Game Thread Cats vs Cats

[UK8STL11]

Item #1: New assistants.

Justus and Barbee, you gotta go. Sorry.

Bring back Coach O, and impress us with whatever NBA name KC talked about a few weeks ago.

Justus isn't going anywhere.

Barbee certainly may (and probably should).

[KCKUKFan]

Justus is our number one on Wiseman and Quickley.

Probably need to hold onto him.

[George]

Justus is our number one on Wiseman and Quickley.

Probably need to hold onto him.

Then he'd better close.

[KCKUKFan]

Then he'd better close.

Something tells me that with Penny taking the Memphis job, Cal will be taking number one on Wiseman.

[George]

Something tells me that with Penny taking the Memphis job, Cal will be taking number one on Wiseman.

I'd hope so. Statement recruiting battle at this point.

[CatfaninTN]

Been contemplating responding after last night's disappointing loss. I read comments through most of the season, but have not posted a lot for the past few years.

As someone mentioned way above, living outside Kentucky (about 40 years now) makes it somewhat more difficult to fall in love with individual teams - especially when they change completely year to year. This year's team, though, was almost "un-watch-able" for me. In my future recollections of the 2017-2018 season, this team will be considered "The Un-watchables". I just could not get into spending time watching full games - though I have always absolutely LOVED UK basketball - having grown up listening around the radio to Rupp's later teams and having been at UK during the 1978 Championship season.

The issues with this team have been overly-discussed throughout the year - a total lack of experience, poor shooting skills, poor fundamentals, not tough inside, etc. I'll have to admit, though, that I did thoroughly enjoy watching the Loyola team last night. First time I'd seen them play. Was sure refreshing seeing the crisp passing and overall good fundamentals, even though these are not 5, 4, or maybe even 3 Star players (could be wrong about that). Their game against K. State will be interesting.

[KCKUKFan]

I'd hope so. Statement recruiting battle at this point.

When the book has been closed on Cal's time at Kentucky, I truly believe that there are three recruits that changed the tides of time on his tenure here:

1) The twins returning. He was going to Cleveland, but felt like he owed it to those kids.

2) Wiseman. Marquee, program-changing recruit in a time when fans are starting to question whether he's lost a step or two. Could determine his future at Kentucky going forward.

[KCKUKFan]

The issues with this team have been overly-discussed throughout the year - a total lack of experience, poor shooting skills, poor fundamentals, not tough inside, etc. I'll have to admit, though, that I did thoroughly enjoy watching the Loyola team last night. First time I'd seen them play. Was sure refreshing seeing the crisp passing and overall good fundamentals, even though these are not 5, 4, or maybe even 3 Star players (could be wrong about that). Their game against K. State will be interesting.

It didn't hurt that Nevada didn't play a lick of defense. Loyola was literally running a layup line for the majority of the second half.

Kentucky has been playing high level basketball of the past month, last night and at Florida being the exception. Were you not paying attention?

[George]

Wiseman. Marquee, program-changing recruit in a time when fans are starting to question whether he's lost a step or two. Could determine his future at Kentucky going forward.

Indeed.

Not sure if the fact that Wiseman isn't going to reclassify is better for Cal or Penny. You obviously wish Wiseman would go ahead and get in here. But if he's considering Memphis, maybe you want him to take more time so that he doesn't make a decision while they're fresh on his mind. That gives Cal more time to lock him down, and to maybe allow Penny to expose himself as being in over his head (which you have to hope is true).

[Lighthouse]

I know it's late, we are upset, frustrated, you name it. But, why? We are all adults, sitting on our couch, phones or laptops at our fingers, complaining about some 18 year olds playing basketball. I'm competitive, I love to win, I love the Cats, and yes, it sucks we lost knowing we had an easy path to the final four. Wait, easy? Winning six games in a row isn't easy. Not at this level. We are in the middle of a great era of Kentucky basketball. We aren't the focus of big scandals, we haven't had to vacate a title, our coach isn't recorded talking about paying players. We could be in a far worse position than making the Sweet 16 with a team that was NIT bound two months ago. Yet, we have adults losing sleep, cursing, throwing the TV remote, and kicking their dogs because we watched a bunch of teenagers lose a basketball game. Cal isn't perfect. No one is. If the biggest knock on him is he should have more championships I think we are doing ok. I'm happy to be a Cat fan and am looking forward to figuring out our team for next season.

Top of the line post. Well said.

[thughes]

That was Shai who took the last shot.

I was talking about the shot before the one Shai took.

[40bill]

To be honest, watching this team this year was often like a trip to the dentist.....grating, painful, nerve wracking.
The end of the season was much better. At the last though they showed the old saw about freshmen is freshmen is true, and lack of experience in a tournament where the loss is a season ender kind of caught two or three of the players.
Cal likely did his best coaching job with a truly mismatched group of kids.
TO ME......taking a team with only a couple of sophs and everyone else one year from high school and finishing in the top sixteen teams in the country is pretty amazing.

Some of them ARE gonna be pros next year in some country. Bless em if that's what they want or need.

[Lighthouse]

I was talking about the shot before the one Shai took.

I'm sorry, I had the shots mixed up. You're right that was Green and a terrible shot.

[justford]

As I watched many many ncaa games this year, I couldn't help but think if that player was at Kentucky last year, he would be in the NBA this year. Cal has to do a better job of keeping his guys more than one year.

[Westtncat]

These kids love Kentucky as much as we do. They are all staying and trying to improve and win a championship for us fans, also to get an education.