The Big Blue Daily Mail -- IU Eve Edition
by Glenn Logan on Dec 11, 2009 9:33 AM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats News
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PrintLater today, we will have our preview of the Kentucky Wildcats at the Indiana Hoosiers game. In honor of the great legacy and tradition of this ancient border rivalry, we will be providing the same full statistical analysis as for the Connecticut Huskies and North Carolina Tar Heels.
I think the Hoosiers, in particular, are really looking forward to a shot at the highly-ranked Wildcats. Indiana had a great game in Madison Square Garden against the Pittsburgh Panthers the other night, a game which they won decisively on a neutral floor. Despite getting killed on the offensive glass, the Hoosiers made their free throws and held the Panthers to less than 40% eFG, (31% FG), which is really getting it done defensively.
Christian Watford had a big game, as did former Kentucky recruit Verdell Jones. Tom Crean is firmly in rebuilding mode with the Hoosier team, and one more good recruiting class will put them back on track as the legendary opponent UK is used to facing in Bloomington.
The news follows the jump.
- Dream Preview: Kentucky Opens SEC Play Against Georgia
BSB has a dream. - " SEC links: Florida takes first loss; Kiffin takes a stand John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links. - " Updated UK basketball stats (through UConn) in Excel John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay has some stats compiled in Google Docs for your perusal. - Official Release Announcing Brian Kelly - Notre Dame Football | UHND.com
Congrats to Kelly. Not sure about his manner of leaving, though. - Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Are the Kentucky kids losing ground in Wildcat's football recruiting class?
So it appears that UK is getting a slightly better level of recruit. Also consider that these rankings are old and do not accurately reflect the players senior season. When all is said and done, Raymond Sanders and Dale Trimble may end up being 4* recruits and several other players may benefit from an upgrade as well.
I think this is a very nice class we have coming in this year. It isn't really an upgrade from last year, but pretty much on par. - Indiana faces strong test against No. 4 Kentucky - NewsFlash - al.com
"I told my team they're No. 2, but they're No. 4?" Crean asked after the game. "By Friday night, they might be No. 1 with the way they're playing. You want to talk about Kentucky? They're the real deal."
I don't think we are playing that great, myself. We are getting the job done, though, and the matchups look very much in UK's favor. - Know Thy Opponent: Kentucky Wildcats | Inside the Hall | An Indiana Hoosiers basketball blog
What remains to be seen is how this talented group will respond in a true road environment, which they’ll experience for the first time on Saturday in Bloomington.
Indeed. Saturday will be different, but I think the Wildcats can handle it after the crucible of Madison Square Garden. - idsnews.com | Indiana Daily Student |
Although John Calipari’s Wildcats probably should have lost to both Miami (Ohio) and Stanford last month, the Big Blue are 9-0 and coming off impressive wins versus North Carolina and Connecticut.
Well, I don't agree with this assessment at all. We were very close in both games, and had ourselves in a position to win, and we did. Sometimes it doesn't work out that way, but there is no way we "...probably should have lost ..." either game. - 3-pointers: Kentucky players execute in crunch time - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
Kentucky was up 64-61 Wednesday night when UConn grabbed the ball after a missed Ramon Harris free throw with 14 seconds left. Here's where Kentucky's players demonstrated they understood their circumstance. Knowing UConn would be in search of a 3-pointer, most UK defenders stationed themselves outside the arc. The one UK player who stepped inside that area did so on his way to challenging a UConn player on the opposite side of the court.
DeCourcy gets this right again.
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A Thought
Ok. So I keep hearing people – Coach Cal included – talking about how we “arent very good” and we arent playing well, etc, however my thought is that YES we are still rough around the edges and have things to imorove on – absolutely – BUT it is my opinion that you do not beat North Carolina or UConn back-to-back if you are not GOOD. Period. Doesnt matter how ugly the win was or whatever – bottom line, if you are not good you dont win those games.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on Dec 11, 2009 9:44 AM EST reply actions
Take a look ...
… at who we’ve played and how we’ve won. We have three four games we could have lost just as easily as won. That’s reality.
This team is slightly above average right now and has been very fortunate twice. The UConn and UNC wins were both very good, and show a lot of late-game poise not just by Wall, but by the whole team.
But Calipari is right. We are not a very good team right now. That’s just reality. A couple of great wins don’t make a good team, just ask John Pelphrey about that.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Dec 11, 2009 11:57 AM EST up reply actions
if this team self destructs like Arkansas did last year
I will perform multiple acts of self-mutilation at center court in Rupp for all to see…….it’s NOT going to happen….bank on it……
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
That wasn't my point.
My point was, beating two big teams (by close margins) does not a Juggernaut make.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Dec 11, 2009 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
does not a Juggernaut make
but probably does not “slightly above average” make, either
by Gobe Igbloo on Dec 11, 2009 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
Well ...
… that’s my opinion of how the ’Cats are playing right now.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
According to Calipari,
Kentucky should have a 4-5 record. To quote the player formerly known as Chad Johnson, “Child, please!” Unless someone hits a full court shot at the buzzer, there is no “should have won” or “should have lost”.
Hey, if Kentucky beats Louisville in a way that is aesthetically unpleasing to Calipari, can we have the win? We could use it!
by don'tshootmei'macard on Dec 11, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions
The
thing is………they have a will to win. They don’t have quite the will to put it away like we like but they have the will to win. That is a great thing considering what we have been through the last few years. We just hit some doldrums and no one was happy. Now we are a big happy family and everyone is having a blast. Going to enjoy the ride.
Kentucky bretheren united once again! Thanks Cal!
The Truth is...
That UNC and UConn aren’t that great either. It was a good test but if you look at their stats and not just their names it tells a different story. Here are our Offensive ad Defensive rankings right now compared to UNC and UConn:
Off Def
UK 83 53
UNC 74 33
Uconn 61 56
The teams playing the best ball in the nation right now are : Texas and Kansas…Hands down.
And Tennessee is top 10….UK ranks 53rd in the nation right now when you look at the total Off-Def package.
Bottom line: Calipari is right
sooo...
As usual attempting to format a table in a comment fails. This might be easier to read:
Off Def
UK _ 83 53
UNC _74__33
Uconn 61 56
Tennessee
Well of course when you beat a team by 75, your numbers will be fantastic.
Tennesseegot drilled in their only game with a top opponent.
http://wildcatblueblog.com
by PJordan32746 on Dec 11, 2009 1:38 PM EST up reply actions
and you almost lose to a bottom feeder
and it does the same in the opposite direction. Mostly just pointing out that Kansas or Tex would eat our lunch right now.
Eat our lunch?
Win, probably, but eat our lunch. Our team is beating people with talent and a little execution. That execution gets better every game. Those “bottom feeders” that played us close earlier would likely lose by double-digits now. I like the growth that I am seeing combined with the overpowering talent we have.
Yeah...
They probably would.. We only win the talent comparison against those 2 by a narrow margin and lose the execution comparison by a wide one.
Not saying I don’t like where we are going. They are getting better every single game and having fun at the same time….I love that. All I am saying is that when you look at how some other teams are executing right now we have a long way to go to catch up.
I have no doubt that come March they will be a force, but right now they are sloppy.
ky girl....i am with you.
saying we are “not very good” is just wrong. saying we are not great is ok. saying we need to work on a number of things is fine. saying we are, at best, a good team is even ok.
to be “not very good” would imply ken pom rating >100. we are 54 out of 347. florida a&m is 0-10 – that’s not very good….i think uga is not very good.
NO team with 2 potential POY candidates, 5 starters that will see NBA time (and probably 3 that will be lottery picks at some point), and at least one bench player who will be drafted can not even remotely be considered “not very good”
but what do i know…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Dec 11, 2009 3:09 PM EST up reply actions
Oh we're a great team
We’re just playing average ball though. Think about it in football terms. Florida can manhandle us in football every year playing an average game. If you’re just decent, you have to play great to win in any sport. UK is loaded with talent so they can get by just playing average against most teams. Look at the Miami game, second half of UNC and last 36 minutes versus UCONN.
I don’t think Cal is saying the team stinks, he’s just saying they aren’t playing up to their potential yet, including the chosen one.
Ole Rivers has really made a difference in the IU gams I’ve seen thus far. They played a decent first half against Maryland before bowing out in that one too. I’m glad we’re playing them in December, by February I think Crean will have this team at a NCAA Tourney Team-type level. I have much respect for Crean.
Funny thing though, I live in Southern Indiana and at the card game last saturday, I hear this Hoosier fan saying “why didn’t we hire Calipari”? And then another saying Crean isn’t the man for the job. I think he is the man for the job and will definitely have that team tourney bound next year if not this.
I would quibble just a bit with your characterization
I think we’re a collection of great players, who are playing, as you note very average ball. The reason for that, as I see it, is that they are not playing, except in spurts, as a TEAM.
I also think that in about 3 or 4 more weeks, we will be a juggernaut TEAM.
Stanford
We probably should have lost.. they make one of two and it’s over.. we didn’t and thats great, and there are always IFs, but that game I thought we should have lost.
You cannot
make that assumption. So they make one, then we need three to tie. So we hit a three. Changing anything that happened does change the outcome but not necessarily so simply.
Yeah.
It isn’t so simple but we were much more vulnerable at the end of that game than we were against either UNC or UConn.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Indiana has improved since last year.....immensely....
I have the greatest respect for Tom Crean…..or at least I did before he went to Indiana….I hope his tenure there does not diminish that. Indiana is going to be hostile, mobile, agile, and most definitely a challenge for these “kittycats”( sorry….my daughter’s idea, she says John Wall is so yummy she wants to just bring him home and adopt him). Look for John to establish the running game early……the trick here is to run them out of the building…..if they cant catch their breath in the second half, they will not succeed. Eric Bledsoe should recover from his slip against UConn, and Demarcus is going to finally have a complete game. Let’s see if we can have Crean “Climbing the Wall” before the day is through……78-69 Cats
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
Yummy?
I’ll have to add that to the list of John Wall perfections.
78-69 is no good. We have to beat them by 20 or I’m shelling out five bucks and that would stink.
Hey, I think Indiana is much improved, and it may be hostile, but we should still beat them by double digits.
I am trying to seem well-grounded and not type with a swelled head Daniel......lol
as much as it pains me to do so……
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
The thought by many
is the way to beat the cats is playing zone. That actually might play well into UK’s favor. We should find ourselves in better position for offensive rebounds if the perimeter shots are not falling. We don’t have to be red hot outside to beat a zone, just hot enough plus put backs. If he stays out of foul trouble, Cuz could have a great game, he’s certainly due.
Cuz
actually managed a double-double last game. : ) But, yes, your point is well taken, he is due for a bigger game, line-wise, and this is a great opportunity for him to get it
Yeah.
I think a lot of us missed that. 10-10, if I recall.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
It's pretty amazing
Cousins is one of those guys who you blink and then say “Wait, when did he get 10 rebounds?” He just makes it look easy.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
Well,
I’m not blinking, I’m pretty focused. ; )
But, yeah, he certainly does make it look easy. I’m not sure if it’s skill (as in he just knows where to properly position himself), luck, or a bit of both combined, but he always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is always in the mix when the ball is loose or when it’s up for grabs under the basket.
I know why
Balls deflect off the energy shield that surrounds John Wall and keeps germs away from him and they head toward Cousins.
I'd say mostly skill
John Gasaway has a note at the end of an Unfiltered post over at Basketball Prospectus that when Cousins is on the floor he is grabbing 22% of UK’s missed shots all on his own – that’s DeJuan Blair territory.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
Skill versus magnetic field?
Come on? You expect me to believe that John Wall doesn’t have a hand in Cousins’ rebounding ability?
you are not
helping here, daniel. I thought you were supposed to be fighting society’s over-hype of Wall, not contributing to it? : )
Anyway, thanks for the info, JLev, I appreciate it and rather like the factual findings as they fit in nicely with what I already just knew to be true. : )
I'm fighting it by going over the top big sky
I went to get my oil changed today, came out of the little waiting room and suddenly john wall popped out from under the car on a wheelie, wiped some grease off his forearms with a towel and told me I have a leaky valve stem.
Zoning us
I think its pick your poison. You can do more than just swing the ball around the perimeter and take threes. The weak spot of a lot of zone defenses is just at the top of the paint. Patrick and Darius Miller are pretty good at flashing across and taking the fifteen footers.
by chicagoblues on Dec 11, 2009 11:30 AM EST up reply actions
DeCourcy would be correct...
…had Calipari not instructed our players to foul before a 3-point shot could be taken. But Calipari did instruct them to do that, and they failed to execute.
At least they successfully executed the opposite of what their coach told them to do, although even that is questionable. The first three that was taken was wide open (albeit I think the player taking it was not a good 3-point shooter), and then Patterson was out-hustled for a rebound which gave UCONN one last shot. That shot was very well-defended, at least.
PPat was not outhustled,
he couldn’t move due to the ankle sprain. That is the main reason that they did not go to him at all in the last few minutes. He could not move.
Yeah, I was wrong about that.
I take that statement back. See below.
by BBallSophist on Dec 11, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions
You must of been watching a different game too
The three was not wide open, he wasn’t smothered either but he definitely wasn’t wide open. And the rebound was tipped around like 15 times right to the guy for the last shot who didn’t even look like he was behind the line. Patterson wasn’t out hustled.
Kelly is already
catching grief over the way he announced his decision to the Bearcats’ team. There is no good way, its a divorce, plain and simple. What headcoach has been lauded by how he managed leaving a job for the next one? Petrino, Saban, Rodriguez, Cal,…..?
Hmmmm.....sounds like a seriously successful list there if you ask me
even Petrino has Arkansas rooting like real hogs again. Youre right…..no good way to do it…..just make the next stop even better and you can move on…..
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
Kelly should coach their Bowl Game.
This was the best season Cincinnati has had in what, forever, right? It’s not fair to his players to not have him coach their bowl. Plain and simple.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
the players...
have come out and said they don’t want him to coach the bowl game. Move along please, to ND.
Take a look at Kelly's record...
The first game he coached for Cin was the Holiday Bowl! Why?? Because the previous coach left before the bowl game to, as is said above, “move along”. The precedence had already been set in that organization, why cry foul??
If your wings don't sweep....
15 times?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exDJ9mFEJM8
The ball was tipped once, although I will admit that outhustled is unfair to say about Patterson. But it wasn’t tipped right to the guy for the last shot. He came from behind Patterson after the ball was tipped towards the baseline, then he had to run behind the line (which he was behind) and got off a shot that was very well contested. So you’re interpretation of events wasn’t exactly spot-on.
The last shot was essentially wide open. Darius Miller had to rush and jump to the side to create at least a distraction, but the look was totally clean. Overall, I thought the defense was solid, but not great on that last possession, considering they got a good look at the basket and a second shot.
Regardless, my main point was that they didn’t execute because they didn’t do what the coach told them to do: foul before a three pointer could even be taken. That’s not really executing.
I may have missed something...
But how do you know coach told them to foul? I haven’t read that anywhere and I didn’t hear it during the game. Just wondering.
He said it in the postgame on the radio and on his website: “You know, on that last possession for them – I didn’t tell the media this – but we were supposed to foul. John didn’t foul and I look like a genius. but if they hit it, everyone would be asking, ‘Why didn’t you foul?’”
by BBallSophist on Dec 11, 2009 2:37 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think I need to disagree again.
While it is true that UConn did get an open look at the basket for a three (albeit, with Darius rushing at him), the guy that was open, was open for a reason. UConn did not want their back-up power forward shooting the ball. He just happened to be the only option. I take the position of great defense at the end.
Well, i noted that he wasn’t a good shooter…but nearly any college player at this level can hit a three if open. I’ve seen guys who haven’t hit a three all year make one in the similar situations on multiple occasions.
Great defense would mean not giving anyone an open look. Furthermore, and i hate to belabor this, seeing as it’s my primary issue with that last possession, the team did NOT execute what their coach told them to execute. I don’t find that worthy of praise.
by BBallSophist on Dec 11, 2009 2:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
memphis did not execute in the last few seconds of the NC game
and it cost them….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Dec 11, 2009 3:15 PM EST up reply actions
eehhh maybe
Gavin Edwards is a senior and that was his first career attempt from 3 – that’s a guy that I am perfectly okay with leaving alone. Not all open looks are created equal.
And I disagree that “any college player…can hit a three if open” – there is a tremendous amount of evidence against that statement.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
Well, my argument isn’t that we lost, but your point is well taken in some other dimension where we did lose and i’m arguing that we must execute on defense to win.
Funny enough, i thought the defense was pretty well executed for most of the game and not bad on the last possession, just not as good as decourcy and others think.
by BBallSophist on Dec 11, 2009 2:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
looked like a knee to the calf
i looked at the tivo last night – looked like dodson’s knee hit pp’s calf. although bruised, i bet it is like a bad charlie horse…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Dec 11, 2009 3:16 PM EST up reply actions
I was rather pleased with the 3-pt defense
While I also am an advocate of fouling with a 3 point lead, I don’t think you do it until there is less than 4-5 seconds left on the clock. Any more time than that and it’s possible for the trailing team to hit free throws, foul, and get the ball back with enough time to take another shot.
I loved seeing the defense up around the arc – I can’t count all the times that I’ve seen a team need a three to tie, and yet bizarrely there are 2-3 defenders standing in the paint.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
personally, i liked not fouling them....
uconn was in worse shape foulwise than us – i know orton was out, but they had one biggie and dyson with 4. cuz was having his way inside because they could not risk a foul.
i think we would have run away with it in OT…but we will never know..
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Dec 11, 2009 3:19 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, that's a factor too
Bledsoe was out also don’t forget, but in general if the worst that can happen is overtime and the team is in good shape foul-wise, then letting them try one isn’t too bad.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
It is real simple folks......it isnt always pretty, sometimes it is a work of art
and sometimes it is a streetbrawl with inexperienced fighters, but it is winning, and winning is what we measure success by. They are learing all the time, and winning as they do it……I will take that any day, no matter what the stats say, or the experts……we have a legit chance to enter league play undefeated, period. We may or may not do that, but the chance is there…..why not just enjoy it? when was the last time we were this good??…..relax folks and let it ride….because it has been a long drought…..
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
When was the last time
we were this bad and 9 and 0?
Kelly's Leaving for NDU
My take on Kelly’s leaving… if he was going to take the job at ND, then he needed to pack his bags and move on. His team needs to move on and be happy for their coach doing exactly what they want to do… achieve their dreams. ND is his dream job, just like UK was Calipari’s dream job AND just like the NBA was Jodie Meeks’ dream job. Fortunately, for UK fans, ours is a destination job, not a stepping stone. The reality is that Cincy is a stepping stone job for coaches and if their players and fans are honest, Cincy is a launching pad for bigger and better things for everyone. For UK fans, we were glad when Coach Cal saw us as the dream job. Let’s not begrudge someone having their own dream job. We will likely be wishing John Wall and Patrick Patterson well as they take their dream jobs next year away from UK.
by BluebloodinNaptown on Dec 11, 2009 3:26 PM EST reply actions
Let's all remember, it is still December
Yes, a little poem from a UK scholar-athlete English major.
C’mon, fellow fanatics, I know you’re all having fun with the criticism of Cal’s remarks, the mistakes we’re making, the close calls and the team not looking like ’96 on offense and defense.
Could we all just take a deep breath and actually LISTEN to what our new coach is saying?
He is absolutely correct. Although he is very respectful to his players (are we taking that for granted after suffering BCG?) and always finishes his interviews by saying he loves his team,
he is trying to inject some reality into life on our Blue Planet.
Although Cal has FAR more respect for our all time winning record (BCG had NONE), he is all about making this team better and better with each practice and each game.
No, they are not doing what he asks them to do.
Yes, they are winning with sheer athleticism and determination.
Much more importantly, despite the youthful mistakes, they are just now starting to understand what Cal is teaching them.
Once we blow IU off their hallowed court and our guys take their final exams, they will have a bunch of cupcakes and plenty of quality time in practice to prep for UL and the SEC schedule.
Cal is about MARCH. How terrific is that?
You can bet that PPat and JWall and their talented buds all want to get better and become more of a team.
You can also place hard cash on the fact that we have the perfect coach and staff to point out, each and every day, how they are going to do that.
So, debate all you wish about our current Xs and Os on both sides of the ball.
But, take that deep breath, remember where we were just a painful year ago and enjoy the process of watching these guys get “coached up” all the way to Indianapolis.
Or not.
BTW, D81
I think your bet is safe.
I just have this feeling we will put it all together in Btown, put a couple of our now famous spurts on them and never let them back into it.
That would be another sign of a maturing team.
Sure hope to see it.
All poetry is not
is not verse. Here’s something more your style:
Offense wins games, defense does not
Unless the offense is really not hot.
We can win big games with a defense that’s crummy,
If you don’t believe me, just ask Hal Mumme.
I agree with ukfast
I’m re-reading your post now imagining you screaming it into a microphone with women throwing under garments at you.
playing well...not playing well...
were 9-0..i can only hope we continue to not play well and not be a very good team all the way to the national championship :)
Lets get it on!!!!
Just last season...basketball at UK was very difficult to enjoy. I think...
Tru wrote a couple of weeks ago…it’s nice to see players smiling and having fun:) I agree with the many constructive points and stats that indicate that this year’s UK team has so much to do to go deep into the NCAA’s
Having written the above, I am tickled blue to get up everyday and read about the Cats and I anxiously await the IU game in the morning (PST).
I am just enjoying the heck with the ups and downs of the very delightful changes and direction with Kentucky basketball. Finally, it’s just a joy to watch John Wall play.
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