Indiana vs. Kentucky: Game Thread

[Matt Dillon]

Interesting comments from Cal about Thomas Bryant yesterday after the game.

I never really knew what the deal was with Cal and Bryant. I kind of just thought he chose IU over UK. But Cal seemed to say that he wasn't sold on Bryant, particularly his defense. He talked about how Bryant was really a different player now than he was when UK recruited him.

It's ironic that Cal, as great of a recruiter he is, has been really knifed in the NCAA Tournament by two guys he didn't go hard after on the recruiting trail: Kemba Walker and Bryant.

Thomas Bryant was the key to that game. His play in that stretch when they took the lead killed us.

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Bryant is definitely a player. One could tell he knows how to play center. I stated, earlier in this thread, that if we had him we would be an Elite Eight and perhaps a FF team, in my opinion.

[CATHYnKY]

[QUOTE=Dwight Schrute;n68821]Considering the pieces Cal had to work with, I don't know what you can criticize him for. This team was far better than I expected, and with a better draw could have made a run in the tournament. Simply put, Cal didn't get outcoached, his front court wasn't very good. [/QU

I believe just a few shorts weeks ago, we were talking NIT!!!

[Dwight Schrute]

Back in January I thought this team would do well to make the sweet 16. This team just was what it was - a team with one of the best back courts in the country with a mediocre front court. This team could've beaten IU, but Alex just was what he was and Skal was overhyped. Fortunately in the Cal era, that has been the exception and not the rule.

[Pobilly]

Really frustrating and disappointing way to end the season. Poythress was awful, Murray was really bad, Lee was laughable (incredible how much worse he has gotten in three years), and no one other than Ulis seemed to want to play.

IU was the better team despite not having 3 of their top 7 players available. Pretty shocking.

I guess we look forward to next season now. But with Ulis, Murray, and Skal, at the minimum, leaving it's hard to get excited right now.

If you look at Lee (when he is his best, there are other bigs out there getting double teamed. Fresh and Soph seasons there were guys that teams had to double and it left Lee open. Teams did not have to double our guys down low and it showed in Lee's fall off.

I like Lee's personality and his team first mentality but the talent level is not there. Hope he has a great summer and is ready to help again next year. I hope Willis gets a shot next year from day one not day 60 of the season. Cal needs to get Willis involved. He can make us a different team with his shot / free throw shooting.

[Westtncat]

How did we end up with so many athletes and so few basketball players.

[Pobilly]

Let's not get carried away. We were the most efficient offense coming into this game,

But any rational fan knew our ceiling was the Sweet 16. And today should have been a S16 game.

True, very true. That is the hard part. Just feels like we fell short. If we lose this game next week i think we would not have a problem. So there is that.

[Pobilly]

How did we end up with so many athletes and so few basketball players.

Player Development. I think part is talent of our big guys, but if Cal has played around with the stretch 4 in Nov / Dec more and helped Willis develop more we might have been a little better. If strength coaches had worked with Lee and Willis more maybe early on they would have produced more? Maybe not.

I thought Willis and Briscoe grew more than anyone in the last 2 months of the year. Willis was grabbing rebounds with 2 hands above the rim and Briscoe had started hitting his free throws in the end. Briscoe could pull a Givens and be the guy to hit at the key next year. Just a little shorter than Jack 6-5 to 6-3.

[Joneslab]

How did we end up with so many athletes and so few basketball players.

Your roster is always going to be decimated when you lose so many to the NBA Draft.

But we had a couple of the finest pure players I've ever seen as a Cat fan in Ulis and Murray.

Poythress just never did improve that much. I don't think his problem is that he was an athlete; I think his issue was he never could break through mentally.

[Joneslab]

And it'll be forgotten but Dominique Hawkins was REALLY good in that game yesterday.

Played great and really should've gotten more time.

[justford]

And it'll be forgotten but Dominique Hawkins was REALLY good in that game yesterday.

Played great and really should've gotten more time.

I agree. You don't lose a lot on the defensive end and he can score.

[Katmendo]

Your roster is always going to be decimated when you lose so many to the NBA Draft.

But we had a couple of the finest pure players I've ever seen as a Cat fan in Ulis and Murray.

Poythress just never did improve that much. I don't think his problem is that he was an athlete; I think his issue was he never could break through mentally.

On the court, Poythress was killed by his lack of off season development. His game never evolved from day one, because he just didn't work on it. His ballhandling, particularly, limited every facet of his offensive options.

And, he didn't work on it because Alex's first love is academics. I still remember the All Access show when he was completely energized about his grades, and all about being the best. It was crystal clear, then. He never had, or will have, that passion about basketball.

And, it's wonderful. I begrudge it not at all. He has a wide open future, that too many will never know. I'm glad he's not going to be central to the play on the floor, but proud of the way he maximized his educational opportunity.

[J.Jennings]

We're going to be one of the top two or three teams next year. Problem is the field is going to be loaded. Duke is going to be just as good as we are with what they return and what they have coming in. Michigan State is going to be very good.

We need Briscoe to put in work in the offseason. He could be a truly special player if he could keep people honest with his jumper.

But people need to chill with the "What if next year's guys are overrated like Skal?!?" stuff, because that simply isn't going to happen with these guys. Skal was such an unusual case with a unique backstory.

I was going to reply to Ratts comments on the incoming class,perhaps the very best we have had. One things for sure, next year's team will have a team full if scoring from any position, makes a world of difference. ...

[Westtncat]

Wouldnt be fun for Ulis to come back with all that potential and at the same time not have to play 38 min a game?

[J.Jennings]

Wouldnt be fun for Ulis to come back with all that potential and at the same time not have to play 38 min a game?

Depends on whats most important to Ulis, winning or money. ...

[Joneslab]

Winning is still important in the NBA. They play for championships there too.