Sunday Quickies: The Cats just aren’t that good Edition

Two meaningful opponents on two different neutral courts. 0-2. The Kentucky Wildcats lost 84-83 to the Seton Hall Pirates yesterday in Madison Square Garden.

John Calipari’s team isn’t a top ten team. I don’t think they’re a top fifteen team. Maybe you can convince me they’re top twenty five.

The reality of the situation is that this team just isn’t good right now. That doesn’t mean they can’t be good. All it means is that right now I’m not sure if they can win one of the next three games against the Utah Utes, the North Carolina Tar Heels, or the Louisville Cardinals.

Much of this is on John Calipari. I don’t know if he misjudged this team back in July/August or if he was just being overly optimistic after a disappointing end to the previous season but he was dead wrong about these guys.

Here are the major factors as to why the team is bad and I think you’ll see a theme:

• The point guard position is still influx in December
• They can’t guard the three point line and, in turn, cannot shoot a decent percentage from the three point line
• There isn’t a go-to scoring guard and don’t tell me Tyler Herro because he has been atrocious against Seton Hall and Duke
• Their best players are in the post and therefore they’re easy to defend
• No communication

By looking at these factors the one thing that is a common theme is guard play. It just isn’t good right now. Neither Immanuel Quickley nor Ashton Hagans wants to take the lead at point. Tyler Herro wilts against teams with athleticism. And Quade Green is an absolute mess right now.

John Calipari has to figure this out. There is no excitement in the fan base and the Big Blue Nation is as mad at Calipari as I can remember. And it all goes back to the Bahamas and how he talked this team up heading into the Duke game.

Tweets of the Day

Not sure I agree 100% with this but this is an example of where many of the fans are right now.

Calipari is all of us.

PJ Washington has the game of his career against Seton Hall. Too bad Keldon Johnson and Reid Travis were the only other players helping him out there.

Quickies

John Calipari has to figure things out on offense | Cats Pause- This isn’t so much on Calipari as it is on the players. Hit some damn shots. Period.

No Miracle on 34th Street | WDRB- It looked as if Keldon Johnson’s half-court shot to tie the game at the end of regulation was going to spark life in the Kentucky Wildcats. But it wasn’t to be as Myles Powell continued to wreak havoc and the Cats had no answer for him.

Kevin Willard has high praise for PJ | Lexington Herald Leader- Willard called Washington the Real Deal after the game. He was spectacular and hopefully it lights a fire under him for the rest of the season.

Kevin Willard compares Kentucky and Louisville | Courier-Journal- Seton Hall lost to Louisville by five in their gym but avenged that loss by taking down the Cats. Willard said the Cats are tougher than the Cards but Louisville has guys that can hit shots. I think that’s spot on.

Coaching staff hits recruiting trail after loss | Cats Pause- The staff went to watch Keion Brooks and Isaiah Stewart. The Cats desperately need a big man and Stewart is one of the best left on the board.

Bet against UK at your own risk | CBS- Just because the Cats aren’t very good right now doesn’t mean they won’t be good eventually. Gary Parrish saw some things in the loss yesterday that makes him think they have something to look forward to.

Kyler Murray wins Heisman | ESPN- In a bit of a stunner the Oklahoma QB beat out Tua Tugavaiola for the Heisman trophy. Now Nick Saban is going to go scorched earth.

Cats travel to Louisville to face the Cards | UK Athletics- If Matthew Mitchell can defeat the Cards it would definitely take some of the sting out of what transpired yesterday.