The Good
* Bring the Fight. Friends, it was an ugly night. I set the alarm for 5:43 a.m. for my daily commute with great and tragic regret. Like all the great heroes of yore, I stayed up until the bitter end, filled with hope like I'm sure you were that UK might be able to find the old magic. Alas, it did not happen for the basketball gods are cruel and we have a mediocre team, but I will say that UK showed some grit and fight late in that game. You just wish they would have shown that same energy in the first few minutes.
* Where Have You Been, Mr. Maxey? We've been waiting for the Michigan St. Maxey to show himself, and last night we saw a little of that. Yes, he couldn't hit the proverbial broad side of a barn from outside, but that same juice and explosiveness we saw in the Garden back in November revealed itself last night. For Kentucky to be better than a middling SEC team we have to get that Maxey every time out.
The Bad
* Show Your Face. One thing that jumps out to me about UK that I've noticed ever since the Michigan St. game: we have no identity. Are we a power team? A driving team? A team that wants to drive and kick? A defensive-minded team? It's impossible to say because we seem to have no idea who we are. We do things sometimes and then drop them as the game goes on. We find something that works, do it for two possessions, then don't see it again. This really becomes problematic when you're in a game like we were in last night, where you need somebody to hit a clutch bucket. It was obvious the Cats were struggling to figure out who needed the ball in those late-game situations. That's the byproduct of a young team, but it also says something about our overall team talent.
* (Don't) Feed the Bigs. One of the fears we all had about UK showed itself last night: the lack of capable big men. Montgomery showed some flashes, and may've needed the ball more (see the point above about no identity), but Richards struggled again, really laboring to do much of anything and then getting beat on a really bad defensive play by Timmy Allen late in the game. (Montgomery also blew a late defensive rotation that ended up in a dagger three from the corner.) Not a good night for Kentucky's tall guys.
* Come to Play. It was pretty obvious Kentucky wasn't playing with the necessary intensity three minutes into the game. Whether it was because of the late start or because we were too ****************y, we just didn't bring it the way you have to at this level. Some Kentucky teams under Cal have had the talent to overcome stuff like that. This team is simply not as good.
The Ugly
* Tell Me, When Did You Mute Bill Walton? For me it was at about the 8:00 mark.
* The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. 2-17 from three. It can't get any worse. Repeat that to yourself in a dark closet, preferably with your knees pulled to your chest. IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE. Maybe it will help you as it did me. And the cold, bitter kick in the stomach came when Immanuel Quickley, God help him, lined up a crucial three in the corner late in the game...only to have his toes on the line. You couldn't help but laugh.
* Return of the Blarge. The block/charge debacle late in the game was mysterious, but because I had the TV muted I was only getting to watch the horror silently unfold. I assume they went to the monitor to check to see if the kid was in the restricted area, and when they did they overturned the call. It was one of those things you just have to shake your head at (I didn't think it was a well-called game overall, maybe the poorest of the year), but I'll also say this: if you can watch that game and try to make the argument that Kentucky deserved to win then I would politely ask you to take another look.
* Magic 8-Ball, Tell Me: Are We Good? Take our your favorite magic 8-ball and give it a hard shake. As you do ask it this question, but whisper it softly so nobody will hear: Is Kentucky good this year? The black liquid (what is that stuff in there, anyway, motor oil?) sloshes and churns and the little plastic pyramid rests close to the glass, and you squint to read your answer: The answer I give you is NO. And that's the correct answer, as much as it pains me to say. Kentucky is, indeed, not good this year.
* Depth of Talent. One reason we're not good: not enough good players. No need to go on about that because I think it's obvious to everyone. Doesn't mean we'll be in the NIT. Doesn't mean we won't win some big games. But it's obvious we just don't have enough overall talent to be a major player even in this diluted field.
* Horror Awaits. So now we have arguably our two toughest games on the schedule looming, one against our archrival. It's entirely possible that Kentucky could limp into SEC play losers of three in a row. If that happens and with our schedule, the dreaded "NIT" will inevitably be uttered. Kentucky has to find a way to reinvent itself--and fast.
* Bring the Fight. Friends, it was an ugly night. I set the alarm for 5:43 a.m. for my daily commute with great and tragic regret. Like all the great heroes of yore, I stayed up until the bitter end, filled with hope like I'm sure you were that UK might be able to find the old magic. Alas, it did not happen for the basketball gods are cruel and we have a mediocre team, but I will say that UK showed some grit and fight late in that game. You just wish they would have shown that same energy in the first few minutes.
* Where Have You Been, Mr. Maxey? We've been waiting for the Michigan St. Maxey to show himself, and last night we saw a little of that. Yes, he couldn't hit the proverbial broad side of a barn from outside, but that same juice and explosiveness we saw in the Garden back in November revealed itself last night. For Kentucky to be better than a middling SEC team we have to get that Maxey every time out.
The Bad
* Show Your Face. One thing that jumps out to me about UK that I've noticed ever since the Michigan St. game: we have no identity. Are we a power team? A driving team? A team that wants to drive and kick? A defensive-minded team? It's impossible to say because we seem to have no idea who we are. We do things sometimes and then drop them as the game goes on. We find something that works, do it for two possessions, then don't see it again. This really becomes problematic when you're in a game like we were in last night, where you need somebody to hit a clutch bucket. It was obvious the Cats were struggling to figure out who needed the ball in those late-game situations. That's the byproduct of a young team, but it also says something about our overall team talent.
* (Don't) Feed the Bigs. One of the fears we all had about UK showed itself last night: the lack of capable big men. Montgomery showed some flashes, and may've needed the ball more (see the point above about no identity), but Richards struggled again, really laboring to do much of anything and then getting beat on a really bad defensive play by Timmy Allen late in the game. (Montgomery also blew a late defensive rotation that ended up in a dagger three from the corner.) Not a good night for Kentucky's tall guys.
* Come to Play. It was pretty obvious Kentucky wasn't playing with the necessary intensity three minutes into the game. Whether it was because of the late start or because we were too ****************y, we just didn't bring it the way you have to at this level. Some Kentucky teams under Cal have had the talent to overcome stuff like that. This team is simply not as good.
The Ugly
* Tell Me, When Did You Mute Bill Walton? For me it was at about the 8:00 mark.
* The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. 2-17 from three. It can't get any worse. Repeat that to yourself in a dark closet, preferably with your knees pulled to your chest. IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE. Maybe it will help you as it did me. And the cold, bitter kick in the stomach came when Immanuel Quickley, God help him, lined up a crucial three in the corner late in the game...only to have his toes on the line. You couldn't help but laugh.
* Return of the Blarge. The block/charge debacle late in the game was mysterious, but because I had the TV muted I was only getting to watch the horror silently unfold. I assume they went to the monitor to check to see if the kid was in the restricted area, and when they did they overturned the call. It was one of those things you just have to shake your head at (I didn't think it was a well-called game overall, maybe the poorest of the year), but I'll also say this: if you can watch that game and try to make the argument that Kentucky deserved to win then I would politely ask you to take another look.
* Magic 8-Ball, Tell Me: Are We Good? Take our your favorite magic 8-ball and give it a hard shake. As you do ask it this question, but whisper it softly so nobody will hear: Is Kentucky good this year? The black liquid (what is that stuff in there, anyway, motor oil?) sloshes and churns and the little plastic pyramid rests close to the glass, and you squint to read your answer: The answer I give you is NO. And that's the correct answer, as much as it pains me to say. Kentucky is, indeed, not good this year.
* Depth of Talent. One reason we're not good: not enough good players. No need to go on about that because I think it's obvious to everyone. Doesn't mean we'll be in the NIT. Doesn't mean we won't win some big games. But it's obvious we just don't have enough overall talent to be a major player even in this diluted field.
* Horror Awaits. So now we have arguably our two toughest games on the schedule looming, one against our archrival. It's entirely possible that Kentucky could limp into SEC play losers of three in a row. If that happens and with our schedule, the dreaded "NIT" will inevitably be uttered. Kentucky has to find a way to reinvent itself--and fast.
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