Indiana/Kentucky Game thread

[TrueblueCATfan]

We Needed this win...now let's keep it going on to next Saturday

[Pobilly]

Glad to eat crow. Just came over and read your posts, went to ESPN saw the box score. Watched UK volleyball, bowl game and pitt volleyball tonight. We ended up winning by 12 which was a surprise for me after reading here. I though until the last 2 or 3 posts that we were down by double digits or so.

You all be safe if out travelling. We are getting pelted by a heavy ban of snow in Winchester right now. GO BIG BLUE!!! Volleyball in Final 4 and UK beat a Power 4 team in basketball, one struggling as much as UK but better record. Doubt they had played our type of schedule. We get a week off now and then get to watch Pitino be Pope for the first time in his UK tenure. I will keep the negative going till we prove in a stretch that we are playing together and getting better. Today was the first small step. Keep it up.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Dioubate needs to hit the free throw line..

Lowe is the MVP, changed that game and everything else fell in place.

[westerncat]

Great win tonight ! I did not think they could do it but one thing they did well tonight was attack the basket and not shoot so many 3's. Let's hope JQ gets to play next Saturday.

[westerncat]

OMG...Make your foul shots

They missed a bunch of foul shots tonight. Got do better on that.

[Catsrock]

I don’t want to poopoo on a step in the right direction. Good signs the last couple of outings. But other than Wilkerson (who got in foul trouble) IU really has no dawgs. They were less athletic than several of the nobodies we’ve beaten. If their shots aren’t falling they look pretty bad.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I don't want say to much here because of my bias towards AJ, a stretch 4 who can do multiple things, social media is absolutely destroying Pope for leaving AJ on the bench.

Dioubate had a good game, doesn't mean you tell AJ to stick it up his behind, he ain't the problem.

This team played better with Aberdeen on the bench, I said it..

[Pete Hogwallop]

Dioubate is what this team needs. He's the heart and soul when he's out there. Nobody plays harder. Great win!

[Pete Hogwallop]

I don't want say to much here because of my bias towards AJ, a stretch 4 who can do multiple things, social media is absolutely destroying Pope for leaving AJ on the bench.

Dioubate had a good game, doesn't mean you tell AJ to stick it up his behind, he ain't the problem.

This team played better with Aberdeen on the bench, I said it..

Social media isn't "destroying" Pope. We won. Whatever he did worked.

Save this kind of junk for losses.

[blueheretic]

I don't want say to much here because of my bias towards AJ, a stretch 4 who can do multiple things, social media is absolutely destroying Pope for leaving AJ on the bench.

Dioubate had a good game, doesn't mean you tell AJ to stick it up his behind, he ain't the problem.

This team played better with Aberdeen on the bench, I said it..

Be careful.

After a loss, you can talk about things.

After a win, you have to pretend that everything is awesome.

lol

"Dear Leader" shall not be questioned after a win.

[TrueblueCATfan]

We are a better team with Lowe and Mo on the floor...proved that last night in the 2nd half

[KentuckyWild2020]

Mark Pope was asked after last night’s win over Indiana why Andrija Jelavic didn’t play in the game.

Pope explained in his words, that it was essentially a “did not play – coach’s decision.”

“I actually had no idea where the rotation was going to go today. I didn’t know how Kam was going to feel on the court today and I had no idea how Mo was going to feel on the court today,” Pope explained. “I did feel like there was space for Jelavic to be really effective in this game and I felt like it made sense and he’s our most effective post player especially at the 4 and this mucked up game kind of felt that way. The game just kind of told us where to go and the guys responded pretty well. I expect Jela is going to help us in the future for sure.”

[KentuckyWild2020]

Mark Pope was asked after last night’s win over Indiana why Andrija Jelavic didn’t play in the game.

Pope explained in his words, that it was essentially a “did not play – coach’s decision.”

“I actually had no idea where the rotation was going to go today. I didn’t know how Kam was going to feel on the court today and I had no idea how Mo was going to feel on the court today,” Pope explained. “I did feel like there was space for Jelavic to be really effective in this game and I felt like it made sense and he’s our most effective post player especially at the 4 and this mucked up game kind of felt that way. The game just kind of told us where to go and the guys responded pretty well. I expect Jela is going to help us in the future for sure.”

I had no idea where the rotation was going, that's the problem..

[KentuckyWild2020]

We are a better team with Lowe and Mo on the floor...proved that last night in the 2nd half

Should be interesting moving forward

[Catsrock]

Until a good defensive team forces you to take jumpshots.

Lowe changed the game, Dioubate got after it and hustled, Oweh is not going anywhere.

You get Chandler to start playing a role instead of trying to be Jimmer Fredette. AJ can play a stretch 5 that pulls the other center out of the paint which in reality opens driving lanes for Lowe and Oweh.

Still, if JQ plays and Dioubate is Pope's favorite, that leaves Lowe and Oweh with on more.

Where does any kind of shooting come from?

Hey I wish AJ were the answer to that question as much as you do. But his 22.2% 3 pt shooting through 11 games coupled with his poor percentage in the Adriatic League before arriving are starting to feel like who he is, not a slump. At times I’ve thought he was an upgrade defensively only to be out of position allowing an uncontested dunk the next trip. Still, hope experience with this group allows him to find his role effectively.

11 games in shows that Noah and Chandler are our only good shooters and believe it or not Oweh is next up. Kam Williams came in with the rep of a shooter. He’s knocking them down at 21.2% from deep. And when he misses you kind of wonder if it was really a shot. Brick City USA I believe is the way Dickie V put it last night. Maybe Chandler sees himself as Jimmer Jr, but if Pope still intends to be a deep shooting team THIS season then Chandler better be one of the few with a green light. I hope we shoot just enough 3’s going forward to keep the defense honest, but with the right select few taking them.