Missing Ingredient?

[LogyCat]

Looking at the way we tried to get Humphreys and Skal a little more involved offensively against Tenn when the score was out of hand, do you think we need to bring more aspects to the table come tournament time? We have 3 great shooters and 3 good drivers but lets hear some suggestions on some other things we need to develop on or bring to the table for the dance. Just to get it out there for some people, no TAI WYNARD is not going to be a viable solution this year.

[justford]

Obvious choices are improving our free throw shooting and getting/keeping everyone healthy.

[LogyCat]

Obvious choices are improving our free throw shooting and getting/keeping everyone healthy.

By free throw shooting I am assuming you mean Briscoe? I think we have actually improved drastically from a free throw shooting standpoint from earlier in the season. Murray, Ulis, and Willis are money. Briscoe is doing much better than we was previously. If he can shoot at least 55% from the line I consider that a win. He was one of the worst percentages in UK history so he has made some strides. Big guys outside of Lee aren't that bad shooting free throws.

[Matt Dillon]

It's common knowledge that I'm more of a fb guy, than bb. Having said that, I wish that one or two of our bigs would show some drastic improvement and/or consistency. I'm afraid Murray, Ulis and Willis won't be able to carry us to the promise land when we get in the Big Dance.

[catfaninin]

A healthy Poythress is probably the most important. The big guys are getting much better. Fighting for rebounds a lot better than earlier in the year. Now if they can just manage to defend and not foul on every play they will be fine.

[Joneslab]

The team's at about 68% from the free throw line. Should be at 70 (most of Cal's teams are) but you probably aren't getting there with Briscoe. Not great but serviceable.

Clearly the lack of a good big man is the most glaring need offensively. But it is what it is at this point. Poythress is the best we've got but we still don't know what we're going to get from him.

But I still think the most glaring gap overall for this team is defensively. We're putting up solid offensive numbers without that big man. In the top 10 in Pomeroy. Getting 75 or 80 a night. When Kentucky goes bad though it's almost always because we don't guard people. If anything sinks us in March I think it's going to be that.

When we're engaged defensively we can make a run at the Final Four.

[KevinHall]

Finding an inside presence who can give you some scoring is the most needed thing. Poythress is probably the best and only option for this. Have to hope he can comeback from his latest injury.
Foul shooting has improved greatly. Briscoe and Lee are the two main ones that bring it down. Mainly Briscoe. at this point. If Briscoe can 50% I would be very happy.

[LogyCat]

I think defense is definitely something that we can control and get better at by march. If you notice every game we have dropped it hasn't been the lack of offense that costs us games, but defensively we have been terrible at some points. We have been spoiled by good shot blockers mostly since Cal has arrived.

This year everyone has to guard their man and at times we have struggled individually doing. When we guard we roll, when we don't its a tough game and that is evident. I would argue that our big men presence on defense and on the glass are more important than their presence on offense. That is a reason why I think Humphreys will continue to get clock unless they just have a quick, athletic center.

[Joneslab]

I think defense is definitely something that we can control and get better at by march. If you notice every game we have dropped it hasn't been the lack of offense that costs us games, but defensively we have been terrible at some points. We have been spoiled by good shot blockers mostly since Cal has arrived.

This year everyone has to guard their man and at times we have struggled individually doing. When we guard we roll, when we don't its a tough game and that is evident. I would argue that our big men presence on defense and on the glass are more important than their presence on offense. That is a reason why I think Humphreys will continue to get clock unless they just have a quick, athletic center.

Agreed.

I think Kentucky gets in trouble when guys start to drive. Teams like Tennessee and Ohio State and UCLA, as average as they are, are tough match-ups for Kentucky because they can drive and score over our bigs, and they'll inevitably start to rack up fouls. When we're going bad we're fouling a lot, putting teams to the line, and then the threes start to fall.

Texas A&M is a team like that. They've got bigs that don't play big. They'll bring you out and drive you down. House and Jones are going to be really tough with Poythress out. If Lee's out as well then Skal is going to have to play extended minutes probably guarding one of the more skilled guys in the SEC in Jalen Jones.

Will be very tough to say the least.

[Catsrock]

Certainly getting Alex back and/or improved play from Skal/Humphries could be a big boost coming tourney time. But, I am convinced at this point we need to just lean on our proven strength. The way Ulis, Murray and Willis are shooting we have to try to ride that wave. This no doubt leaves the possibility of an off night and you go home--ala vs. WVU in 2009--but what chance do we have otherwise. Some of our best Pitino teams had off nights and lost to teams we never should have as well.

But this year we have a chance for extra-ordinary outside shooting--those 3 have been very consistent lately. More importantly we know at this point we cannot count on regular production down low so why not capitalize on your strength. Once we hit a few and the defense starts extending that's when we're able to throw the lobs or quick passes into the bigs for layups/dunks rather than throwing it into the post expecting them to make a move and score.

It may be risky to play outside in but to me that's what we have this year since Skal is not Davis/Cousins/KAT or even WCS.

Also, he didn't do it last night until the game was in hand in the 2nd half but Briscoe shooting 20 footers just feels like a wasted possession at this point. Its late enough in the season we should have the right guys taking shots. Briscoe was all over the defensive boards though. Just play D, rebound and hit the open man, Isaiah!

If the shots are falling I think we could beat anybody in the country. Keep playing that way every game and hopefully you are really good at it come tourney time and maybe you don't have the 25%shooting night at the wrong time.

[Joneslab]

Also, he didn't do it last night until the game was in hand in the 2nd half but Briscoe shooting 20 footers just feels like a wasted possession at this point. Its late enough in the season we should have the right guys taking shots. Briscoe was all over the defensive boards though. Just play D, rebound and hit the open man, Isaiah!

Been a couple of games where he got jumpers to fall. Not threes but that 18-footer he can sometimes (very occasionally) get.

The only thing with that shot is that if he could hit two or three of them in a game, Kentucky is very hard to beat. With the way Murray, Ulis, and Willis can spread teams out, Briscoe making his guy at least have to come out on him makes it so that the middle of the court is absolutely wide open.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Wish Humphries would get some " JORTS"

[Matt Dillon]

I worry about if we run up against a team with a 6'10" to 7'0" post player that is really good offensively with someone that can get the ball inside to him. How many will foul out trying to guard him?

[George]

I worry about if we run up against a team with a 6'10" to 7'0" post player that is really good offensively. How many will foul out trying to guard him?

Yeah, but how many of those guys are out there this year?

[Matt Dillon]

Yeah, but how many of those guys are out there this year?

I'm not sure. Some of you all that follow college bb more than I need to answer that.