Will UK Make the Tournament?

[KentuckyWild2020]

I think they already know the pain of losing. And why.

To simplify, I'm not sold they can win 6 in a row but who knows, maybe this is 98 all over again. Still no complaints at this point, maybe we are peaking at the right time. Last year I felt we peaked to early then teams figured out Grady and his injury worsened..

Anyways, let's see what happens, proud of this team against Auburn, best game in long long time....

[Lighthouse]

This team has become a fun team to watch and cheer for. We will be a much better seed than was expected, and in his round about way, Cal will take credit for it. His "We love BBN and all our loyal fans" is getting old and is useless at this point.

[George]

This team has become a fun team to watch and cheer for. We will be a much better seed than was expected, and in his round about way, Cal will take credit for it. His "We love BBN and all our loyal fans" is getting old and is useless at this point.

I’m a critic, too, at this point, but let’s not act like he doesn’t deserve some of the credit.

[Lighthouse]

I’m a critic, too, at this point, but let’s not act like he doesn’t deserve some of the credit.

I'm not. In an earlier post I give him some credit, especially his bench decorum. But I give his assistants the most credit because it appears he has given them more freedom to coach from the bench.

[Matt Dillon]

His "We love BBN and all our loyal fans" is getting old and is useless at this point.

He loves the fans so good he has to show the love by playing the 'I told you so' card.

[KCKUKFan]

I'm not. In an earlier post I give him some credit, especially his bench decorum. But I give his assistants the most credit because it appears he has given them more freedom to coach from the bench.

How do you know this?

Cal knows how to coach. Our recent success has more to do with proper lineups qnd pulling Oscar away from the basket moreso than any particular play calling.

To act as if Cal doesn't know how to draw plays or coach sets feeds into the old "roll thr balls out" narrative, which was always crap. Cal's biggest downfall is his stubbornness; to act like his assistants understand basketball coaching more than he does is nonsense. Just ask Bruiser Flint and Orlanda Antigua how that worked out for them.

[Joneslab]

I do see the assistants talking to the players more than earlier in the season. Chin Coleman is one you see giving a lot of instruction.

Not sure if that was a change or if the situation was just so tight early that everybody was on pins and needles over there.

We've got to see how this plays out to know how much credit to give Cal. I've said all along that I really don't think the roster is all that great. So when you've got discrepancies in talent and a thin roster like this, the coach has to get some credit.

But Kentucky has looked dismal in games we had no business looking dismal in. And that wasn't happening in the ancient past; that was just two weeks ago.

So there's still a lot of work left for Cal to do before we throw him a parade.

[George]

How do you know this?

Cal knows how to coach. Our recent success has more to do with proper lineups qnd pulling Oscar away from the basket moreso than any particular play calling.

To act as if Cal doesn't know how to draw plays or coach sets feeds into the old "roll thr balls out" narrative, which was always crap. Cal's biggest downfall is his stubbornness; to act like his assistants understand basketball coaching more than he does is nonsense. Just ask Bruiser Flint and Orlanda Antigua how that worked out for them.

Yeah, you beat me to it.

If we’re saying the assistants are now more involved, what is that based on? Brief glimpses of them saying things we can’t hear to players during four or five total game hours per week?

Isn’t it possible Cal started pushing some of the right buttons when we, the fans, aren’t around?

[justford]

Maybe it is the Ulis input that is helping 🤷‍♂️

[Joneslab]

Maybe it is the Ulis input that is helping 🤷‍♂️

Probably a combination of things. Partly coach, partly players, partly injuries, a lot of Livingston, a whole lot of Toppin...a bunch of things combined have added to this, the same way that "the tweak" was probably a perfect storm back in 2014 rather than one thing Cal did.

You've definitely got more high-level players playing at their best right now. Livingston can do things nobody else on this roster can do, and the path in front of him being cleared out so he can get extended minutes is big. Jacob Toppin was obviously struggling with his confidence early but the role he's been put into, particularly that middle-man anytime a team zones us, has been big for him and has made other parts of his game click into place. The move from Wallace as off-guard to full-time point guard was major as we all know. Oscar being more of an away-from-the-basket player rather than a bulldog in the paint has been big.

So I don't think it's just Cal. It also can't not be Cal. It's probably a little of both but moreso the players have been put in the right positions to do things. We've seen this before, notably in 2011 and 2014.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Always felt we have had the pieces in place to be as good as anyone in college basketball this year. This is why it's been head scratching big time failure to see this team struggle the way it has at times this year, never expected that to be honest. We had veterans returning, College player of the year, Toppin (Sorry not sorry glad Brooks transferred), CJ (whom i thought would be a great addition) and our freshman. Really wasn't that excited about Reeves but give credit where it's due, starting to play on both sides of the ball now. As for Toppin fan, big fan of his, honestly feel he has more or as much ability at the next level than anyone on the team, can shoot can jump do a little bit of everything when he's locked in...

Calipari.. Month ago was fed up ready for a pitchfork party but then i listen to him speak about things and think about all he does across the state off the court from the disasters to just speaking with old timers on the block, kinda of hard to root against him. He may not be the greatest X's and O's guy but he's not stupid, he can coach and he knows basketball if you listen to him talk, players still have to do there jobs on the court too...

Bottomline is this for me, Wheeler is out and seems to be completely out of the picture and now here we are. I dont dislike the kid as a person but unless you are Tyler Ulis at that size (once in 20 years) you arenot a starting Point Guard for Kentucky. Auburn has had some good teams the past few years with multiple smaller point guards and where did it take them? Kavanaugh at Florida was pretty good, Downey at SC yet bigger faster athletic Point guards are todays' game...

[Jeff ROCKober]

NCAA Bracketology - 2023 March Madness men's field predictions (espn.com)​

The latest bracket has UK as a Uncategorized Groups seed in the South Region. In this bracket, Kentucky would play winner of Wisconsin/Arizona State. The second game would be Marquette-Colgate. Bama and Texas are the top seeds in the South. I just don't know if the NCAA will allow UK to have a chance to play in Louisville in the Sweet 16.

[Joneslab]

It can't totally be placed on Wheeler. Sahvir Wheeler didn't play in our last two losses, one of which was the worst loss of the year.

There's way more going on than just that. I do think the benching of Wheeler that began back in December definitely started Kentucky on the road to where we are. Defensively Wheeler had an atrocious first half of the season and team defense was--and remains--a major reason we aren't a contender but are swimming in a sea of "maybe they'll get out of the first weekend" types of teams.

[KentuckyWild2020]

It can't totally be placed on Wheeler. Sahvir Wheeler didn't play in our last two losses, one of which was the worst loss of the year.

There's way more going on than just that. I do think the benching of Wheeler that began back in December definitely started Kentucky on the road to where we are. Defensively Wheeler had an atrocious first half of the season and team defense was--and remains--a major reason we aren't a contender but are swimming in a sea of "maybe they'll get out of the first weekend" types of teams.

In all fairness agreed, nobody was playing defense it seemed.

Cal's been in a tough spot as a coach with Wheeler, loyalty to a returning starter or sit him down for a freshman, tough circumstance for all involved...

[KCKUKFan]

It can't totally be placed on Wheeler. Sahvir Wheeler didn't play in our last two losses, one of which was the worst loss of the year.

There's way more going on than just that. I do think the benching of Wheeler that began back in December definitely started Kentucky on the road to where we are. Defensively Wheeler had an atrocious first half of the season and team defense was--and remains--a major reason we aren't a contender but are swimming in a sea of "maybe they'll get out of the first weekend" types of teams.

South Carolina was our worst loss. Not Georgia. But yeah.