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I didn't see anything wrong with that game yesterday except the poor shooting, most of which came from Booker: it went the way many of our regular season games went. Feel them out, hang in there, then go on a spurt to push the lead to 20 late. That's not horrible--that's how we play.
That sort of plodding, rock fight style was the only way Cincinnati could play with us. The good news is that if you look at our remaining path, there aren't many teams left who play like that. This Kentucky team has shown that it operates much better when it plays teams who want to run a little with us.Comment
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It's a valid concern when a loss means you're done. Were this happening at any point in the regular season, I'd wave it off, myself, and feel confident that "we'll figure it out by tournament time." Well, tournament time is here, and this isn't the time to develop a problem. Like it said in my OP, I hadn't (and still haven't) checked stats, so I'm hoping, like Will said, that it's more Booker than anything.
We played a LATE game against our 16-seed after going stagnant in the locker room waiting on an OT game to end, then we played a Cincy team that, by all (correct) predictions would make it difficult to score, so it's quite possible that both games have gone exactly as we should have expected. We might shoot the lights out against Maryland.
Here's hoping.Comment
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The Cincinnati game played out exactly like I thought it would.
Kentucky for as big and strong as it is doesn't really care for physical play. This is why the Georgias and Texas A&Ms could play with us: we much prefer the game to be played with us doing the pushing around. When we get pushed around we don't like it.
A lot of people think West Virginia would try to do the same thing to us, as that's Huggins' MO. But if you look at the Pomeroy ratings West Virginia isn't a great defensive team. (Cincinnati is.) They just press all over the court and try to create havoc.
I think we'd pound them and will be pulling over them to beat Maryland today. Don't think you can press Kentucky.Comment
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If my math is correct, taking Booker's shots out of our FG% only raises the overall shooting percent to 38%. But, when you take his 3pt shooting out, it raises that percent to 40%. I'll take that every game. When any player in any sport gets in a funk like Booker, it simply means they're pressing. The talent is still there, and all it takes is 1 hit followed by another, or one basket followed by another, and the slump's over. Here's hoping this happens next weekend.John 3:3
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This could be the case but Kentucky played better teams than Cincinnati in the SEC schedule, and it played similar teams.
I just don't think we like playing that style and would much prefer the game to get up and down. We kind of do what we have to do when the game gets ugly. I liked the fight we showed yesterday when Cincy tried some dirty stuff, but I think at times we want to plod with teams when they play that style. Towns gets in wrestling matches, Andrew tends to play in one place, the jumpshots are tough to hit--when the game gets free and loose Kentucky has shown that it can bury teams.
This is why Notre Dame is a team that I think Kentucky could handle with ease if we play them in the regional final.Comment
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Booker's slump is a concern. Kentucky fans' aren't stupid, when the whistle was blown and the play was stopped, Booker went ahead and threw up a shot from the 3 point line and the crowd started roaring when it went in. I expect Booker to breakout soon and let's be honest, who would have ever considered Andrew Harrison to be a threat from beyond the arc? Aaron seems to shoot it best when he's a couple of feet beyond the line and Ulis has been pretty consistent overall from beyond the arc.
Overall, i think we are fine........Comment
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Booker looks to be in that freshman/ sophomore slump. I think we've all seen it. That 'quicksand' thing when you're doing your best but it just isn't happening. What I have seen a lot of gunners do is start taking it to the rack and looking for layups to get their confidence back. Glad to see he did that a couple of times.
Ullis is a fine shooter, but that isn't his primary job. He's a point, pure and simple. Harrison looks smooth. What we could see here out is a lot of matchup zones or 'amoeba' defenses until Booker gets his confidence back. A change in venue could be all the difference in the world.
Great thing about this team is that there are a LOT of weapons, and a LOT of defense. Booker doesn't have to carry this by himself. I'm sure the coaches are reminding him of this....enjoy yourself, don't drive yourself crazy, play your game.
I think what bothered me most is that after he missed a couple I watched the kid just standing on the outside....not moving his feet, not cutting to the basket, not trying to set screens....just completely lost looking.
Young man is too good a player. I think he snaps out the next couple of games.Comment
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Probably right, Gerntz...but the conference is what it is. I agree this team DEFINITELY doesn't care to be pushed around. I thought the Cincy kid was going to get in everyone's head a'la Dennis Rodman. Cauley-Stein responded the right way.....kid roughed into him...WCS hit a jumper, then blocked the next shot that led to another basket. That's the way you cut that stuff out.....kind of like 'if you don't wanna play decent, then this is the way I answer.
For me, WCS is the key to this whole run. Get him fired up and playing intense like he can....well, get ready to hand the next one in the rafters.
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We hit em when we have to. I'm not concerned about the shooting. We can play so many different styles that we don't have to be hot from the outside to win. I really think some fans are underestimating how good we are. I mean we could play a Princeton style offense and beat anyone.Isaiah 5:20Comment
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