Kentucky (9) 74 @ Washington (13) 67: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Nov 24, 2010 12:47 AM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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PrintMany Washington Huskies fans had been waiting anxiously for a shot at the Kentucky Wildcats in Maui after two former Husky recruits, Terrence Jones and Enes Kanter, famously changed their pledge to the Wildcats. The old saying, "Be careful what you wish for," comes immediately to mind. Some times, wishes come true, but the desired outcome doesn't.
The Huskies gave an outstanding effort in a ridiculously physical game. The problem was, their guards did not deliver like they had been so far this year, partially because they finally ran up against a team athletic enough to defend them at least most of the time. Washington deserves great credit for coming back from a big early deficit to take the smallest of leads at the half. But as coaches are so fond of pointing out, the most insignificant score of all is the halftime score.
In the end, Kentucky did just enough to eke out a close win against a worthy and talented opponent. I was very impressed with the athleticism of Washington. They tired out this UK team like no other team I have seen, and at the end, it was purely a battle of attrition, and you'd have to figure that UK would be in tough in a grind-it-out game due to their shallow bench, and the deep bench of the Huskies. But this young Kentucky team is made up mostly of players who are used to winning tough games, and to them, this was just one more.
This was an entertaining early-season game, particularly in the early stages when both teams were playing at break-kneck speed. It slowed down in the second half due to sheer fatigue and good defense by both squads, but it was thrilling throughout and in doubt up until the last minute. This was always likely to be a tough, physical and close game, and what we saw was what we should have expected.
Superlatives:
- John Calipari -- I don't give many kudos to Coach Cal, but he really earned his pay this game. If he keeps working this hard on the sideline, he may drop those extra pounds he picked up from mama's pasta this summer. Caliipari did a great job of motivating these young guys and keeping their heads in the game.
- Terrence Jones was a full-grown man out there tonight. When Jones came to UK, he was timid and wanted to stay on the perimeter. Credit this young man for taking his coach's instructions to heart so fast, because over a period of five games including two exhibitions, Jones has turned into the reincarnation of Patrick Patterson. He does need to work on that shooting form, though, it's no good as it is.
- Darius Miller played a better game than people might think. It wasn't really a praiseworthy game, but he defended well and rebounded pretty well in short minutes, and made some big free throws, something that UK did poorly again tonight.
- Brandon Knight burned more calories tonight than I have in six months, and despite taking some bad shots and making some forced plays, he was the difference between victory and defeat tonight. Game ball.
- How great were the Kentucky fans? You thought the Lahaina Civic Center had been hit by a Big Blue tsunami.
- Josh Harrellson, despite turning the ball over a ton with drops, fumbles, stumbles, and general clumsiness, really played extremely well, and made some huge plays. If we could get this out of him every game, we might go undefeated.
- Eloy Vargas is coming along faster than I dared hope, and how big were those free throws he made near the end when nobody could make them for Kentucky?
- Jon Hood made a huge play near the end, grabbing an offensive rebound and making a little shovel pass to Harrellson for a layup.
- How is it possible that Harrellson played all those minutes and didn't draw one foul?
- I was screaming "Dead-ball contact technical foul!" at the monitor on the Liggins collision. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. How cool was Liggins for just getting up and walking straight to the bench without a word, or a gesture, or anything. This kid is a Spartan in spirit.
- Speaking of DeAndre Liggins, can he shut you down, or can't he? Ask Isaiah Thomas.
- Doron Lamb made some huge free throws, and had his moments. They were a bit fewer and further between than they have been in recent games.
- I did mention that UK shot free throws badly? But they made them when it really mattered.
Big win for the Wildcats, and the Big Blue Nation. Now, we know this team is legitimate, even as currently constituted. Are we Final Four contenders?
We just took a big step in that direction, because this is a high-quality team we just defeated on a neutral site.
Go, 'Cats!
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Wow, that did feel like a NCAA tourney game.
What a battle. Wasn’t pretty. (Okay, at times, there were some beautiful moves.) But it was mostly a war.
The thing I noticed was a fabulous sense of confidence our boys showed. Yeah, they messed up at times, but they didn’t get frazzled. They just battled it out, stuck together, stuck up for each other, took care of each other, and won in the end.
Didn’t shoot well, either. Certainly didn’t shoot free throws well until it mattered.
Not sure what they’ll have left for tomorrow, but… oh, well. Great game.
Liggins is so very cool and touch. If possible, looks even leaner and more fit than last year, and he was in great shape last year. And that mind of us, almost always incredibly focused and calm, while playing with relentless touchness.
Jones is a joy to watch. He was everywhere, so quick, such a fighter.
Knight played like a guy who wanted to make up for not playing well in the 2nd half of the last game, and he certainly did. So smooth, so fast, looks like he can get to the basket whenever he wants.
Harrellson is getting better. He looks a lot worse because he’s surrounded by such talent, but he is getting better. We don’t need him to be great. We just need him to be good. We can surround him with four outstanding players, and great from him will be enough.
It’s only the fifth game of the season, people. And our team, our mostly brand new team, looks amazingly comfortable playing together. That’s a real gift this early in the season.
It really did
I couldn’t believe the atmosphere. Credit to the Husky fans for really making themselves known and making the ’cats fans respond. You would have thought it was the semifinals of the NCAA tournament, not the Maui Invitational.
Have to give a shout-out to DeAndre Liggins. He has matured so much. He played within himself, didn’t do anything crazy, and generally let the game come to him. And when we had no one in there doing anything on offense, he really stepped it up and made things happen.
Knight did really well in the second half after a rough first half.
Overall, a great effort against the first quality team we’ve played all year with all of these young players and a new system from last year. I’m so proud of our guys for pulling out a win in that kind of an environment, especially when our shooting was going poorly.
We made a lot of mistakes that Calipari will have corrected by the end of the year and, barring injury, I think we’ll be legit.
And Harrelson
Can’t forget our man Jorts. He has really improved, and was a huge credit to the team today. Great rebounding, and solid on putbacks, and got to showcase his excellent shooting touch. He was only one point away from a double-double. Great effort.
EEWildcat
+1 Thank you. I have consistently been a supporter of Josh Harrelleson.
After all he is not Kareem; just an old Missouri country boy who managed to get a scholarship to, of all places, the University of Kentucky. He has been, IMHO, a most maligned player. I’m glad we have him.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Brandon Knight had 0 assists and 8 turnovers. You can’t have that out of your point guard, even if he does score 24 points. He also was in foul trouble for much of the game. Great effort in terms of shooting, but your point guard has to be on the floor most of the game and has to be dishing out assists, not turnovers. The points are secondary.
I have a feeling Cal told Brandon Knight he needed
to score more, and the kid did.
We battled, and we won. It’s the 5th game of the season. It was enough. More than, it was a battle, a great game.
TeresainSC
Correct. They weren’t playing tiddlywinks out there on that court. Both teams had a reason to play like a Viking invasion of
England. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Not true about the assist tonight and Knight proved that Jon_E.
This team has to get points from Knight. Lamb was over matched for most of the game and didn’t get many open chances and you can’t have that out of your shooting guard. The way Washington played defense it was very hard to get an assist from the point. UK had absolutely no answer for Washington’s defense when Knight sat for all of those minutes in the first half. The way Cal played with 6 guys was fantastic. He utilized his bench just enough to keep the 6 rested. That might have been the best game I have seen Cal coach at UK.
Not Just Knight
But Miller, & for some of the time, Liggins. Those are our 1,2, & 3 ball-handlers. It showed they were missing.. Leaving them out allowed UW back in the game but turned out to be a great gamble. In time I think Lamb has the potential to step up and handle some point duties but against a good Washington team this early, not so much.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Absolutely.
5 minutes without a point – let Washington back in the game.
Who would have thought that BK would a game with more TOs than any JW game last year? I wouldn’t have. BK looked like the guy that wouldn’t turn the ball over like that.
I can’t believe we won this game. Even after seeing it. Really shocked.
We still need more Miller.
Jon
Man, give Knight a break. It was his third college game.
You’ll love him before it’s all over, that I promise:)
Boxscore
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201011230292 I guess you can, after all.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 6:48 AM EST up reply actions
UK Shot Poorly, Handled The Ball Poorly, Yet Beat Top 15 NCAA Caliber Team By 7
I’ll take it.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
agree....
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 24, 2010 10:51 AM EST up reply actions
I'm beginning to think ...
… that this team has three or four point guards, and Knight is just one.
Normally, I would agree with you, but I’m beginning to rethink this team. It is not a traditional team or style.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Exactly how I have been viewing it
Knight may be the guy that brings the ball up the floor but once it gets there the offense is run from whoever has the ball at the moment. Much like last year where Bledsoe and Wall shared the duty this year we have Knight, Liggins, Miller and Lamb have all shared the load.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
Both teams ...
were playing such tough defense there were few open shots available except in one-on-one situations. It wasn’t the case of not spotting an open shooter, there were not that many. I think both teams had a total of 16 assists and Washington has three first rate guards. This was a Washington team averaging 107 points a game and they were held to 40 below their average. They scored 106 on a Virginia team that beat Oklahoma, the Cats’ first opponent.
True, but
I thought Knight was put under as much pressure by the opponent, and by his own team, as he’ll see all year. His performance was definitely flawed, but he was carrying a huge burden on his shoulders, because he was, for big chunks of the game, an offense unto himself. He was the only guy who could beat his man off the dribble AND make shots- Knight shot 10/17 from the field, everyone else was 15/47.
Washington pressured UK in a way that almost no other opponent will be capable of, and they had N’Diaye in the middle to erase problems when UK did beat guys off the dribble. Its not a coincidence that UK only had 7 assists as a team, because Washington was in everyone’s face- the downside for them was that all that pressure left them out of position to rebound, and they gave up a whopping 17 offensive boards.
I agree, though, that Knight needs to create more for others, and definitely can’t have 8 turnovers on a regular basis. I just think, versus this specific opponent, UK needed him to think score first.
Brandon Knight was the difference
He may have had 8 TO’s, but he was facing one of the better defenses in the country and when he needed to step up, he took over. It seemed like every time the Huskies started to make a move, Knight would put a couple of key hoops together.
Liggins was another nightmare for the Huskies. His defense was very, very good. Miller was solid as well. Interestingly, the team stats were similar, albeit UK controlled the boards. In the end, on this night the better team won. Congrats.
Thank you.
Washington is a great team, and they will only get better. It isn’t as if you didn’t lose your leading scorer and rebounder.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Well looks like the poster
who ragged on you for your support of Liggins, gets to eat another helping of crow tonight. And Harrellson may have had his best game yet. We had to set Miller and Knight for most of the first half and hung in there with our bench. All in all a great early season effort.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Heh.
I’ll bet he’s trying to convince everyone in /dev/null that Jon Hood should be starting over him. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I thought Liggins did some great stuff.
But he is still overpenetratign a lot.
And what with the bad walk calls against UK and non-calls against UW AGAIN!!!! BK was robbed on a bad walk call, then they let UW walk twice and carry once leading to 4 points within minutes of bad BK call.
So frustrating.
The game has become
much too fast and physical for most refs.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
This is a good point
Which tempts me to bring up that argument about the ‘77 vs ’96 Cats debate again…. but naw, I won’t do that!
No Need
78 was > 96.
I saw both teams.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
Forty
The 78 team was just brutal in demolishing their opponents.
If you got in their way, you were going to get hurt.
I also had the pleasure of seeing several of their games.
Those are precious memories.
"SPORTS"--Not interested----"CATS"--Pull up a chair,I've got all night.
ky
+1 Exactly right. One of the most profound observations you have ever made. I agree completely. They don’t seem to be able to make those quick and CORRECT decisions of most refs of the past.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Maybe so
I was a referee for 20 years (though not D1). It’s a tough job. Overall these guys did a fair job but I agree they didn’t keep up as well as one would like. I think they came up short in a couple of areas, mainly calling advantage-disadvantage. Contact doesn’t necessarily mean a foul if there’s no advantage gained (like on a rebound). Two of the three refs appeared to be in pretty good shape but in a game like this an out of shape ref hurts everybody.
True.
This was a tough game for the zebras. College officials aren’t used to that pace, I think.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
RhinoDawg
Won’t disagree but if this is true then the NCAA comes into view again. Hire some officials who are in shape or tell the hiring committee to do so. OK by me. Mabye they can do SOMETHING right for a change. After all those guys determine how the game will be played physically.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
It's too early to count them as a FF team
but I tell you what. They made me raise a toast to them tonite. They played a team, a pretty good team btw, that has been laying in the weeds for them since last summer and played with poise(for the most part), passion and determination. To me, they seem a little more ‘polished’ than they should at this point. I would have liked to have seen a little more scoring from Miller(he took 5 shots) and Lamb. I consider both of those guys to be 12-16 pts/game. And, what a great time for Jorts to step up. You said it, Cal coached his big butt off tonite.
Agree, but
They proved they are a legit FF threat, even without Kanter. If he wins his appeal? The sky’s not high enough to be the limit to the potential for this team. I was always high on Jones (thought he was one of the 5 best non-PG prospects in the class), but I never expected him to be such an absolute monster on the boards. Rebounding was a big question mark with this team, but its a question that’s been answered emphatically, mostly because of Jones. Knight is what we hoped he would be, Harrellson has proven more serviceable than expected, and Liggins is as good a perimeter defender as there is on the college level- he might become that rare player who gets a look in the NBA simply because he’s such a defensive force.
The really great aspect of this team, and what gives them such tremendous potential, is that you have 4, sometimes 5, guys on the floor who can handle the ball, pass, and beat their man off the dribble. You begin to see why Cal is so enamored of the Dribble Drive O. Last year’s team, as talented as it was, usually only had 3, sometimes only 2, guys who could really handle the ball- and Wall and Bledsoe tended to be sloppy (although Knight and Lamb also showed some of that tonight, I think they’re generally more sound).
Anyone who doubts Cal’s coaching cred is foolish- not many coaches can take 7 new guys, with 1 returning starter, and very limited interior options, and get them to gel this quickly. No matter how talented the newcomers are.
mjj_001
That’s right but I will respectfully disagree that this team has not “gelled”. Not yet. Woe betide our opponents when they do.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
alwaysblue
I’ll agree to adding an “ing”. As in gelling, but not completely gelled.
There is definitely a form to this team, much more than last year, and much earlier than anyone could reasonably expect. You are right, though, that its still a work in progress. The scary thing for the opposition has to be that this team already does a lot of things well that teams typically improve on throughout the year- they have defensive intensity, they’re not committing a huge amount of turnovers (last night saw some sloppy ones, but 15 against an opponent like that, in a game that fast-paced, is not really bad), and there’s some cohesiveness to the offense.
So yes, woe betide if the gelling continues apace.
mjj_001
Thanks guy. We’re on the same page. That word has always puzzled me like many of our English words.
Appreciate the comment.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
If I were UofL or UNC
I would be afraid, very afraid.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Nah.
This team isn’t that good yet. They just showed tonight that they can grind out a tough game. UNC still has a ton of weapons, and Louisville has more than enough to hand us an L.
But then again, I should agree with you. After all, why not celebrate this game and worry about those other ones later? :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I agree with wineman, Glenn.
Yes, UNC has weapons, and UL can beat us, but the same two comments can be made about UW.
After what I’ve seen this year, and what I know about what Pitino can do with these rag-tag teams, I’m much more worried about the UL game than UNC.
UNC was ranked in the top-ten early last season, too, but they are show-ponies.
Any smart UNC fan is dreading the UK game right now.
(I’m still a little juiced about last night’s game.)
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
UNC Is Soft
But U of L will be a tough opponent on New Years Eve at the Yum! Center.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
Forty
Wonder why it wasn’t named The Crum Center? Look at all the great years he gave U of L. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Great ideal AB - rename it the 'Yummy Crum Center'
Nick
by KansasUKCat on Nov 24, 2010 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
Just kidding. I managed to post before I finished my thought. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I know, just a fan
getting carried away while on a high after a victory but I don’t think either of those teams is as good as Washington.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
This team is much more mature than last years team, especially this early in the
season. Knight will learn from this game and unlike Wall, probably won’t make a habit of having so many TO’s. Knight is a scoring point guard so don’t expect him to average a lot of assists. TJ is a beast and thank goodness he came here instead of going to Washington. This is a good UK team but free throws will get us in the end just like the outside shooting got us last year. UK is going to have to improve their FT shooting and work on getting the ball in the right hands at the end of the game.
At this point.
Yes, at this point in the season, this year’s team isn’t just more mature, they are flat-out better. Speaking mostly of the freshmen, that is.
Lets see where we are in 3 or 4 more games. That’s when Wall & Co. started to figure it out.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Wall & Co. were too good for each other early on
Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe and Orton were all highly recruited highly talented players and with the spotlight on Wall and squarely on him all summer I think it left the others with something to prove. As soon as they all realized that playing as a team worked best they took off.
This year we had the Canada trip which got everyone playing early but none of the guys on the court were our highly talked about prospect. Kanter took all the press during the summer and I think that allowed the rest of the team to gel as a team. If Kanter wins his appeal my main worry is breaking up a good thing to add him in. But him practicing with the team right now means that should be a small issue if it even happens.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
I don't see
how slipping Kanter into the rotation with Jorts and Eloy would hurt this team in any conceivable manner.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Didnt say it would hurt
What I was trying to get at was that Kanter may not be used to playing with the team so the team cohesion might be broken for a bit. But with him practicing with them that shouldn’t be a problem. Just a concern I have.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
StLHugo
Respectfully, you may not be aware that Kanter practices with this team every day. The reason for the noticeable improvement in our post play.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
The free throw misses mostly due to tired legs.
I don’t care how good of shape the team is in, and it’s good, playing 4 games in six days with a short bench, man-to-man D will catch you. Don’t expect any better percentage in the final. With that said, this team will have a good FT percentage at season’s end.
I think thats right
Its one of the only times they can relax during a game other then a TO and fatigue is a major factor in their misses. When they had to make them down the stretch they did.
Nick
Don't agree.
We made 6 of 8 late. We missed most of our FTs during the rest of the game. You know, when we weren’t as tired or fatigued. The reason is Vargas and Miller shot 4 of those final FTs.
I expect BK and Miller to be reliable FT shooters over the entire season. I see TJ, Josh, Hood and Liggins being very inconsistent based on form or history. Lamb and Vargas remain to be seen.
Lamb will be solid.
About that, I have no doubt. Your mileage may vary. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I think Lamb
is potentially one of the best FT shooters on the team. He takes more time and concentrates better than some of the other freshmen. Knight was worn down by the little jitterbugs of UW, but he needed to take a breath, relax, and concentrate. They allow 20 seconds to shoot once the player is handed the ball — no need to rush. Jones, for all his assets, shoots way too quickly on FTs.
jdogblue
Forgive me, but if I’m correct and the rule hasn’t changed, a player has 10 seconds to shoot his free throw.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
AB
When did they change that rule? I must have missed it entirely.
jdogblue
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_do_you_have_to_shoot_a_free_throw
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Back In The Day (1958)
It cost UC Bearcats a FF appearance in Oscar Robertson’s sophomore year.
Back then, player had 10 seconds to shoot FT when ref handed him the ball. Oscar was very deliberate FT shooter.
He saw ref counting (at 2) and hurried his FTA but missed. He was between 80% and 90% FT shooter. If he made it, UC (not Kansas St) would have been in FF that year.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Forty
Thanks again for the info. Didn’t know if the rule went back that far or not but Ed Davender used to keep me on pins and needles every time he went to the free throw line. Never got called for delay though best, I can remember.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I must point out
that the free throw missing bug struck all of the top teams in the Tourney, not just UK. Mich. St., if I remember correctly, missed big free throws at the end of their game and lost.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
kywineman
I didn’t know that but UW blew 2 right at the end of this one that were huge. Don’t you just feel so sorry for them? Ho.Ho.Ho.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
don't get me wrong
i hate the missed FTs but about the time i was about to write off uk for missing so many, i realized that UW was not doing much better and remembered MSU missing at the end. maybe that is where we are now i college BBall – lower FT shooting %
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 24, 2010 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
while this is undoubtedly true
and interesting that you pointed it out, I’d still prefer that we just work on getting better at the free throw line, if at all possible. I don’t really want to have to rely on other teams’ poor FT shooting in order to counter ours.
BSC
Are we in the double bonus now? Hee.Hee.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Glenn
Man, how about deleting the “double bonus” comment I made. It was in jest but don’t make sense now. LOL
No comments from the peanut gallery. Hee.Hee.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I think Josh is one of the best FT shooters on the team
I do agree that BK will improve (how could he not, really?). Miller was a solid FT shooter last season. TJ is going to be a question mark every time he steps to the line (though i thought the same about Cousins, and he eventually got pretty reliable). Hood is probably a good FT shooter, but he’s not going to get many chances at all. Liggins will shoot acceptably, probably not much better or worse than that.
I also agree with you that fatigue had nothing to do with our FT shooting last night.
Great win tonight
Jorts was frustrating at times, but a game like this is exactly what he needs to up his confidence. If he can play like this consistently, this team can be very good. Knight is playing just a little out of control right now, but he will get it together. Miller needs to be more consistent, but fouls will be a problem. I still think he will be a major factor this year.
Consume excrement and expire......
When Josh sank that 3-pt shot, ...
my whole family jumped up and knocked a bunch of drinks on the carpet. I think you were a little parsimonious with the praise for Jorts there, Glenn. 9 pts, 14 rebs (7 O-Rebs.), 2 blks, a stl, an ast, and only 2 turnovers: I think this is the game of his career so far! With Vargas’ 4 pts Cal got the double-double he needed out of the 5 position. With such a small margin of victory, everybody was a difference maker but I think Josh’s contribution on the offensive glass was absolutely huge!
Yeah ...
… I was maybe a little less effusive than I should have been, but Josh made a bunch of dumb drops and lost a lot of balls he should have had. One or two, okay, but it was at least six. That tempered my enthusiasm.
But that 3 was a big shot, and he really did hit the boards hard.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
If he wasn't such a butter fingers he would be great
but his heart has never been a question and his conditioning has surely helped.
I just read that the stat he is most happy about was 34 minutes of playing time where last year 10 minutes would have worn him out. If he can figure out how to grab every ball around him there is no doubt for me that he can handle the post in a tournament game. I just have to forget that Boogie even existed sometimes because I keep expecting that big manchild to swoop in and grab everything around him and that just isn’t Jorts’ style.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
I don't question his heart.
I just wish he would use a little hand lotion and soften those hands up.
He clearly doesn't have the mitts
of Cousins. Boogie’s hands spoiled us.
Boogie had the best hands since Nazi.
Few have the hands either of them had.
Sadly, there is a lot in between Josh and Boogie. Josh may be in the Magloire range of hand softness.
Problem is not heart or hands
The problem is that Jorts is limited athletically. The game is faster than he is. He was in the proper position all night, he just wasn’t athletically able to take advantage of his positioning.
Jorts is a
step slower than almost everyone else on the court, yet he manages to give good performances anyway. He isn’t going to dominate the paint, nor does he have to. He is valuable to the team to just hold down the fort, so to speak, while Eloy continues to develop.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
it was like he was a 1/2 step behind everyone all night.....
and sometimes that actually helped him make a good play
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 10:19 AM EST up reply actions
BSC
Yes’um. Even Demarcus last year had some of he’s prettiest throw downs when he lagged behind on the break. No, it’s not luck IMO.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I think the key
word there is “some”. Yes, Cousins had some lucky plays last year, everybody does. But, the kind of numbers DC put up last year really kind of proved that overall he wasn’t a lucky player (I’m on my way out shopping right now or I would have looked those numbers up for you, but I’m sure you know that I’m right : )).
Josh, well, I think he had quite a few lucky plays last night, definitely more than “some” and that was just one game. But, he had a great game for him, no doubt. I look forward to seeing him sustain that effort and even hold out hope for some improvement.
What is it they say? I’d rather be lucky than good? Well, if that’s what he is and if it gets the job done for our team, I guess that’ll have to be ok with me.
BSC
Your’re correct of course. Let me say this though: DC is a remarkable BB player and is proving
this in the NBA. It’s true he didn’t get there by being lucky. However, if I may disagree, it’s been my experience in life that there is no such thing as luck although society has come to accept that word to explain unusual happenings.
That’s ok because I too use the term rather freely. And like you, I miss big Cuz something fierce. Really wanted him another year. Cal could not see into the future of course but I sure wish he had let Cuz play one more year. Of course he thought, and rightly so, that we would get Kanter.
I could go off on a tangent about the NCAA but I won’t. What they have done, they have done. Perhaps the review committee will see differently. Hope so.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
Being a fan we get to call it slowing down the game to see the whole floor.....lol
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
Here's the thing.
Harrellson is getting in good position. His feet aren’t great, and he isn’t as athletic as a player for this team needs to be to be 100% successful, but he knows where he is supposed to be most of the time.
That gives him an advantage over everybody on this team but Miller. Getting where you are supposed to be is far more important than an extra bit of athleticism. There comes a point where that isn’t true, but for most big people, it holds.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Agreed.
It also helps him that he is too slow for fakes to have an effect upon him. Guys try to fake him to the left or right and he doesn’t move because he is not quict enough. Worked last night as there were times that his not moving caused Washington’s guards to actually back the ball back out.
Great point Glenn.
Josh does try to get in the right spot before the ball bounces off his hands, his head, and over to TJ who throws it down.
At least it seemed that way last night.:)
Jack Bluto
Well…… as Bro. Dave Gardner used to say,“If a man’s down, kick him. That way if he survives he has a chance to rise above you.”
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
TW
I agree. I have repeatedly said that Harrellson and Vargas were going to get BETTER. Vargas, after a monster putback, looked like he is ready to step up. Kanter is doing a tremendous “assistant” coaches job on these two. He is definetly a hidden treasure. And Jorts is no stranger to the 3.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
uk just beat a legit ff team
and most mistakes are fixable… this team is progressing waaaay better then i thought .. have seen vast improvements in every one…florida sec favorite ??.. id like a recount
I was impressed
I have been hard on Harrleson his whole career. Today, he played a very solid game. Vargas played good as well. If they just put forth this much effort every day, UK could compete for a NC. But it has to be there everyday.
Jones is a freakin beast. Love that kid.
DeAndre plays his butt off. He never quits and will shut you down. Does play out of control sometimes, but his defense and effort is great.
Doron Lamb is one cool cat. He is going to hit several game winning shots and free throws while he is at UK.
Overall, great effort. If UK puts forth this much effort all year, we will be fine. You really can’t ask for anything more.
I think that's right.
Both Harrellson and Liggins have a lot to be proud of, but both have plenty of room for improvement.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Remember Liggins last year at this time?
Amazing how far he has come from being on the bench for nearly the entire non conference schedule last year.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
can't say i do...
he did not get off the bench until Christmas! :)
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 24, 2010 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
Exactly my point
;)
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
I agree with just about all of this
I give Jorts a hard time, but he played a good game last night, all things considered.
but i'm still not buying him yet....
if we get in foul trouble with jones, jorts or vargus, it will be a long night…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Nov 24, 2010 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
memphis wildcat
I agree but that very scenario happened last night. If memory serves me, all 3 of those guys were in foul trouble in the
last 2-3 minutes. Don’t recall exactly though because I was re-installing MS XP HE.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
i love crow
can’t wait to watch the game. curses to a 7pm bedtime!!!
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
Great Team Effort
Nice Glenn mentioning Coach Cal’s game. He did a great job coaching. Taking a gamble to rest Knight and Miller with two fouls each took faith in the rest of the team. Everyone played their role magnificently. Sure, Josh is not a NBA all-star but he played his role, rebound and battle on D. Minutes from Vargas, Polson and Hood all contributed to the team. Of course, all the stars played well—Knight, Jones, Miller, Lamb. Liggins is the man!!
What a great game! Did I miss Thanksgiving and Christmas? That had to be March Madness. It must have been Maui weather. UW is a very talented team and played hard and with emotion. They gained from this game and are sure to improve as they now know what it takes to win against good defense. I would hate to run into them again in the tourney.
What a great game to be a UK fan. Nice work Cats! Did I mention that Liggins is the man!?
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
NCAA!!!
2 down 66 more to goooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go CATTTTTTTTTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen........
We have just introduced to the world a whole new cavalcade of stars.
Game Balls to the following:
Coach John Calipari- The Hardest Working Man In Show Business
Brandon Knight- He was as cool as the other side of the pillow tonight (while he was on the floor)
DeAndre Liggins- Perhaps the best shutdown defender I have ever seen. And getting better offensively as well.
Terrence Jones- Our new “Man Among Boys” Had Patrick stayed, this kid would have given him a very hard way to go for that starting spot.
Josh Harrellson- I dont know how, I dont know why, and I dont know by what force of the Almighty he survives, but he just keeps fighting his way through everything. I believe that if we had a true “Big Man” coach sitting on that bench somewhere Jorts would be even better. As it is, he just continues to amaze me. He gets the Rodney Dangerfield award for this game.
Darius Miller- See Brandon Knight. They make a very effective two-headed monster for teams to try to defend. Especially when you consider that there are 4 more right behind them who can do a lot of the same things.
The rest of the team gets one for this reason. No one who went in that game last night, including young Jerrod Polson, made big mistakes. That team could have folded under the enormous weight of a very loud, fast, physical game, But every kid that checked in at the scorers table played smart basketball. The officials decided that they were going to let the teams play, and we have to live with that. But we beat a bigger, more physical team last night that was just as fast as we were. I would prefer to not have to play them again this year.
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 7:58 AM EST reply actions
no matter.....I gave myself one for not passing out about 1/2 way through the second half.....lol
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 8:29 AM EST up reply actions
I concur Greg
I seriously doubt if we play another team through the regular season that wanted so desperately to hammer us as badly as UW did. As for as the SEC there isn’t a team in it that can match UW for their overall talent and heart. Florida has good players but the team has no moxy or toughness. They completely wilted against Ohio St. on their home court and embrassed themselves and the SEC.
The whole team played very well with Knight, Jones and Harrellson having great efforts. Liggins IMO was the co-star for MVP with his defense over Thomas who is a very good ball handling and scoring pg. Thomas was 0-4 from the three and only scored 8 points from the field – superb job DeAndre…!
Nick
Jorts
Maybe practicing against Kanter is paying off. If I remember correctly, Kanter owned Sullinger in Nike Hoops. BTW, Ohio State just got a commit from Amir Williams and could be building a monster up there.
by bigbill992001 on Nov 24, 2010 8:43 AM EST up reply actions
If PP had stayed
I don’t know if Jorts would be starting. I can only imagine PP,Liggins,Miller,Knight and Jones as the starting 5. No true big man but Jorts is 6-10 while Jones is 6-8 and PP is 6-9 so between those two I think they can handle the post.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
PP was gone no matter what,
Orton is the guy that we thought would be back in the middle. His shot blocking would have erased alot of the defensive mistakes we have seen.
Think that Orton could have run with these guys the way they were running last night?
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 10:32 AM EST up reply actions
He would have been in better shape than last year.
Plus, he would not have needed to play 35 minutes, 25 would have been plenty.
By the way, just in case anyone wondered
That earthquake was actually just Enes Kanter outside the Gym pounding on walls demanding the NCAA free him. He was surrounded by the 27,000 UK fans that could not get tickets to the game and were outside jumping up and down on the ground, threrby causing the island to shake.
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 8:40 AM EST reply actions
The quake also occurred simultaneously
When DeAndre’s butt hitt the floor on that dead-ball technical – maybe he loosened a tectonic plate..?
Nick
gotta love those "inadvertant" elbows......lol
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 10:21 AM EST up reply actions
Greg
Love those quotation marks. They can cover up a mulitude of sins.
That is what a machinist says about a file. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
That was fun.
I’m stuggling not to make too much of this win.
I know we’ll struggle some this season, but we certainly looked like a top-ten team.
I’m getting so spoiled going home everynight with a UK game on my tivo.
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
Accolades
to Harrelson and Jones. 14 and 17 rebounds? Against a taller, more talented front line of UW? Folks, these Cats took a serious challenged and willed in their hearts to succeed. If anyone had told me that our two interior players would nearly out-rebound UW by themselves, I would never have believed it. Jones is developing the toughness we all asked for after the first game so quickly, I am astonished. And for all the “juggle hands” that Harrelson possesses, he was a monster on the boards last night.
This was equivalent to a Sweet Sixteen game and all the Cats dug down deep in crunch time and willed their way to victory. That for me is the greatest result of last night’s game. Now, I only ask for some more “Wildcat in the tank” to dispose of the next Huskie pretenders.
You knwo one thing that I am quickly coming to love about Jones?
he establishes great position for rebounding. He is always down on the blocks after shots, not watching from the perimeter somewhere. He gets a ton of rebounding from being fundamental, added to a serious determination that he wants the ball. That is what rebounding comes down to.
Jort's hands
If Jorts had slightly softer hands and the arena wasn’t sweltering-ly humid, he could have grabbed nearly 20 rebounds. He lost at least 4-5 from them slipping from his grasp.
by wildcatfaninexile on Nov 24, 2010 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
May have been an ugly win but beauty is only skin deep. LOL
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
amen to that brother....amen to that
and ugly goes all the way to the bone……and that is exactly where Washington is feeling that loss today…..all the way down into their bones
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 10:22 AM EST up reply actions
My cousin just texted me these words:
What other teams know, we can learn.
What we know, they can never learn.
(Did I mention that I’m still a little juiced?)
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
One comment, Glenn
I’m pretty sure that Hood’s shovel pass was to Vargas, not Harrellson. Great recap though, I thoroughly enjoy them, with the typical spot-on analysis!
Hood made a good pass under the basket-
To Vargas, who wasn’t ready for it. Vargas has made strides with his game though…His foul shots were big, and Cal smacked him on the rear when he came to the bench…
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
No, the Hood shovel pass was after an offensive rebound.
Vargas caught it and was fouled going up for the shot. This was when they went to the monitor because Lamb had swung elbows, giving UW their free throws. Then they went back to the other end so Vargas could shoot his free throws.
Long story short, Vargas made the play. I remember because I specifically pointed out how nice it was to have a big man actually catch a pass in the paint…
In case someone hasn't mentioned it
Kudos to Forty who called the spread on both games precisely thus far.
I thought about that when the game ended lasy night
Oh Forty, paging Forty! What about tonight?
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Why is it every time I talk to Forty I get the impression I am speaking with Robert DeNiro from Casino???.......lol
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
Maybe DeNiro is a closet UK fan
And it’s actually Forty…?
Nick
by KansasUKCat on Nov 24, 2010 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
Not DeNiro
But I do like his movies.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 5:15 PM EST up reply actions
Forty
I really liked DeNiro in “The Untouchables”. Good job portraying Al Capone.
I love the Cats,
The Cats love me,
And both of us love,
The S....E....C.
I hope the team isn't as giddy as we are.
They have a game to play tonight.
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
I participated in absolutely ZERO "trash talking" yesterday.
I have come to the realization that EVERY time I do, my team loses. Examples? Take a look:
UK/South Carolina (away game last year)
UK/West Virginia (NCAA Tourney last year)
Celtics/Lakers (game 6 NBA Championship play-offs last year)
Yankees/Rangers (AL Play-Offs)
Lesson learned. ’Nuff said.
GOOOOOOO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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 Nov 24, 2010 11:31 AM EST reply actions
just saw the game!
awesome! epic!
UCONN is gonna murderlize us! ;j
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
yes, keep saying that, please!
about every game this season, if you don’t mind ; )
by blue kentucky girl on Nov 24, 2010 11:56 AM EST up reply actions
One thing I do feel good about
We played about as poorly as we could last night, and it was still close. Anyway, I think you guys will blowout UCONN today. You only have to concentrate on one guy with them. Shut down Kemba Walker… GAME OVER
Yeah, we won't be looking forward to seeing you all again.
Good luck tonight.
Beat MSU.
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
Mr Walker gets introduced to Mr Liggins tonight at 10PM EST......
They have not met before
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
What are we gonna do tomorrow night?
The Cats won’t be on.
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
I dont know about you, but I am resting up for Saturday......
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
You think we're gonna do it this year?
...and he's met at the line by a host of blue and white jerseys!
Sad to think
That when this streak started all our guys weren’t even born.
Nick
by KansasUKCat on Nov 24, 2010 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
It is inevitable......
As wise old Kats-Pa once said, A man will come to lead them. He will be small, but of great stature. He will be overlooked by many, but come to be adored by all. He will bring joy to the people. He will cause the Great Blue Nation to rise and overcome years of strife and unrest at the hands of the Orange Enemy. There will be shouts and acclamations of great triumph throughout the land as he dances in the zone of the checkerboard time and time again.
I am now and forever shall be The Cat In The Hat....The Artist formerly known as ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 24, 2010 9:06 PM EST up reply actions
Did Liggins miss
the UConn game last year?
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Wasn't it in December?
So yes, he would have been riding the bench.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
That's right, forgot about the early suspension.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Well...
… I’m never sanguine about our chances against teams in the top 100. Almost any of them have the ability to pull an upset.
We do need to hold down Walker, but if UK shoots 39% against UConn, I don’t like our chances.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
View from maui
Yet another fun game – I was hoarse by halftime. A couple quick thoughts:
-this team needs bk rumning the point. They looked completely lost without him.
-with a short bench, foul trouble will kill us.
-i was sitting right behind the basket. Seeing jones take free throws is like watching jim furyk swing a golf club – lots of funky motions going on there.
-watching cal coach up close is a trip.
Now on to a new batch of huskies.
by NYCCats on Nov 24, 2010 12:35 PM EST via mobile reply actions
If we can get through last night's foul fest ...
… I don’t think it will be much of a problem. Calipari does a good job of managing foul trouble.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Washington fans?
They had about 20% of the place.
by NYCCats on Nov 24, 2010 2:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
The game replay is on ESPNU right now
So nice, I had to watch it twice…
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
@btcoop71
A win tonight-
And a WIN Saturday, and it will be the best Thanksgiving EVER!
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
I'm sure 40 will be along shortly
with stats from the past to disprove your statement.:)
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
I'll Go With This One
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19831126Louisville.html Cats wallop Cards in first game of the home & home series between the two rivals.
by FortyYearCatFan on Nov 24, 2010 7:51 PM EST up reply actions
I am going to have to go
with iam4 on this one. Winning this tourney with such a young team and ending the embarrassment of the last 25 years in the same week would be pretty heady stuff.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
UK and UW
Wow, now that was a ballgame. As someone pointed out Jay an Bill completely missed that UW got back into it when Knight and Miller left the game in the 1st half. Mrs. D&B was a little worried at half, but I reminded her of that and said being down only 1 is good considering who played. ( Does anyone think we will see Poole again for the next couple weeks after his one shot?)
Harrillson was my MoG and I would call it a great game if not for the TO’s. He was credited with only two, but I can count 4 instances where he didn’t catch the ball cleanly and UK lost it. There were two other instances where I think he caused BK to turn it over. Oh well, if he can get 14 boards that is great.
Does anyone have an explanation for Hood’s shooting? He was a shooter in HS (which often doesn’t translate to college), but as he has filled in his shot has completely left him, yet as Glenn notes he made a great play and is stronger with the ball.
The defense was really good for much of the game and for whatever reason the court was a lot dryer than the day before.
Both teams will be exhausted tonight so it is likely whichever team is tougher will win. It will be extremely interesting to see how Liggins handles UC’s point guard.
Gosh, those free throws are awful, who knows why? It is such an important part of the game and Cal’s teams always seem to be weak at it.
by darkandbloody@gmail.com on Nov 24, 2010 6:12 PM EST reply actions
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