The Incredible, the Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Va. Tech Edition

[UK8STL11]

Kenpom has VT # 29, RPI has tham at 92, NCAA RPI at 97, #74 in KPI ratings, and AP poll at #31 (before UK loss).

It was a solid win, but people are acting stupid about how good VT is. They have done nothing to show that they should be ranked at this point.

They are the definition of a mediocre, 8/9 seed type team.

[Joneslab]

Wins against power conference NCAA Teams are always a good thing. If we would've lost I'm sure it would have meant a ton and people would be reading all kinds of tea leaves.

More than the win, I'm pleased with the way Kentucky is scoring recently. I thought this team would be way more offensively challenged than they are.

[Joneslab]

I thought he had a pretty good game, Saturday. But I'm not crazzed either. I would take that from Gabriel every game this season and not think twice about it.

Gabriel is a decent role player. Does a lot of things okay but nothing at a high level.

You want him to be more like a Kevin Knox type, because they're built the same way. But where Knox is effortless and smooth, Gabriel is lurchy and off-balance. Where Knox has all kinds of game from different levels, Gabriel is just okay from all three levels.

He's just a role guy. For this team to be a true Final Four type team he's one player who is going to have to morph into a borderline star the way Willis did, but I'm not sure you'll see it from Gabriel. He's just one of those guys who just has to battle for most of what he gets.

[UK8STL11]

Wins against power conference NCAA Teams are always a good thing. If we would've lost I'm sure it would have meant a ton and people would be reading all kinds of tea leaves.

More than the win, I'm pleased with the way Kentucky is scoring recently. I thought this team would be way more offensively challenged than they are.

I 1000% agree. It was a good win against a likely NCAA team. Nothing wrong with that at all! The second half was excellent and our offense was very impressive.

My issue is with the people who have convinced themselves that VT is something they are not.

[Joneslab]

My issue is with the people who have convinced themselves that VT is something they are not.

Just fans being fans and looking for the positive. Nothing wrong with that.

This team needs some of that. They haven't really been embraced by fans for many reasons. A co-worker of mine noted that Quade's glasses (as simple as that sort of thing is) are a good thing for this team. They need a gimmick because fans just haven't warmed up to them.

Part of that is their play. UK fans know what they're looking at out there. We've seen some great basketball. At times we're way (way, way, etc.) too picky, but we know a team that can contend when we see it. This is not one of those without a lot of luck.

But I'll be honest: this team has been better than I thought, and it probably has a higher ceiling than I thought it would. Green is better, Hami is better, Richards is better, Shai is WAY better. The w/l record is probably about what I thought it would be but I think they're playing better basketball on the whole. I mean I really liked the Ulis/Murray team of two years ago. I thought they were a Final Four contender if things fell right. Well, that team lost to Ohio State that year in a game where they looked far more abysmal than I've seen this team.

So these guys have done some good things so far. They aren't great but I think they're deserving of some hope and excitement from the fanbase. To turn the roster completely over and to be sitting here at 9-1 is pretty amazing.

[UK8STL11]

Just fans being fans and looking for the positive. Nothing wrong with that.

This team needs some of that. They haven't really been embraced by fans for many reasons. A co-worker of mine noted that Quade's glasses (as simple as that sort of thing is) are a good thing for this team. They need a gimmick because fans just haven't warmed up to them.

Part of that is their play. UK fans know what they're looking at out there. We've seen some great basketball. At times we're way (way, way, etc.) too picky, but we know a team that can contend when we see it. This is not one of those without a lot of luck.

But I'll be honest: this team has been better than I thought, and it probably has a higher ceiling than I thought it would. Green is better, Hami is better, Richards is better, Shai is WAY better. The w/l record is probably about what I thought it would be but I think they're playing better basketball on the whole. I mean I really liked the Ulis/Murray team of two years ago. I thought they were a Final Four contender if things fell right. Well, that team lost to Ohio State that year in a game where they looked far more abysmal than I've seen this team.

So these guys have done some good things so far. They aren't great but I think they're deserving of some hope and excitement from the fanbase. To turn the roster completely over and to be sitting here at 9-1 is pretty amazing.

Yes, it is an amazing job by Cal. Depending on how things shake out could be his best coaching job to date at UK. I agree that the fans seem to be very blah to this team. Not sure if it's necessarily the players on this team or if it's one and done fatigue or the terrible ending to last year or what.

I am not sure if they are better than I thought yet or not. I thought they would be 9-1 at this point with the loss being to KU. So things have happened like I thought they would, so far.

There are some things I really like and am positively surprised by - Green, Hami, Shai. Others that are worse than I thought - Washington, SKJ doing absolutely nothing, Gabriel, etc... Plus, throw in the really awful schedule they have played and I am still not quite sure what to think yet.

But, I like this team - better than the Murray team, better than the Noel team. I think their ceiling is Sweet 16, maybe Elite 8 but it's still a team I like.

I think 3 weeks from now we will have a great idea of what this team will/can be. That will be after the UCLA, UL, @UT and A&M games. If they are 13-3 or 14-1 - watch out....if they stumble and end up 12-4 or 11-5 then it may be long SEC schedule.

[J.Jennings]

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the game due to work but was very impressed that the team stepped up and took control at a critical time. If Diallo starts hitting thress and Gabriel can continue to contribute, i like the direction we are headed. Did Washington finally break out? Can we count on Green to give us 10 a game and hit a few threes?

This team is growing up!!!

[teamchemistry15]

I 1000% agree. It was a good win against a likely NCAA team. Nothing wrong with that at all! The second half was excellent and our offense was very impressive.

My issue is with the people who have convinced themselves that VT is something they are not.

So, you don't like it when people over exaggerate?

[lilproUK98]

Gabriel is a decent role player. Does a lot of things okay but nothing at a high level.

You want him to be more like a Kevin Knox type, because they're built the same way. But where Knox is effortless and smooth, Gabriel is lurchy and off-balance. Where Knox has all kinds of game from different levels, Gabriel is just okay from all three levels.

He's just a role guy. For this team to be a true Final Four type team he's one player who is going to have to morph into a borderline star the way Willis did, but I'm not sure you'll see it from Gabriel. He's just one of those guys who just has to battle for most of what he gets.

That's where Vanderbilt, if healthy, takes this team to a serious FF contender IMO.

[George]

That's where Vanderbilt, if healthy, takes this team to a serious FF contender IMO.

Hard to say when we've never seen the kid play.

[Joneslab]

At the very least he gives you another big body and that's a huge deal when you get into the grind of conference season.

At best he's as good as I saw him in the Nike Hoop Summit. That player was more elite than a lot of guys who have killed it in college so far. But it was just one game.

I just hope he's healthy. I would expect them to run him out there in practice starting this week to see if he can sustain movement on the foot. We'll likely know by the UofL game if he's going to go or not. If he has a setback they'll almost certainly shut him down for the season.

[catfaninin]

Gabriel is a decent role player. Does a lot of things okay but nothing at a high level.

You want him to be more like a Kevin Knox type, because they're built the same way. But where Knox is effortless and smooth, Gabriel is lurchy and off-balance. Where Knox has all kinds of game from different levels, Gabriel is just okay from all three levels.

He's just a role guy. For this team to be a true Final Four type team he's one player who is going to have to morph into a borderline star the way Willis did, but I'm not sure you'll see it from Gabriel. He's just one of those guys who just has to battle for most of what he gets.

I don't think Gabriel needs to be a star at all. What I would like to see is consistency. If he could be counted on for 6-8 points and 4-6 rebounds a night would be just fine.

Willis was a good player, but calling him a star seems to be quite a stretch.

[Joneslab]

If he could be counted on for 6-8 points and 4-6 rebounds a night would be just fine.

He's at 6 and 6 right now. Not enough, but it may be all we're going to get.

I thought he'd be a double-digit guy this season.

Willis was a good player, but calling him a star seems to be quite a stretch.

Borderline star is the phrase I used.

Really good player. In the NBA discussion, and that was incredible from where he started. And he just got better and better as his career went along.

I think Gabriel could be that sort of guy...in two years. I thought he'd be farther along this season.

[catfaninin]

He's at 6 and 6 right now. Not enough, but it may be all we're going to get.

I thought he'd be a double-digit guy this season.



Borderline star is the phrase I used.

Really good player. In the NBA discussion, and that was incredible from where he started. And he just got better and better as his career went along.

I think Gabriel could be that sort of guy...in two years. I thought he'd be farther along this season.

If he got those numbers consistently I think it's fine. But it needs to be 6 per game, not 12 one game and 0 the next.

[Joneslab]

I agree. He also needs a big game to maybe help his confidence.

If somebody would've told me back in October that through 10 games Wenyen Gabriel's high-scoring night would have been 12, I would have probably said we'd have three or four losses.

He should be getting 14 or 15 on a fairly regular basis with his skillset.