Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt: Game Thread

[Wonderstruck]

I watched the game yesterday and was surprised to see we lost. I thought someone would have spoiled the ending for me but, you know, like others have said, nobody is winning on the road this year. Just a weird season.

[Joneslab]

I watched the game yesterday and was surprised to see we lost.

Especially because it felt like we vastly outplayed them in the first half.

We should've been up double digits. Instead I think it was three. IMO Vandy got a lot of hope from that and went right to work in the second half.

Definitely need this one tomorrow night, because you can see a situation now where if they drop this game and somehow lose next Friday, Kentucky's looking at maybe a 7 seed. Will be really tough to get out of the first round if that's the case.

A lot hangs in the balance now. The games that personally hurt me are Auburn and Tennessee. Get those two back and this season has a whole different complexion. But we are going to be punished--rightly so--for those games.

[KevinHall]

Especially because it felt like we vastly outplayed them in the first half.

We should've been up double digits. Instead I think it was three. IMO Vandy got a lot of hope from that and went right to work in the second half.

Definitely need this one tomorrow night, because you can see a situation now where if they drop this game and somehow lose next Friday, Kentucky's looking at maybe a 7 seed. Will be really tough to get out of the first round if that's the case.

A lot hangs in the balance now. The games that personally hurt me are Auburn and Tennessee. Get those two back and this season has a whole different complexion. But we are going to be punished--rightly so--for those games.

Yea the Auburn Tennessee games hurt this team a lot. You could see when the schedule was released that the back end of the SEC schedule was loaded. They had to go on the road to places where even the best of UK teams would have a hard time winning. Now they are paying for those two losses and will even more when the seedings come out.

[Joneslab]

Best-case scenario is we get Willis back, show that we can win games with a full roster (something that Kentucky hasn't had much in the second half), and win these last two and then make a run to Sunday in Nashville.

I think as soft as the top is we'd still be in play for a 3 if that happened. Though I think they would slide us to the 4 because that 1/4 match-up on the weekend with Kentucky involved is always enticing.

One thing to remember is this year's seeds aren't like any other year's seeds. Your 5's and 6's are going to be 3's and 4's this season simply because it's so soft, and because you have two tournament teams in Louisville and SMU who aren't going to be there.

Kentucky has the same record and a better resume than teams who are sitting in the top 15 right now. It's only when you get to the very, very top--Kansas, Xavier, Villanova, Michigan St., Carolina--that you can see any kind of separation at all.

[KevinHall]

I agree I don't think its going to matter that much where you are seeded this year. It seems almost everyone is the same. You would like to avoid being a four,eight or nine seed so you wan't have to take on a one seed early in the tournament. But otherwise its probably not going to matter. For UK its going to be who has size in their bracket. Anyone with good and reasonably talented size could be a death nail for them.

[Matt Dillon]

You nailed it, in my opinion, Kevin. I've been lamenting the absence of a credible inside game for months.

[Westtncat]

Best-case scenario is we get Willis back, show that we can win games with a full roster (something that Kentucky hasn't had much in the second half), and win these last two and then make a run to Sunday in Nashville.

I think as soft as the top is we'd still be in play for a 3 if that happened. Though I think they would slide us to the 4 because that 1/4 match-up on the weekend with Kentucky involved is always enticing.

One thing to remember is this year's seeds aren't like any other year's seeds. Your 5's and 6's are going to be 3's and 4's this season simply because it's so soft, and because you have two tournament teams in Louisville and SMU who aren't going to be there.

Kentucky has the same record and a better resume than teams who are sitting in the top 15 right now. It's only when you get to the very, very top--Kansas, Xavier, Villanova, Michigan St., Carolina--that you can see any kind of separation at all.

Not worried about beating anyone in a regular game setting but these tourney settings have me worried. Our main guys play so many minutes. That really showed up against A&M. Cal needs to sit Murray and Ulis any chance he gets in the tourney.

[Joneslab]

Not worried about beating anyone in a regular game setting but these tourney settings have me worried. Our main guys play so many minutes. That really showed up against A&M. Cal needs to sit Murray and Ulis any chance he gets in the tourney.

Can't have either of them off the court for long in a one-game-and-out situation. They've gone this long; you have to ride them at this point. Only a few left.

It is what it is. Thankfully when you get into this, there are other teams--a lot of them--who have to have their best on the court or they're not going to beat good teams. That's just the price you pay for having a roster as slight as ours is.

We're not alone. Even Virginia, who's going to be a one-seed, pretty much has to play their starters all the time for them to perform at a high level.

[Lighthouse]

Both Ulis and Murray play at full speed every minute they're in the game, which has to be telling on their bodies now. A couple days either totally away from basketball or light practices might help right now. It sure helped the Lady Cats.

[justford]

Cal has always played his starters way to much during blow out games. Just his m.o. and this year it might hurt us with all the minutes Ulis and Murray are having to play. Murray looks like Reggie Miller running all over the court to get his shot off. Has to be tiring for him.

[Joneslab]

Not enough blow-outs this year.

But with this team he's keeping them in for no other reason than they have to be in. Ulis simply cannot go out. Wish it weren't that way but this is kind of the opposite situation than we had last year. There is no other way. It'd be great if we could operate without him and go long stretches where he could get a rest, but the team tends to fall apart if he's not in the game. And with Willis out you have to have Murray in there because those jumpshots are crucial.

This is the deal when you've got a 6-, 7-man rotation. Same situation we've been in every time we've had an NBA exodus.

[justford]

Seems like we have more than a 6 or 7 man rotation. May just seem that way because of all the injuries we have had this season.

[Joneslab]

Seems like we have more than a 6 or 7 man rotation. May just seem that way because of all the injuries we have had this season.

It's usually seven with Willis. Humphries has broken in the last couple of weeks with Skal, Hawkins and Matthews getting spot minutes here and there.

[Joneslab]

Cal just called out the officials, something I've rarely heard him do, w/r/t the Poythress walk call.

Vaughts' Views ‏@vaughtsviews 37s38 seconds ago Cal: Alex did not walk and he did not trip the guy. 2 ridiculous calls. But they caved him in. Just play through.

[KevinHall]

Cal just called out the officials, something I've rarely heard him do, w/r/t the Poythress walk call.

Vaughts' Views ‏@vaughtsviews 37s38 seconds ago Cal: Alex did not walk and he did not trip the guy. 2 ridiculous calls. But they caved him in. Just play through.

That will probably get him a fine. But at this point he is probably so fed up with some awful calls they have got this year he just doesn't care.