterson. We need to hit the jumper.
Not really so much here either. 33% from three, 40% overall, eFG% of only 43% - Take it to the rack -- Arkansas is a good shot-blocking team, but like UK, they are foul prone. The Cats need to get to the line.
The Cats did this in spades. I have never seen Joe and Ramel take the ball to the rack more, and UK did get to the line. - Rebounding -- Arkansas is a much better rebounding team than Kentucky. We must find a way to keep them from killing us on the glass.
Wow! 38-23 UK, including an amazing 39+% offensive rebound percentage.
Arkansas outshot us by 7% in eFG% and lost. That does not happen often, and you have to give credit to Arkansas for doing everything right but one -- rebounding the basketball. The Hogs are the 4th best rebounding team in the league, and they got pummeled on the glass by an embarrassing margin. I have no idea why, other than incredible hustle by the Cats.
We now stand 15-10 overall and 9-3 in conference. With 4 big games remaining, we now control our own destiny when it comes to the NCAA tournament. Win out, and we're in for sure. Win all but one, and we are very likely in. Win all but 2, and we still have a good shot if we do well in the tournament. The Cats' NCAA fortunes have taken a dramatic turn for the better today, and I don't think anyone would have believed it in December.
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Perfect result to the game
great game...
oh, and tru, your wife sounds awesome. i feel the same way about duke. :)
by UKWildCatFanatic on Feb 23, 2008 9:04 PM EST reply actions
Post-season...
BUT I recall a statistical analysis from the NBA last year, arguing that the Suns wouldn't do well in the playoffs because they had too many blowouts. (Kind of like Memphis tonight...)
Winning in close games are a good predictor of postseason success. Hopefully, if we make the tournament, we'll surprise some people with gutsy performances, good guard play and P-Pat. And I must complement BCG, because ever since our 2OT win against Vandy, I have never been afraid of this team running out of gas late!
by CW @ A Sea Of Blue on Feb 23, 2008 11:45 PM EST reply actions
post season berth
Still, a good game against Arkansas yesterday, and if the Cats keep playing like they have all SEC season (with a lone exception), I think their profile will take care of itself.
Lofton
by zach063 on Feb 24, 2008 12:02 AM EST reply actions
Perhaps
by David Hooper on Feb 24, 2008 12:15 AM EST up reply actions
I meant to add,
by David Hooper on Feb 24, 2008 12:24 AM EST up reply actions
Screens
No staggered, no ball, no back, nothing. Pearls guys won in spite of his coaching, which was lacking in an amazingly high degree.
Against long, athletic, and quick, Lofton struggles to create his own shot, or drive the lane. He received no help, which will forever be puzzling to me.
He will though play in the NBA, and probably for a very long time. The coaches in the NBA generally know what they're doing.
I don't see him as an NBA star by any stretch, but there is always a roster spot for a player who can shoot as well as he can i.e. JJ Redick.
by Ken Howlett on Feb 24, 2008 12:56 AM EST up reply actions
Redick
Your observation about the game was spot on, UT was not getting him the ball in the right place, and Memphis was daring him to drive the lane, and that played right into them.
Since this is a UK blog I'll comment on the Cats...love the fact that Billy ONLY plays five in the second half!
by zach063 on Feb 24, 2008 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
Redick
When one has the liabilities that Redick and Lofton possess, drawing that NBA paycheck is of utmost importance, in my view.
I saw Lofton play three times in high school, one game which was the State Championship game his junior year. My jaw absolutely hit the floor. He dropped 39 on Ballard and didn't break a sweat. He did not though, drive the lane as he does now, nor did he play a lick of defense. But, he has developed his game to an extraordianary degree over the last 4 years.
At the Ballard game I sat in front of three guys from Mason County. They told me Lofton lived in the gym. After practice he could be found shooting baskets, with his father feeding him the ball. This to me is very revealing about the young man; a high school kid, who already is the best player in the state, yet he locks up the gym every night after doing extra work.
I certainly don't think he has hit his ceiling yet. He has developed his game through hard work and determination, along with some good coachig from Pearl. I see no reason why he can't continue to improve the non-shooting aspects of his game.
Louisville Offered Lofton As A Junior
UK recruited Lofton but signed Crawford, Bradley, Rondo instead. All higher rated than Lofton. And 6-2 vs Lofton in college (so far).
by FortyYearCatFan on Feb 24, 2008 12:29 AM EST reply actions
Terrific Effort.
The two seniors deserve a trip to the Big Dance, they know it, and they're going straight after it...with a vengeance.
Second chance points, amazingly 12 to 1 in favor of the 'Cats.
Offensive Rebounds, amazingly 13 to 3 in favor of the 'Cats.
Overall rebounding, amazingly 38 to 23 in favor of the 'Cats.
Those numbers represent one very distint advantage UK currently holds over its opponents, and that is desire. These guys want it, but more importantly than just wanting it, they are playing like they want it. It's easy to talk a good game, but these 'Cats are serious.
UK committed only 10 fouls to Arkansas' 21. I definitley noticed a few bad calls, but UK guarded smartly (Stevenson did not play D with his arms), and for the most part affectively.
Sonny Weems shows how one makes big green dollars in the NBA. The guy is super, or at least he was today. Weems ended up with 26 points, with 22 coming in the second half. I didn't think UK misguarded him at all, he was just unstoppable. He got loose on one fastbreak dunk, but other than than, he was just making shots.
Weems was 10 for 20 from the floor, but the rest of the team was only 10 for 28.
Weems, as I wrote, had 26 points, no one else on the team had more than 6.
UK held Arkansas to 16.4 points below their scoring average.
I thought Harris played a good game. In only 17 minutes he grabbed 4 boards, 3 of them of the offensive variety. He played solid defense, as usual.
Stevenson led UK with 4 offensive rebounds. Perry made some big jumpers today, and overall I thought played an excellent game. He hit some big shots, and grabbed 7 rebounds, but his defense showed marked improvement today. He's not getting lost, and he's using his feet to maneuver, instead of reaching. He wasn't credited with any blocks, but he had at least 2.
UK committed only 12 turnovers. This is the area that most concerns me going down the stretch. I know they have improved greatly of late, but can they sustain the under 15 TO number. Patterson was committing a lot of turnovers, but he has scaled back his bad passes out of the post, and he's now one of the reasons the turnover number is down.
Bradley and Crawford are simply playing out of this world. Crunch time delivery men, no "popsicle pimps" here.
I'm running out of words to describe the comeback the two seniors have made. From creating depths of despairing fans, to causing emphatic euphoria, the two young men have travelled an unusual road. I've been following UK Basketball since roughly 1975 (I was 10) and I am unable to come up with a player who went from being overwhelmingly unliked, to universally adored in the span of 7 weeks. If anyone knows of such a player, please enlighten me. Crawford and Bradley have simply astounded me with their effort, intelligent play, leadership, and an undeniable will-to-win.
A team that isn't cohesive, and on the same page with one another, doesn't win game, after close game. Especially, in the fashion that UK is currently regaling us with. These young men are to be applauded for sticking together, and not bickering with one another when things weren't going so well. No finger pointing, just a convergence of wills.
Gillispie is to be applauded. He somehow held these guys together, and has produced, what may be considered by some, as a magical group.
He freakin' loves it, I can hear it in his voice. He's been slobbering all over himself slapping the fans on our figurative backs. He knows with success comes adoration, an adoration no other coach can lay claim to.
Gillispie is proving to be quite the tactician. He has coached up what was an average defensive team, into an elite defensive team, in a matter of a few months. He is smart enough to know this team can only win with defense and rebounding. Most importantly, he sold his team on his ideals. It understandably took a little time, but the mission was accomplished.
Keep it up 'Cats. There is only one thing in your basketball life that matters, and that is Ole Miss, Wednesday night.
Arkansas's view
As for me, great effort and a great win. This game had me worried coming in, but the cats refuse to lose.
by lawdog on Feb 24, 2008 8:24 AM EST reply actions
18-11 Then 20-12
I will do my best (in person) to bring home the W vs USC on March 5th in Columbia.
Annual trip for me.
by FortyYearCatFan on Feb 24, 2008 8:49 AM EST reply actions
Another Victory
non shooting aspects
Lofton's D
My feeling is that if he proves himself offensively, a good coach will disguise his defensive deficiencies.
He will definitley have trouble guarding someone with a quick first step, which most NBA points and 2's possess.
Defense though, is of secondary concern to most NBA coaches. And with the advent of the zone, defensive flaws are much easier to hide.
It will certainly be interesting to follow his career.
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