Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Getting Ready For Kansas
by Glenn Logan on Nov 14, 2011 1:47 PM EST
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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Tomorrow is the Kentucky Wildcats' first test of the season -- at a neutral court (Madison Square Garden in New York City) versus fellow blueblood, the Kansas Jayhawks. Ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, this will be a test.
So what does Kansas look like this season? Well, the first thing you need to know is that they lost a ton of talent from last season. Brady Morningstar, Mario Little and Tyrel Reed were all lost to graduation. Of these, two were starters. Of the other three starters, the Morris twins and Tyshawn Taylor, only Taylor returns. Also lost from Kansas last year were freshmen Josh Selby and Royce Woolridge, Selby to the NBA Draft and Woolridge to Washington St. via transfer.
Kansas this year has a number of good players, but is by no means "loaded" in any sense of the word. They have a total of two Rivals 5-star high school players on the team, Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford, junior starters this year, along with juniors Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey. Senior Tyshawn Taylor rounds out the starting lineup, at least last game.
There are really no meaningful stats to analyze yet this season, but Kansas handled a Towson State team just as easily as Kentucky handled the roughly comparable Marist. One thing that does show up as a difference is that Kansas has a slightly more mature lineup, starting no true freshmen.
The major scoring threats will be Releford and Taylor on the wing and Robinson on the inside. Johnson is the point guard who dished out 8 dimes against Towson St., and Loyola Marymount transfer Kevin Young is a proven scorer both on the wing and slashing to the basket.
Like Kentucky, Kansas does not have a tremendous amount of bulk, nor do they have a lot of proven depth. Their players are not as interchangeable as the Wildcats, but they are skilled, well coached, and experienced.
Interesting matchups:
- Thomas Robinson -- I suspect Terrence Jones will start out on him. That will be an interesting test of talent.
- Tyshawn Taylor -- Either Darius Miller or Doron Lamb to start out, but don't be surprised to see Michael Kidd-Gilchrist guarding him quite a bit.
- Travis Releford -- Miller to start, but again, MKG will probably be ready to guard him some as well.
- Jeff Withey -- Nice matchup with Anthony Davis. Withey's bigger but less talented, so this will be a great test of how Davis handles a stronger player.
- Elijah Johnson -- obviously Marquis Teague will be guarding him, but also Lamb. He'll be a nice matchup for either guy.
This game is a really good early-season test for Kentucky, and we'll learn a lot about this Wildcat team at every position. I look for this to be close and hard-fought all the way through. The Jayhawks have an experience advantage, and Kentucky is more talented and just as athletic. Both teams present matchup problems for the other on both sides of the ball.
We'll have more later.
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Small correction
Conner Teahan is a redshirt senior this year on their team
Yes, he is.
Thank you. I knew that, but I still blew it in the narrative.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Another issue:
Travis Releford – sophomore or senior??
expectations are premeditated resentments - cheshirecat
Can't wait
This game should be a good indicator of where we are.
Kansas just isn't very talented
Thomas Robinson is legit, and the only reason he didn’t get more PT last year was because he was playing behind the Morri. He’s should contend for Big 12 POY honors as well as a shot at All-American teams. He’s a high motor, crazy athletic player that will be a great test for Davis and Jones inside.
The rest of their team are JAGs. Eli Johnson and Travis Releford have shown precious little as Jayhawks, and Jeff Withey even less than that.
Tyshawn Taylor is their second best player, and he’s on my “can’t stand” list. He’s not a true point guard by any stretch, and makes too many head-scratching plays to be an efficient lead guard. So, he’s just an undersized shooting guard that can’t even shoot it that well.
There’s precious little beyond the starting 5. Kansas really got hurt by the Big 12 bylaws when freshmen Ben McLemore and Braeden Anderson couldn’t qualify. Anderson, a former Kentucky recruit, likely would have been the first big off the bench backing up Robinson, and McLemore, a high 4*, might have been the starting shooting guard.
As it stands, Naadir Tharpe is probably their most talented reserve and may even take over starting point guard duties by the end of the year (a la Will Spradling at Kansas St) if Johnson and Taylor falter. Kevin Young is an intriguing player. Can’t say I ever saw him at Loyola, but he put up a nice stat line in KU’s opener against Towson.
As a Texas/Big 12 fan, Kansas is one of my favorite non-partisan teams to root for. They’ve been money in the Big 12 (easy to do with solid coaches like Roy Williams and Bill Self), but this is simply not that talented a team. If Kentucky loses this, I’ll be quite disappointed.
Even adjusting for ...
your Kentucky/Texas bias, I agree with your analysis. Got a point spread?
Hah
Thanks, TW. Kansas is probably within my top 10 favorite teams list. I’m just calling them as I see them.
That said, I thought Kansas would be 2nd or 3rd best in the Big 12 last year, and they went ahead and won the conference and got a number one seed. They are regular season wizards, after all.
I'm stoked!
It seems a little early for this big an opponent but hey that’s ok in my book. Just can’t wait.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
They're probably saying the same
But someone’s gotta win!
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
Small Correction
“Of the other two starters, the Morris twins and Tyshawn Taylor, only Taylor returns.”
I think you mean, “Of the other three starters…”
Looking forward to the game!
Thanks to my editors by committee!
Appreciate the correction.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I think Kansas is counting on our underestimating them.....
We should be wary……I know Cal likes to overstate our weaknesses….but in this case, I will side with him……I want them sharp, but concerned about Kansas doing them in….
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 14, 2011 3:03 PM EST reply actions
Poole Gone
Calipari says, Good wishes. Me, too. Success in a lesser program I would hope. Roster spot open.
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Fifth starter
is Tyshawn Taylor. You mentioned Releford twice.
Both Young and Conner Teahan put up double figure points in the opener against Towson. Young also had 7 RBs in 14 minutes. Kansas got outrebounded by 3 by Towson, although KU had significantly better shooting percentages. Main thing was KU hit 10 of 23 3-pointers so it will be important for UK to close out on the shooters. KU also had 30 assists, so they appear to share the ball well as only Robinson had double figure FG attempts.
As you say, these stats are all anecdotal.
2-0
It won’t be easy, but I think we have the clear advantage (talent and depth) at every position.
Personal Perspective
I wouldn’t say my situation is totally unique but it is quite uncommon: I’m a UK alum and my wife and both sons are KU alums. Needless to say it makes watching the game interesting. Fortunately both sons (one lives only a few blocks away, the other made trip from Bogota) will be in MSG (floor seats, BTW, are going for $1,100) and I’ll be viewing TV with my wife. Obviously tweets will be flying fast and, literally, furious. My position provides with some insight to the views of KU fans and a capsule of them is this: UK has superior talent, KU has more experience; position by position — Robinson cancels Jones, KU depth and experience (chronological and game) at PG is an edge, UK has advantage at other 3, KU is better from perimeter both offensively and defensively, and finally Self is the better coach. Earlier Jayhawk fans were very defensive and expecting a blowout but their play, especially that of Elijah Johnson and Naadir Tharpe, and Conner Teahen, have given them hope to be competitive. Should be fun and I’ll have to live with the result for the rest of the season and hope to meet again in post-season.
PS: None of us discuss or even mention Jayhawk or Wildcat FB.
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
"Self is the better coach"
Bite your tongue, er finger.
I might have gone with the Self as better bench coach position at one time.
Not any longer. I have been impressed with Cal, especially with last season’s job. He doesn’t just throw the ball out and watch his horses run.
I agree-
Self is a great recruiter. My Illinois friends at work wish he would have stayed with them. You can’t blame him for going to Kansas though. He also seems to be a very talented in-game coach, but Cal is every bit as talented. I look for a good game, and a UK victory… GO CATS!!!
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb > Kansas PG depth and experience
I don’t Kansas with any advantage at PG. They might have more depth and experience but I’d rather have Marquis Teague and Lamb if needed than anybody Kansas has at PG.
Cal is as good as self but...
Self has an edge on knowing his players better for strengths and weaknes. Cal may need more time to figure these guys out. May be a close game this round but by Feb I think we win easilly.
by ANGx01 on Nov 14, 2011 7:44 PM EST via mobile reply actions
In about 12 hours, you can throw the stats out the window.....
except for the ones we are gonna rack up!!!…..
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 15, 2011 8:25 AM EST reply actions
What stats are those?
We’ve only played one game apiece! :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I guess I should have said comparisons......
Kansas is going down……Forget all the numbers, the side by sides, all of it…..they are not going to beat us…..
Syracuse scares the crap out of me though……they are big….and they are fast…
Kansas don’t have the guns or the athletes.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 15, 2011 9:02 AM EST up reply actions
Kansas is still Kansas, but....
If this game is not a win, it will be because of Kentucky’s youth……the talent level is no contest.
Welcome to A Sea of Blue.
“no contest” seems just a touch strong. Kansas is talented, but there is no doubt UK is more talented, even significantly more talented.
As you said, the youth compared to Kansas will be the other big factor. But I’ll take the talent, and hope to deal with the youth. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
This will be a good measuring stick
Win or lose, we’ll know a lot more about ourselves and where we stand. Thus far it has been let them eat cake. Now its time to get some meat and see how we handle it.
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