2019/2020 Non- Conference Potential Competition?

[85 Fly]

WCN fam- I created a thread where you can share your thoughts (throughout the season) about non-conference teams you watched/scouted that could match-up with our Cats.

My observations so far:

1. Ohio State- play physical, good defense, outside shooting (Walker- over 40% from 3pt), the 3 Ws- Wesson, Walker, Washington good passers/have good chemistry. *Note-if our frontcourt plays soft against them it’s a wrap!
2. Louisville- Didn’t know they had 5 5^th year seniors on the team and some transfers (Nevada 2.0). Michigan game is when I gave them a serious look… Nwora can play, team plays good defense, ball doesn’t stick.
3. North Carolina- Have no scorers, its C. Anthony or bust!
4. Virginia-good defense but limited offensively
5. Duke- Jury is out, too early to evaluate them...
6. Kansas- Jury is out/too early... do need to clean up turnovers
7. Pac 12 country- Arizona and Washington are the only two teams to look out for; I’m on the fence about Oregon. *Note Utah has size and when they are hitting 3s forget it, but that is hit-or-miss
8. Michigan State- Something’s missing besides really needing Langford...
9. Right now the Big 10 looks more competitive than the ACC.

[85 Fly]

I'm not worried about the GA Tech game, but after watching Ohio State vs Nova, UNC and Penn State (a decent team) I'm concerned. The Buckeyes are the real deal and our first real test-they can punch you in the mouth.

Dayton is quietly making noise- Obi Toppin is legit.

[Lighthouse]

This is off topic, but did you all see where WKU's Big man Bassey is our for the year? Knee injury.

[lilproUK98]

Undefeated UofL and Maryland both go down. To unranked teams.

No team is great. Whoever is hot/lucky/most improved in March/April will win it, as usual.

[JFCats22]

#1 UL and #4 Maryland both lose tonight.

I want nothing to do with that OSU game next week. Has a chance to be really ugly for UK.

[Catsrock]

This is off topic, but did you all see where WKU's Big man Bassey is our for the year? Knee injury.

Well shoot. Knew he was hurt but hadn't heard he was done for the year.

[Blue Heaven]

WCN fam- I created a thread where you can share your thoughts (throughout the season) about non-conference teams you watched/scouted that could match-up with our Cats.

My observations so far:

1. Ohio State- play physical, good defense, outside shooting (Walker- over 40% from 3pt), the 3 Ws- Wesson, Walker, Washington good passers/have good chemistry. *Note-if our frontcourt plays soft against them it’s a wrap!
2. Louisville- Didn’t know they had 5 5^th year seniors on the team and some transfers (Nevada 2.0). Michigan game is when I gave them a serious look… Nwora can play, team plays good defense, ball doesn’t stick.
3. North Carolina- Have no scorers, its C. Anthony or bust!
4. Virginia-good defense but limited offensively
5. Duke- Jury is out, too early to evaluate them...
6. Kansas- Jury is out/too early... do need to clean up turnovers
7. Pac 12 country- Arizona and Washington are the only two teams to look out for; I’m on the fence about Oregon. *Note Utah has size and when they are hitting 3s forget it, but that is hit-or-miss
8. Michigan State- Something’s missing besides really needing Langford...
9. Right now the Big 10 looks more competitive than the ACC.

Good post Fly. I have watched OSU twice now and they are really good. Caleb Wesson seems like he has been there for 6 years.

[TrueblueCATfan]

This is off topic, but did you all see where WKU's Big man Bassey is our for the year? Knee injury.

I saw that...prayers to him for a speedy recovery

[Joneslab]

I want nothing to do with that OSU game next week. Has a chance to be really ugly for UK.

On the flip side, it's a real chance for Kentucky to sort of re-brand its season.

When you looked at the schedule back in the summer it looked like Ohio State was one of those good-but-not-great games.

Now it's looking like the marquee game on the schedule. That's a good thing for a team that lost to Evansville because you need every chance you can get to erase what happened then.

Of course, you might get pummeled and it further cement the idea in people's heads that the UK team that lost to Evansville was the real UK. But if we somehow made it through December without losing again (hard for me to imagine this will happen) then Kentucky will be in a very good place going into SEC play.

And the SEC looks to be a good notch down from where it's been the last couple of years. So a gaudy record is possible in the league.

[lilproUK98]

On the flip side, it's a real chance for Kentucky to sort of re-brand its season.

When you looked at the schedule back in the summer it looked like Ohio State was one of those good-but-not-great games.

Now it's looking like the marquee game on the schedule. That's a good thing for a team that lost to Evansville because you need every chance you can get to erase what happened then.

Of course, you might get pummeled and it further cement the idea in people's heads that the UK team that lost to Evansville was the real UK. But if we somehow made it through December without losing again (hard for me to imagine this will happen) then Kentucky will be in a very good place going into SEC play.

And the SEC looks to be a good notch down from where it's been the last couple of years. So a gaudy record is possible in the league.

Just like when we came into the UNC game last year in the same event with many thinking we'd get smoked.

[Dwight Schrute]

#1 UL and #4 Maryland both lose tonight.

I want nothing to do with that OSU game next week. Has a chance to be really ugly for UK.

Hopefully the players have more competitive spirit than you do .

[85 Fly]

Undefeated UofL and Maryland both go down. To unranked teams.

No team is great. Whoever is hot/lucky/most improved in March/April will win it, as usual.

I didn't watch either game last night but saw the high-lights on YouTube. Louisville Nwora got shut down.
Maryland was a "pretender team" to me so far this season because they had not played real competition, but that same Penn State team that I said was decent, that lost to Ohio State, gave it to Maryland. I anticipate Maryland losing their next game to Seton Hall.

Lots of parody this season, good luck to the bracketologist seating! Lol Maybe teams will settle in by end of January.

[JFCats22]

Hopefully the players have more competitive spirit than you do .

Yeah, they better!!

I don't think the OSU game will be a blowout (at least I hope not). I just have not been impressed with anything that UK has done other than the MSU game. Free throw shooting has been amazing, everything else has been meh to me.

Something just seems off with this team and I can't figure out what it is.

[Joneslab]

Something just seems off with this team and I can't figure out what it is.

Of course the same could've been said (and was said) at this time last year.

Somebody mentioned the Carolina game last season. I had no idea we'd look so good in that game. That game sort of started to give us hope.

Of course, last year's team didn't lose to Evansville. And last year's team had better across-the-board talent.

But this team is light years ahead defensively. Offensively I'm not sure they have that kind of ceiling.

Having a point guard who can control games like Hagans can is big. Problem is he doesn't control them all, and the way defenses can slough on him is a problem. But he's looked really good against these weaker teams; would be nice seeing what he can do against an Ohio St.

[85 Fly]

#5 Michigan goes down to ILL. That was a good game.
The Big 10 is already beating up on each other; I've seen some really good games and it's early.
Ohio State will be ranked #1. Hopefully we make them the 5th #1 to go down!