Kentucky Wildcats 62, Cornell Big Red 45: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Mar 26, 2010 1:06 AM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
Email
PrintA game that many, including me, thought would be a shootout turned out to be a defensive struggle.
Congratulations to the Cornell Big Red for a very hard-fought game that was closer than the final score. The Big Red had this game in doubt until about the 90 second mark, and a parade to the free throw line plus some turnovers allowed Kentucky to pad the final margin. But Cornell gave a great account of themselves even though they shot very poorly from 3-point range thanks to a lock-down defensive effort by the Kentucky Wildcats. The Big Red were a worthy opponent and did themselves and their school proud.
For Kentucky, it was an incredibly hostile crowd for a neutral site game as many of the other fans whose teams are playing in Syracuse adopted the underdog Big Red and tried very hard to cheer them to victory.
But Kentucky's defense was stifling, even if their offense was as anemic as it has been any time this year. Credit the Big Red for changing defenses and giving Kentucky looks that they have not seen much, but Kentucky did enough to get a large lead going into the second half and despite letting Cornell get as close as six points midway through the second half, the Wildcats managed to hang on for a gritty victory.
More after the jump.
Observations:
- Game ball: The entire team. What a defensive effort! I have rarely seen a basketball team so committed to staying home on shooters, making good switches and shows, blocking shots, and simply making it almost impossible for the opponent to score. This was by far the Wildcat's best defensive effort, no matter what the statistics say.
- John Wall had a forgettable game for him offensively, but he was really excellent defensively. He had a bunch of turnovers as well as assists and almost never got anything going to the basket that wasn't on a fast break.
- DeMarcus Cousins was, once again, a Kraken. A creature out of myth. He bulked enormous inside, and the Big Red had no answer. If he could have made free throws, UK would have won easily. Cousins seemed to have some back problems or tight hamstrings, which really gave me some concerns. But he played through them. Defense, offense, it didn't matter. Cousins played very well.
- Patrick Patterson was not going to allow any hope to the Big Red. He played well on both sides of the ball, was patient, rebounded, blocked shots and made plays.
- Eric Bledsoe had an up and down game. He made some really questionable fouls at highly inappropriate times, but he also made some big free throws down the stretch and a huge shot on an inbound play.
- Daniel Orton was great defensively. Blocked a bunch of shots and got robbed on a goaltending call.
- Once again, Liggins got on the floor and got to loose balls. But he didn't play his best today.
- Darnell Dodson barely played, and had no impact on the game.
- John Calipari had exactly the right game plan. We virtually never double-teamed, and stayed home on their shooters.
- Darius Miller was simply terrific defensively, and was one of the few offensive bright spots. He has been arguably the best player on the team in the tournament so far.
- The officiating was highly beneficial to the Big Red, in my humble opinion. I counted no less than seven calls that went their way that were no better than 50/50 at the very best. But I knew that would happen.
This was a great win for this Kentucky team, and the road only gets tougher from here. But with all the media nonsense surrounding this game, I'm really glad it's behind us and we can ignore any further blather about the young men from Ithaca. I am proud of this team and how hard and committed they played, and I raise my glass of Four Roses to the Wildcats of Kentucky. Salute!
Next up: Bob Huggins and the West Virginia Mountaineers. No more David and Goliath, no more moral equivalence. Just basketball. Thank God.
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*whew*
I’m like you – glad this game is over and all the nonsense about Cornell, blah blah blah. Great great defense. Soooo proud of this team. Go Cats!
sure they are done with us...
afterall it is hillbillies vs hillbillies now…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions
defense wins championships...
or at least it won this game as it lead to numerous easy baskets.
did anyone feel like we played 75% of the game on defense? incredible concentration on our kids parts – amazing they had zero lapses in the first half.
where is bobovol? he should apologize to cuz as he kept his cool on that intentional foul – not sure how any person could have handled it better
miller keeps playing this way, we may have 6 lottery picks
wva will be tough…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:13 AM EDT reply actions
that's
bobo the Vol ;-)
Excellent win for Kentucky. Cornell didn’t hit many of their open shots, and Kentucky sure didn’t give them many. I didn’t see the intentional foul that you’re talking about, because I switched over to the amazing Kansas State – Xavier game, but gotta hand both teams a gold star for playing ha— wait, wait, I think John Wall just picked off Cornell’s gold star and passed it ahead for an easy dunk.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Cuz literally got tackled...
in all fairness, if you had told any of us that he was going to get fouled like he did and just walk away, i am not sure any of us would have believed it. even Bilas went on and on about how there is no way you miss that call….
thanks – i will be rooting for the SEC tomorrow…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions
no question...
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions
and on FTs
memphis hit them early in their tournament run, only to falter in the NC game. maybe our experience will be the opposite and we will hit from here on out
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
the free throws are a decoy
notice that we miss many early but nail em at a higher rate down the stretch…
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
we also got a couple of rebounds...
going for the “4” pt play
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Digger Phelps
once again showed how much he knows by saying the Cats kept missing FT’s in the crunch and under pressure!! He obviously didn’t watch the game or if he did he’s just a UK detractor. He’d find something to criticize no matter what.
he didn't watch
he was too busy watching KSU-XU. he heard missed FT’s and assumed it was UK since they were brickin em early
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
Most of the misses are from Cuz.
Sure, Orton sucks at the line, but he was 1-2. Bledsoe missed 2 early but was good in the stretch. Liggins 1-2 or 0-2 I think. Anyway, the percentage is largely dependent on who is shooting them. Cuz has to get better by Sat and next week.
they have a tendency
to suck wind early on FT’s and then nail em down the stretch….might be pulling a “rope a dope” a la Cassius Clay.
Nah, I really think they don’t focus on them until/unless the game gets tight or is nearing it’s conclusion.
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
good call
it’s the ‘save the best for last’ philosophy
by tyler cottrell on Mar 26, 2010 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions
in 30+ years of watching NCAA b-ball, don't know that I've ever
seen a more blatent foul. Not sure there was any evil intent but it was obviously an intentional act. To compound it……the ref’s reviewed the tape and STILL didn’t call it!!! Would love to hear their justification for that.
You can't fix "stupid"!
Flagrant?
The refs said the foul occured before the throw down and they couldn’t call 2 fouls on the same play even if it was intentional…. course it was a “good no call” according to enberg when wittman shoved Liggins half way up the ramp leading from the court! Hopefully, we can get past some of the penny ante bullshit of the refs and their favoritism and keeping the games close for CBS ratings. If you watch on a 60", or bigger screen" you will see there are way more than 9 or 10 calls by the stripes that are way off the mark!
you
know Fox you are correct. We just bought a 42 inch HDTV. I am amazed to see how much more goes on then I did before. That shot on lIggins made me flip my lid. To me that was an obvious charge.
The refs....
When they didn’t call an intentional foul on Foote for the take down on Cousins I really thought the refs were going to steal this one from us…thank goodness that didn’t happen
That was a horrible, horrible call
even after they looked at it on the monitors, they still didn’t call it. I usually don’t gripe about the refs, but come on….
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Too easy, I can't even touch it ;-)
I usually don’t gripe about the refs
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't bobo
not usually. Really. Just don’t ask me who I will be rooting for tomorrow…That caused me a lot of grief last time….lol
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I was going the
“Usually Kentucky has the least reason to.”
I thought the refs didn’t give anybody the “superstar” treatment, which was really nice.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
And, unfortunately, we can both dream on with that.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Cuz was flopping
the “takedown” was Foote trying to hold up a falling Cuz…Foot DID FOUL and encircle Cuz but Cuz tried to spin outta the hold and fell. Foote was actually pulling and not pushing Cuz…
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
Oh was that what happened??????
How thoughtful of Foote. ’-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Actually Foote gets 4 points
2 for the reversal and 2 for the take down. Can’t believe the scorekeeper didn’t catch that.
It was at least an Intentional
when he clamped on the elbow. No play at the ball whatsoever. I think they got away with a technicality on that one since the ref called the foul on the initial reach.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't know
the ruling for sure but most likely the refs decided that a foul occurred before the takedown and reviewed to see if there was a flagrant foul. Watching the replay, I didn’t see anything that would call it flagrant.
Turn It Around
I would be willing to bet that if Cousins committed the foul in the same manner that it would almost certainly been called intentional.
If Cousins had committed that foul, it would have been
A flagrant, he would have been ejected, and charges would have been filed…..
Foote gets “style” points for being big and awkward, but still…..
I
have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Again, I turned the game with about 5 minutes left to watch the barn-burner.
I’m referring more to the treatment star players very often get in basketball, on both levels.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Then why did you come back at me
for saying one call was horrible? It was.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Because
Kentucky happens to have a superstar on their team ;-)
I was just poking fun about how fans complain about the refs so often, nothing more. Humor fail on my part, apparently, but I promise I meant nothing by it.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually, I don't think I see the superstar treatment in college basketball...
In the NBA, certainly, but not in college basketball.
by BBallSophist on Mar 26, 2010 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I have
to agree. My husband THE VOL, was going nuts. I said, it was more Cousins then Foote. He didn’t maul him as it looked. I will say that those guys did maul our guys most of the night. Saw lots of elbows and pushes under the basket. I was proud of our guys for keeping their cool.
Isn't this great ??
Game ball: The entire team
Teamwork. They really, really want it. And…..they are having FUN !!
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I think we were told (early)
this was a goal. To play like a team, know what each other was thinking and where on the court to pass the ball ahead of the actual players. Weren’t we??
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Wow
I never thought I would see a regulation game that seemed like it would never end.
Definite credit to Cornell for their defense in the game. Most of Kentucky’s run in the first was due to our excellent defense more than our half-court game. They stopped turning it over and we slowed to a lurch.
But in the end, you could tell who was the better team. At all stages of the game Kentucky dominated.
Props to Jeff Foote for perfecting the stanky legg. That dance move of his when he caught it on the block has to be one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time.
Go Cats, Beat Team Thuggins and we are back in the promised land!!!!
No you didn't.
And don’t be a jerk around here.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
From what I saw
It seemed like the refs favored Cornell, especially in the second half. Keep in mind I turned the game about with about 5 minutes left. I didn’t think Kentucky’s defense would be quite as good, but watching the game it really reminded me of the Tennessee – Ohio game, but Cornell’s guards just aren’t as good at driving the lane. The defense Kentucky used was really, really similar to what Tennessee used to control Ohio’s shooting. It all translates to a nice, comfy win.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
Maybe Pearl chatted his defensive ideas up with Cal over breakfast.
by JackBluto on Mar 26, 2010 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1
Now that’s funny! :D
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
This is why the game is played on the court on not in a stat book
I got so tired of hearing how good Cornell was at eFG etc. The fact of the matter was that everytime they played a team with UK’s kind of talent, size and athleticism they lost. UK completely dominated this team defensively. The open shots Cornell missed were due to the fact that they were so rattled by UK’s length and swarming defense.
IMO opinion this game was not as close as the score. If UK made more free throws early it would have been a laugher.
Congrats to these young men in Blue….they deserve it.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
This game
Was closer than the score, and it wasn’t. I’d tend to say that at least some part of the missing the open shots was due to the dome; it’s simply harder to shoot in a dome as it is not. That and the Kentucky defense did rattle them.
Cornell played very good defense, especially on the perimeter, but didn’t have an answer inside for UK’s athleticism. There was plenty of reason to be very wary of this Cornell team, and lest you forget it was a single-digit lead late in the game for Kentucky. If Cornell got hot — which they have done at times this season — then Kentucky could have really been in trouble.
But Cornell didn’t get hot, Kentucky didn’t let them, and they won.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions
in the second half
i thought cornell lost confidence in the 3 as they more often than not step inside the arc to take a shot. also, they did not crash their offensive board at all in the 1H – but started doing so in 2H -
its like they did not expect to miss and when they did, they started expecting to miss…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree
It looked to me like Kentucky played a little bit more off their shooters in the second half. I was always expecting Cornell to loft up a long-distance shot, just to gain confidence but .. nope.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Kentucky ...
… was getting to their shots. They were having to shoot very high just to get over the arms of the UK players. That really disrupted them.
Kentucky gave them very few clean looks.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Yeah
That’s what I was hinting at. Kentucky’s length, the dome, whatever it was, it was uncharacteristic for Cornell to miss those looks, and if they had hit more of them the game might have been closer. Though, it’d be more likely, imo, that if the game were closer Kentucky would have tried harder on offense and made the game not-close again, as evident by the Wildcat’s answer to any real run.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
thought that...
kept expecting us to really run in the 2H when they were crashing, but we never really got going
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
They should have definitely been higher.
Maybe not as high as a 5, but a 7-10 range. Just goes to show that RPI was very important to the committee this year. They beat nobodies and lost to the decent teams. It’s hard to really tell with teams like that.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I'd much rather be a 12 than a 7, 8, 9, or 10
You only have to beat two mediocre teams (a 5 and a 4) to get to the Sweet 16, rather than having to knock off a 1 or a 2.
3 down, 3 to go. . .
pitino said as much
this year – said he would have rather been a 12 than a 9
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions
RPI was very important to the committee this year
Rofl. Tennessee and San Diego State fans wish.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Sorry, not just RPI
but who have you beaten. The two big wins you have were both at home. Including those two wins you are 2 and 5 against the top 50. 10-7 road/neutral. Sounds about right for a 6 seed. Consistency matters as much as the big, emotional wins.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Tennessee
Had a better resume than the 5 seeds, and as good as some of the 4 seeds. The only real, real bad loss was to U$C early in the season. However, the Selection Committee said they didn’t even look at RPI rankings.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 2:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Well
I would agree with you but I do think that it worked out for Tennessee in the end. They are playing closer to home then we are.
Yeah, I'm not complaining ;-)
But.. Still.. Sheesh!
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
ROFL
…were you seriously doing that? ;)
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 Mar 26, 2010 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions
What if I was? ;-)
LOL … err …
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Personally
I dont think this game was closer than the score. Cornell had their run and the crowd was into it – you could see a little section of blue, but could never really hear them – but all in all to me this felt like a little closer version of the Indiana game. Hostile environment, lots of excitement but even with a six point margin I never felt they had the game in doubt.
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 Mar 26, 2010 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Ya
that was the worst part. Once we got the big lead I knew we would get the W, but that second half just dragged on forever. Reminded me a lot of the Sam Houston St. game this year. SHS kept it close, but you just knew they weren’t going to win.
That pace was just frustrating, I can understand why the offense was sluggish.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
That’s what I meant by the “It was closer than the final score, and it wasn’t.” Based off of results, I’d say it was like a 10-point game, especially given how Cornell managed to hang around and be pesky till the end, but based off of effort it felt like Kentucky had a dominant lead halfway through the first half when they were up by 5. Kentucky wasn’t about to lose, but Cornell wasn’t close to quitting.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Like you said
the switching was incredible. I’ve never seen a team run switches and man-up defenses so well. My ref-induced elevated blood pressure should return by Saturday to enjoy what we really enjoy – pure basketball, not some press incited social statement deliberated in a sports environment. Gimme basketball.
get used to it.....WVU is a tough tough defensive team
I expect more physical play all game long
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
If Kentucky doesn't beat WVU by 30
It’ll be astonishing, after the way the Mountaineers played earlier today.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
the big equalizer is that WVU is a great defensive team
not one team in the tourney has scored 60 points on them
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
And we heard that Cornell was the #1 team for hitting 3's
Just sayin’ Seven.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
WVU was horrible today
For very, very long stretches.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions
23 Turnovers. Against Washington.
The only reason WVU won that game was rebounding, and I’d love to see WVU rebound that well against Kentucky.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions
13
per CBS. Not a bad number at all really.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Well ...
… yeah, it’s bad. This was a very low-possession game. I think the TO% will be quite high.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Maybe it's just destiny ... we always seem to find a way to win - in spite of shortcomings ... I think we are looking at agreat team with so many different ways to beat a team.
The key for me was your comment about Darius Miller … I think we have all been waiting for him to do what we all know he is capable of … he has been amazing for us in this tournament …hope he keeps up the aggressive play.
I second and third the comments about the new and improved
Darius Miller. What a tourney he’s having so far.
Washington doesnt get credit for being a good defensive team
because they score so much. Fact is Washington is an offensive team and like every other game in the tourney WVU held them under 60 points.
I still expect UK to beat them but it will not be easy.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
Rebounding
“He who controlleth the boards controlleth the game.” ~Adolph Rupp
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 Mar 26, 2010 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions
I said something to that effect last night - they just don't scare me.
Then I got beat down on here because I’m overlooking WVU’s apparent defense and rebounding prowess. I see it, but if they can’t put the ball in the basket…
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
Yep,
and it will be so enjoyable to just watch two “dumb” hillbilly teams play this sport with a passion and a passionate fanbase. It’s safe to say the fanbase basketball IQ of UK>WV>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cornell.
I think
You have your greater than signs backwards ;-)
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Not even close.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
a thing of beauty!!!
the Cat’s defense was sooo close to perfect…those kids have worked unbelievably hard cause they want #8 and deserve it!!!
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as much as you please."...Mark Twain.
And if ya'll didn't watch the end of the Xavier-KSU game
Go watch the highlights ASAP. If you don’t, turn in your fan cards. That was the game of the year so far in CBB, in my opinion.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
It was a good game.
Lots of big shots at critical times. That disaster of a foul at the end of regulation was a very bad call.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Bad Call
I totally agree – that call was ridiculously bad. I will say that Jordan Crawford is good! He made a couple of threes from “Patrick-Sparks-deep.”
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 Mar 26, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions
I hope one of those doesn't happen to us ...
There will be calls missed both ways …. even if you had a ref or two watcing the game from the sideline on a TV monitor … probably something would be missed. I’ve reffed some girls youth basketball games and even at that level – there is lot to look at and you try to be fair – but sometimes you miss them (parents will always know the correct call hoowever). At least now they are starting to go to the monitor more and trying to get things right. The take down on Cuz by Foote looked to have happened after the initial contact when you watch it in slow mo..
How does "after the initial contact" make Foote fitting Cuz
for a straight jacket okay? I don’t know all the can’s and cannot’s. Just askin’….
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
To be fair
Well .. point out the obvious, inherent un-fairness: When you’re Kentucky, anything wrong you do in basketball is going to be magnified a thousand times more than if you’re Cornell. They are a hero, you are .. well .. you’re always there, so you’re boring. That’d be the perception in every person’s mind, and I have to imagine it’d be in every ref’s mind.
It’d be more rational to think, though, that if it were DeMarcus then it’d be all over ESPN about how he had a horrible cheap shot at the end of blah blah blah.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I grew up across the river from West Virginia
this next game will be very personal….UK has to win
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
seven
where are you from? I grew up in Ashland
by bigbill992001 on Mar 26, 2010 2:01 AM EDT up reply actions
cool
i’m Ashland also…..was the 1st class in Paul Blazer, actually had 1 semester there with Naomi Judd but didn’t know her. Went to Boyd Co. High also and Vinson High in Huntington……….yep, 3 differnt schools in 3 consecutive semesters. Moved to Detroit area in ‘66 . Now i’m living in the Philippine Islands. Actually caught 2 games here on ESPN this yr.
by bigbill992001 on Mar 26, 2010 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions
You're probably around the same class as my dad. He was there with Naomi -
went on a blind date with her, or so he claims.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
BCHS 85' for me
No Boyd County grad would ever claim Ashland, but for the sake of a shout out….
"all the way"
It's cool. I'm Tomcat, but grew up in the county just off Skyline Dr. Most of the neighborhood
kids went to BCHS, but my parents wanted better for me. ;)
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
LOL
When I went to BCHS I lived out on Trace Rd., but when I went to Coles/Blazer I lived in the infamous Avondale neighborhood.
by bigbill992001 on Mar 27, 2010 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions
personal, for sure...
i live in Ashland and work in Huntington…
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as much as you please."...Mark Twain.
I posted earlier in the season on the "somoking musket"
That the tri-state would blow up if this match-up happened.
"all the way"
You guys in the Ashland
Huntington area will appreciate Jerry Tiptons lack of research/knowledge in his latest article. He says WVU is Patrick’s hometown school.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jerry who?
by bigbill992001 on Mar 27, 2010 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions
You all have to be kidding me.
I grew up in Ashland too, live in Louisville now. Blazer class of 1999.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
wow
we got enuf tomcats to have a pick-up game
by bigbill992001 on Mar 27, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
a Cornell fan's perspective
From the moment the game began, even when Cornell jumped to their early 10-2 lead, I said to myself, “uh oh, this team plays DEFENSE. This isn’t going to be easy like it was against 5-guys-standing-around Wisconsin”, and that’s what made the difference. Kentucky absolutely suffocated Cornell.
Still, when Louis Dale knocked down the 3 to make it 40-34 and the Carrier Dome was going insane (except for the silent blue section), I really believed. I was jumping around. It was just not to be.
Anyway, I hope I can say that at least Cornell lost to the national champion. Good luck the rest of the way.
"It’s just everytime we think the bar can’t get lower, they lower it. Now next year we’ll just be happy to hear that rogue shirtless officials aren’t implementing useless detrimental drills in spring training for no apparent reason."
-Gina, 3/1/10
Thanks very much.
You should be proud of your team. They are extremely good, and I was very impressed by them.
Thanks for coming by and offering your thoughts.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Good show Ian!
The guard Dale got a huge cheer from me as he exited the game, not because he was gone but because of the hustle he show ALL GAME and the way he went out….HUSTLING!
Great team, great coach and great gameplan.
Luck
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
yeah, Dale rules
The difference between this game and the Wisconsin game was that Kentucky just did not let Dale or Ryan Wittman have ANY open shots. Even the rare moment that they did, the bricked them, probably because they started thinking about it. When your whole game plan is to get open shots and hit them, you can’t shoot 33% from the field (by comparison, Cornell shot 61% against Wisconsin).
I’m proud of the way they held Kentucky’s offense in check much of the way (2-16 from 3 point range, for instance), but it wasn’t enough given Kentucky’s smothering defense.
Like I said, good luck the rest of the way.
"It’s just everytime we think the bar can’t get lower, they lower it. Now next year we’ll just be happy to hear that rogue shirtless officials aren’t implementing useless detrimental drills in spring training for no apparent reason."
-Gina, 3/1/10
by Greenpoint Ian on Mar 26, 2010 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I can assure you
that had it not been for the head to head matchup with you guys, almost all UK fans would have pulled hard for you to go all the way. I know we were going crazy over the Butler/Syracuse game.
Thanks Ian. As a UK fan we can pay no higher compliment than to say,
“We, the fans, were scared all week.”
thinking about the game
do you realize we lost the first 5 minutes of each half (maybe tied the first 5 of 2H) and still one? guess that will give Cal something to complain about…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 1:42 AM EDT reply actions
they definitely zoned for
stretches….the hype all week was a paper tiger and our boys knew it once they met the team face to face. Our boys were bored after halftime.
They get a real Tiger Saturday and will perform better.
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
They mostly zoned.
The played man about 10 minutes. They threw in a 1-3-1 (we gotta work on that) and even a 3-2 at different points.
And they played them all pretty well.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Don't get me wrong
They respected Cornell enough to play KILLER DEFENSE but if the bucket wasn’t easy they weren’t going to hit it. Noticed when we went on first run and sealed the deal near end of game that there was a concerted effort to get the ball inside for the big payoff and money points. The rest of the time it was ball reversal, skip the ball around and once shot clock got near 10 whoever has the ball had the green light to “just play”
We were money in the bank in the paint and then we went away from it? Why? Boredom I tell you. :) Soft hearts. They see a lil underdog in themselves and didn’t wanna make the Big Red look like a D-II team.
The basketball acumen of our squad is far superior to their grade classification. Earlier in the season it would have taken a last second shot to put Cornell away because of the easygoing nature of our team. Tonight, after their customary 18-2 run in 2 minutes and some change they stayed home defensively, shutting Cornell down while scoring enough so as not to demoralize them. West VIrginia won’t get that opportunity. They can bang better, as evidenced by their 2 seed, and with the next win it’s the FINAL FOUR!
REFUSE TO LOSE! LAND THE PLANE!!! EAT A TWINKIE!!! ALWAYS DOUBLE TAP!!! HAMMER DOWN!!! PEDAL TO THE METAL!!!
Go Big Blue! :)
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
Not so much a crush.
The little guys are really motivated in the tournament, and Syracuse was wounded. Plus, Butler was a 5-seed. A 5 beating a 1 is nothing like a 12 beating a 4.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Wish Purdue still had Hummel ... they would probably do just that ...
Tenn. Ohio State depends on which Evan Turner shows up – he’s been inconsisten in the tournament … Tennessee has the personell to limit him …
I just cant go for the Vols.
I know the whole “SEC thing” but they are just one team in bball that I have a really hard time hoping good things for. I find it easier to pull for them in football than I do in bball – even with that God-awful win streak they have against us. ;)
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 Mar 26, 2010 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Gotta go for the Vols
that would give the SEC two teams in the Elite Eight and ease some of that talking the SEC down crap.
Yeah....
Just cant do it. Not even for the “good” of the SEC.
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 Mar 26, 2010 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Just think of it this way:
If get to the championship game, it just lets Kentucky emba.. as…
Yeah I can’t type it. You know Pearl would draw even vs Cal if we met up again! ;-) (Admiiiit it. You know you waaaant to!)
(I’ve got tasty candies if you admit it!)
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
But.. but.. a2d2
They are orange candies and I know how much you love….
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I have special powers against all things orange. Magically turns those candies into beautiful blue ones. So let me try some, and then you can have some really good blue ones to enjoy.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I gotta go for the Vols too..
Maybe it will keep a few critics’ lips sealed about the SEC for awhile.
I would also, of course, love to see an SEC battle in the tourney. ;-)
by UKWildcatGirl on Mar 26, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Hopefully some Cornell, Washington and even Syracuse fans
will stick around and give UK some fan support. I fully expect this WVU game to be uber tight and we may need some extra motivation by way of the fans.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
I really don't know how tight it will be
West Virginia is not a deep team, with Bryant out they only have 4 scorers who average more than 5 ppg and #4 only averages 6.8. They are not a tall team, a couple of guys are listed at 6-9 but that is it. They have lost their starting point guard. They gave up 23 turnovers last night to Washington.
If Kentucky comes to play like they have in this tournament we are in the Final Four by a comfortable margin. With decent defense tomorrow night we only need about 65 pts. to beat WVU.
This is the team that we beat in Las Vegas last year, then we could see a final with the other team we beat in Las Vegas, K State.
Go Cats!
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions
I am seeing 12 steals
It lists Big Cuz with 4. Do you think this is right?
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I guess that defines
“He’s got game”. Awesome. I thought I saw him shoot a three too, but it isn’t in the box score. Guess it was a two’fer. (Kinda difficult to see all the game and blog too.)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I know!
I need two monitors.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
He was up high to switch on a lot of ball screens.
It was simple strategy: when one of their bigs picks your guard, switch that big off of him to just stand there and take up a lot of space with major wingspan and force the screen to be completely ineffective. This doesn’t work if the screening big-guy can either shoot very well from deep or is a match-up threat on the weak side of the floor.
Can’t run the same defense against WVU, that is for sure.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Bilas was right
it was a suffocating performance against a good offensive team
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
It wasn't Pretty
but it’ll do, Now time to buck up or shut up against our stiffest test yet.
GO CATS
Welcome to the Department of Redundancy Department
Looking ahead..
Sat. will be another low scoring game. As mentioned above, all 4 teams struggled last night shooting in that dome. I know there was great defense played, but the tip off about depth perception was the FT shooting from all teams. Look for a similar game in the 60’s. We need to pound it inside and get the rebounds because WV is a great rebounding team. Look for Miller to step up again Sat., he’s really upped his game in the tournament.
Three things SHOULD have stuck out to everyone last night
1) UK will not take ANYONE lightly in this tournament. The Art of War states that you must never underestimate your opponent, or his knowledge of you.
2)This team does have “IT”. Just whem you think you have put them in a hole, they climb out, punch you in the mouth, and sit on your chest until you cannot breathe anymore. They may not win every game by 30, but when it is over, you will know you were beat.
3)This is a TEAM. They win as a team they lose as a team. They do not get down on each other, and they dont let anyone take the fall for a mistake. They correct, change direction and move on. They finished with 4 TO’s in their pocket last night. Calipari knew they had this one.
This is why they will continue to win. That “Will To Win” reared it’s head again last night. I dont know what got these young men to finally buy into everything that Calipari is selling, but they have, and we have too.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
yes, indeed ABC
And, this team, with all the lottery picks on it, is COACHABLE. I cant remember how many times in interviews I’ve here 1 or our guys say the coaches told us this or that.
by bigbill992001 on Mar 26, 2010 8:01 AM EDT up reply actions
ABC ,,, me thinks no team left in the tournament can match us in the paint ...
Ebanks a good player for West Virginia …. Zoubek at Duke – don;t think so .. . at Purdue, I thnk the cupboard is bare …. Between Cousins, Orton, and Patterson, I just think any team would have trouble matching us in the paint. And when Miller provides pressure at the 3 I think we are almost unstoppable …. This team is playing awesome basketbal right now
can't you just hear jimmy dykes now...
“come ncaa tournament time, cousins is going to be a load inside. he will be the toughest player to defend inside in the whole tournament.”
or something like that..
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
How about the
“tree in the driveway” with no place to park the car!
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
The Wildcat Express is coming......I would not get between it and where it is going if I were the
opposition and planning on remaining upright…..Anyone notice that Cousins had ZERO fouls in the first half last night?? This kid just gets better and better…..and Orton hasnt met a block he didnt like, and Patrick….well he is Patrick…….and they are about to unleash all of these dogs at once on someone…..When we control the paint…..we control the game……because there are not a pair of guards in the country that can handle Bledsoe and Wall one on one……
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
Agree with you there ABC .....
Patterson seems to outrun his man down the floor at least once every game and either Wall or Bledsoe is there to feed him for a dunk …. he has great movement without the ball.
And the skills and size of both Orton and Cousins are unmatched IMO ….
Guard play is as advertised … I said earlier that I thought Wall could play better than what he has shown in the tournament so far in spite of the fact that he almost had a triple double last night …
Survive and advance
Some say a comet will fall from the sky. Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves.
Followed by faultlines that cannot sit still. Followed by millions of dumbfounded dips**ts.
I wonder ...
… if all those pulling for Cornell so hard will come back and make a comment.
Or will we hear a roaring silence? I predict the latter.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I'm thinking half of them weren't Cornell fans.....
Some say a comet will fall from the sky. Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves.
Followed by faultlines that cannot sit still. Followed by millions of dumbfounded dips**ts.
Hey!
I’m here still, aren’t I? And I predicted Cornell!
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes bobo, but you have an excuse....youre a UT fan.......youre handicapped!!!
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
A Beautiful Game
The mainstream meme for this game was that it was ugly and hard fought. I disagree with the “ugly” descriptor – I love watching a great defensive team just smother an opponent and UK was just outstanding last night in that regard.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
agreed.
Last night’s game was a thing of beauty, I thought. I cheered just as loudly for our oh-so-impressive defensive stops as I did for our awesome offensive efforts. And in fact, I cheered so loudly last night I’m totally horse today, and I don’t mind one bit that I have no voice. ; )
Elite Eight, here we come! Let’s see what we can do about those pesky Mountaineers now, shall we? GO ’CATS!
Mwahahahaha
And now no Kentucky fans can cheer for the WVU game and Kentucky is doomed and Cornell’s brilliant strategy is revealed!!
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Like UK's defense
there are WAVES OF FANS waiting to drown out the next and disrupt the opponent :)
I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.
Amen.
Great defense it just as impressive as great offense. Of course, the loathsome offense UK played in the second half depressed my enthusiasm considerably.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Mar 26, 2010 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions
yes, that was a bit of a damper
Cornell had a bit to do with it, but mostly I thought it was more about bad choices by the offense (not going inside, taking long range jump shots, not going inside, taking shots that were not in the paint, not going inside, etc) and less about Cornell doing anything to force those decisions.
In other words, the only thing that stopped UK from going into the paint repeatedly was – UK.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
on the defense...
not sure who watched coach cal when he interviewed jay bilas on his show, but they talked about how good UK would look if they stayed in their crouch every play and did not gamble.
we saw what that looks like in 1H last night….the key being, i only saw one time when wall gambled in the first half. staying home was key….
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 9:27 AM EDT reply actions
Great ballgame last night-
And W. Virginia will be a very tough test. Love the matchup for P.Pat. I’m sure he’s glad he stuck around for this. The defense was unbelieveable last night, and I hate to bring it back up, but the officials were terrible… GO CATS SATURDAY NIGHT!!!
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
I think we
can move past one of the points that many posters have lamented over this year and that is 3 point defense. We read several times how that was going to hurt us big if we didn’t get better. Well, we got better. This also supports my point for not giving as much weight to early season losses as late season wins. UK would have likely lost to Cornell early on by not being able to stop the 3’s. This is why the teams play a full season and have 3 practices to every game. Now, if we could just CONCENTRATE on free throws, we will win it all.
I'm happy with the three point defense, now can we work on free throws
What gets me is that it’s hard for another team to scout us because a different guy can step up at any point … Eric goes off for 29, then Miller gets a season high … Wall, I don’t think, has had his BEST game yet, even though he almost had a triple double last night ….
Man this is fun to watch … can’t wait for Saturday
They have really improved.
In fact, last night convinced me for the first time (well, that and the Syracuse and Kansas loss) that UK really has an excellent shot to actually win.
It isn’t that we couldn’t have beaten any of the teams, it is more that our built-in advantages were minimized against the Orange and the Jayhawks.
But those roadblocks no longer exist.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Mar 26, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
No.
It absolutely is, and anyone who doesn’t agree is … unqualified. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
right on, tru
I’ve said all along this is our tourney to lose. We just have to play our game. All the games from here on will be tuff but we have the horses.
by bigbill992001 on Mar 27, 2010 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions
I pulled the trigger
I had been waiting and waiting, but this morning, I finally did it – I just bought tickets to the Final. Now, Cats, don’t let me down. I need to see you on April 5!!
3 down, 3 to go. . .
I thoroughly predict
A UK beatdown of WVU. I’ve been the least impressed with the Mountaineers this tournament of all the teams remaining.
Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!
by bobo_the_vol on Mar 26, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Good for you-
I predict UK-K. State, with UK winning of course. And as an X-tra bonus, we beat Duke in the Final Four!!
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
It was fun
watching the Cats pull off that glass slipper, grind it into dust, put it into a glass of Big Red and drink it down.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
Did anyone else
notice that the Cornell uniforms turned to pumpkin orange at midnight?
by kywineman on Mar 26, 2010 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Just for Reference
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20081129WestVirginia.html
Here is the box score for the UK-WVU game last year in Vegas.
WVU returns all of the major players except for Ruoff, who graduated and Bryant who broke his foot.
That was an ugly defensive game but we were able to get it done with a much less talented team than we had last year. This one will be interesting on Saturday, but not really worried about it.
in retrospect
that was one of the bright spots last year…
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Mar 26, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
yes
it was…….I am not sure how much of a revenge factor there is. Huggins is a great coach. He will have his guys ready. I am concerned about rebounds. He needs to have Orton and Cousins in there. WVA was quick last night on the boards. Their guards are very quick.
talk about revenge factor
Think UK/UT……..think UT wouldnt have something to prove?
by bigbill992001 on Mar 27, 2010 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions
But ...
… The Wildcats are a little different than last time. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Mar 26, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
That's what I meant to say
at the end, I just worded it incorrectly.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions
West Coast
7 o’clock game out there. Not sure if I agree since K State was playing opposite, but that is their reasoning.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Shooting
Hopefully today, they will get lots of shooting practice. I noticed on KSR someone mentioned the unique shape of the dome can throw shooters off their mark. I think we saw both teams struggle with that last night.
Ya
the Wash-WVU game was bad too. 39.3 and 40.0% shooting respectively.
by aidanpryde18 on Mar 26, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Very interesting....
Uk team last year beat this team in a good D game….makes ya wonder if they lost to last years team, can they hang with this years??
Only 2 teams I thought UK should be worried about in this tourney. Kansas and WVU
Goodluck cats !
by collegebballfan on Mar 26, 2010 1:18 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
So what
if they had already called a foul before the take-down. At that point it was a dead ball. Haven’t the Einsteins in the striped shirts ever heard of a dead ball technical? Never mind, they probably would have called a double technical, one on Foote for the take-down and one on Cousins for hitting the floor so hard.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
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