Louisville vs. Kentucky: Game Thread

[Jody Porter]

What a difference making shots makes. What we've got to hope for the rest of the season is that Toppin can make his first couple of shots. Changes the way he played all over. Unless something else has clicked and he's just gonna play hard now. I like it, whatever it is.

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[Jody Porter]

....also, free throws are a problem. Can get away with it when playing one of the worst teams in the country. That won't always be the case though.

I don't like being negative after a "big" win. But (and I hate this cliche) it is what it is. (Really hate that I just said that.)
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[Lighthouse]

Toppin deserves the offensive kudo's he's getting today, but in all fairness his defense was about the same.

[KCKUKFan]

We attacked the middle of the zone on a number of occasions and it gave Toppin repeated open 10 footers.

Of course, Louisville was wildly overmatched, but I will take positivity where I can find it.

[Catsrock]

....also, free throws are a problem. Can get away with it when playing one of the worst teams in the country. That won't always be the case though.

I don't like being negative after a "big" win. But (and I hate this cliche) it is what it is. (Really hate that I just said that.)
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I don’t want to be negative either. Our guys just put a smile on my face by thumping a rival I cannot stand. But it really doesn’t say much for us going forward. Although we won more easily than I expected I was just astounded that Kenny Payne had ZERO bigs who knew where they were. How many times did we throw an entry pass and Oscar or Jacob could not believe there was no one near them upon receiving it? Was wild to see how lost KP’s boys were. He has a hard working guard with some skill and no one else. Apparently the night I watched them against WKU was a true aversion.

[Joneslab]

Brutally honest, profound conversation with Toppin after the game. He was obviously going through an incredibly hard time.

Also interesting is the fact that Oscar apparently went to Cal to tell him to take it easier on certain players.

[Joneslab]

I don’t want to be negative either. Our guys just put a smile on my face by thumping a rival I cannot stand. But it really doesn’t say much for us going forward. Although we won more easily than I expected I was just astounded that Kenny Payne had ZERO bigs who knew where they were. How many times did we throw an entry pass and Oscar or Jacob could not believe there was no one near them upon receiving it? Was wild to see how lost KP’s boys were. He has a hard working guard with some skill and no one else. Apparently the night I watched them against WKU was a true aversion.

Yeah I agree.

I was struck by how different we played. Didn't try to just rush it up the court and look for the first shot.

I think we were doing that because it worked so well last year. This team is a (much) different animal. Cal's discussion about being deliberate and trying to move the ball side to side is clearly the way we're going to go from here on.

It makes sense. It's clearly a way to position Oscar as the foundation of the team and to let him get down there and get set.

[Catsrock]

Yeah I agree.

I was struck by how different we played. Didn't try to just rush it up the court and look for the first shot.

I think we were doing that because it worked so well last year. This team is a (much) different animal. Cal's discussion about being deliberate and trying to move the ball side to side is clearly the way we're going to go from here on.

It makes sense. It's clearly a way to position Oscar as the foundation of the team and to let him get down there and get set.

Anything we try to run through Oscar or Cason has to be a good thing.

[DA#23]

Also interesting is the fact that Oscar apparently went to Cal to tell him to take it easier on certain players.

Rod Rhodes wishes he had an Oscar Tshiebwe

[Joneslab]

Anything we try to run through Oscar or Cason has to be a good thing.

No doubt.

[Joneslab]

Rod Rhodes wishes he had an Oscar Tshiebwe

Yep.

I kept having flashbacks to that era when I looked at those uniforms today. Those famous pictures of Mashburn came to my mind every time it showed our guys up close.

I say we wear them for every home game from here on.

[DA#23]

I kept having flashbacks to that era

I was quite young but remember well my parents watching the games, all of the discussion, getting to go to Midnight Madness in fall of 1993 ('94 season), all of the Saturday Mornings at a couple of local businesses where my dad and his buddies would discuss the teams ad nauseam...they were my formative years as a UK Fan.

And that '93 team would torch many a modern team when they were playing well. Mash 'Em and Dent 'Em. In some ways I think of them similarly to Cal's 2017 team. Ah, well.

[George]

I was quite young but remember well my parents watching the games, all of the discussion, getting to go to Midnight Madness in fall of 1993 ('94 season), all of the Saturday Mornings at a couple of local businesses where my dad and his buddies would discuss the teams ad nauseam...they were my formative years as a UK Fan.

And that '93 team would torch many a modern team when they were playing well. Mash 'Em and Dent 'Em. In some ways I think of them similarly to Cal's 2017 team. Ah, well.

The early 90s UK-ARK games are probably my earliest Kentucky basketball memories.

[Catsrock]

The early 90s UK-ARK games are probably my earliest Kentucky basketball memories.

Those games were unreal. And the UK/AU atmosphere at SEC tournaments was a blast. 90-94 were my UK years as a student

[George]

Those games were unreal. And the UK/AU atmosphere at SEC tournaments was a blast. 90-94 were my UK years as a student

I remember the games, but not many specifics. One standout moment, though, was my dad cussing either Riddick or Rhodes like a dog — “CHOKER! WHAT A HEAD CASE!” — during a UK-ARK SEC Championship game. Can’t remember which of the two drew his ire, but I’m leaning Riddick.