OPEN SHOT: Discuss the Wildcats

by Glenn Logan on Jan 24, 2008 9:28 AM EST in Open Thread

There are tons of news stories just below that just beg for commentary. There is also the great news that UK just landed a really good football recruit, Matt Roarke, with loads of talent. Also, there are four UK players in the Senior Bowl.

In basketball recruiting news, Tyrone Appleton is visiting Kansas this week.

All this thread lacks are your comments.

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Comments

Bare Cupboard

I have held to the opinion that the cupboard was bare. I must rethink because Stevenson came from that same cupboard. Looks like a find. CJ article this morning.

by modcpa on Jan 24, 2008 10:03 AM EST reply actions

Stevenson ...

has been playing well for a few games now. But we occasionally see this (remember Bobby Perry last year?), only to watch them fade into obscurity.

But I don't think Stevenson will. He is a talented player in many ways who just needed a confidence injection. Hopefully, he is to the point where he just keeps getting better. If so, UK will have an awful lot to say about who eventually wins the SEC regular season.

Combating the high-low with a guy who can hit the 15 footer and a beast like Patterson in the paint is every team's nightmare. You can run so many different sets when you have that ability, and it really puts the zone or double-team in a world of hurt.

What Perry needs to do now is learn to shoot the jump shot when the pass to Patterson isn't there, and make it consistently. If he does that, this team has a very high ceiling offensively.

by Glenn Logan on Jan 24, 2008 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

PS

Good observations regarding Stevenson. His increased positive play is wonderful to see. I recall his first efforts last year...looking so promising ...at least in defensive shot blocking...to fade into a black hole. His lack of development into a player who at least got consistent playing time has been difficult to understand...but we have seen many sit the bench. I think the comments elsewhere on Lofton are true for many. Player development has been down in Ky for a time...so good to see some new skills for Stevenson and others. Hope this is a wave of the future.

by CAWebb on Jan 24, 2008 2:59 PM EST reply actions

Stevenson

Sought by Texas, LSU, Ga Tech (among others).

First Louisiana recruit for UK since Robey in 1974.

Consensus Top 50 recruit in 2006, one of 3 in UK class that season.

Adidas HS A-A. I saw him play in Roundball Classic in 2006.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 24, 2008 7:42 PM EST reply actions

Screw seth davis

That guy is one of the biggest jokes out there writing about sports today! Two days after UK knocks off a top five team, he brushes the win aside and highlights Kentucky as one of his biggest disapointmnets. By the way, in his little blurp he mentions nothing about the slew of injuries, system change, or overall youth of the team. He is about as big a douche bag as Goodman!

by wldcatsfreak on Jan 24, 2008 8:12 PM EST reply actions

One of the national commentators ...

called this shot.

Anyone remember who it was?

by Glenn Logan on Jan 24, 2008 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

Not sure...

but I'll go along with anyone else who calls davis or goodman a douche bag! ;)

by wldcatsfreak on Jan 25, 2008 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

Seth Davis, Son Of...

Lanny Davis, ex-Clintonton adviser FWIW.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 24, 2008 8:26 PM EST reply actions

Open-shot discussions... possibilities remain

After reading the news linked article that said "UK can't get an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament anymore" I got to thinking. Can we really not get an at large bid? I know that 3 weeks ago I didn't think so. Do I think things are different now?

As many people have commented, the next four games South Carolina, at Georgia, at Auburn, and Alabama are all "winnable" games. This would put us at a shocking 6-2 at the halfway point of the SEC season. From there, if we take care of Rupp against teams we can beat and do what we should on the road at LSU and South Carolina I think we could reasonably to close the second half of the schedule with 3 losses at Vandy, at Tennessee, and home against Ole Miss. This would give us a stellar 11-5 record in the SEC. (Honestly... on January 1, 2008 did anyone think we could realistically dream of going 11-5 in league play???) We currently stand at 8-9, that would put us at 17-12 going into the SEC tourney. Two wins in the tourney would make us 19-12.

When Selection Sunday comes around, our resume would firmly put us on the bubble with that. A high Strength of Schedule, wins over ranked teams, ending the season on a hot streak... worse situations have been awarded tourney bids. The negatives would pretty much all be in the first two months of the season which the talking heads all seem to dismiss come tourney time.

That said... I still think we should plan on our only ticket to the post season being an auto-bid, but I do think there is a faint glimmer of hope out there.

by chirop1 on Jan 25, 2008 10:47 AM EST reply actions

I think an at large bid ...

is a bit of a long shot, but certainly not out of the question.

It would probably require us to beat two out of the three ranked teams, lose only one more game and have no really bad losses, and a run to at least the semifinals of the SEC tournament, and I'd say we have a gambler's chance of getting in.

The best route is to just win all our remaining regular season games and at least one tourney game, and I think we would be a mortal lock. The second best is to win all we can, and just win the tourney.

17 or 18 wins probably gets us an NIT bid.

by Glenn Logan on Jan 25, 2008 3:20 PM EST up reply actions

I Think

9 of last 12 SEC (if W) and 2 or 3 more (W) in SECT = NCAA bid.

Got bids in 1985 (16-12) and 1987 (18-10) with similar or worse W-L records.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 25, 2008 9:36 PM EST up reply actions

Georgia

The Bulldogs received an at large with a 15-12 record a few years ago. Their RPI was very high, though.

by Ken Howlett on Jan 25, 2008 9:49 PM EST up reply actions

IF

IF and I mean IF IF IF we were to go 19-12 I say we get in because me make more money for whatever arena we are placed at than just about any team in D-1 becuase of the fan support and the way our team travels.

If we are on the bubble I dont think there is any way UK is left out of the tournament. We have to make it to the bubble first though.

David and Goodman are total douche bags.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Jan 25, 2008 1:56 PM EST reply actions