The Good
* Isaiah Briscoe dominated the kid who was trying to guard him. It was just painful to watch for the most part. I know it's early, but Briscoe has positioned himself as one of the best players in the country. Maybe the best close-to-the-basket scoring guard Kentucky has had with Cal, and that's saying a whole lot.
* The team defense. After two games where Kentucky couldn't guard anybody, the defense ratcheted up and really made it hard for Michigan St. to do anything. There were long movements in this game where they couldn't even get a clean shot. Really impressive to watch and it's the area where UK can be a title contender.
* Malik Monk. I've thought Monk was in for a huge game, and we saw it last night. Unfortunately he's the kind of player who will follow a 7 threes game with an epic struggle from outside because he's just that kind of streaky, but on the big stage he showed who he can be.
* How easy the game was. Just very little pushback from a team full of athletes that's incredibly well-coached. I don't think Michigan St. is a juggernaut or anything, but we made that game look like a breeze. Surprising this early in the season.
* Wenyen Gabriel's second half. He was in on everything. Loose balls. Tough rebounds. He got in passing lanes. He continues for me to be the most intriguing player on this team, and for the first time this year he had a definite hand in how we won that game. We're just touching this guy's potential.
* Bam defensively on Miles Bridges. Bridges came in off a massive game against Arizona, and for long stretches Cal put Bam on him. And Bam was great: I can't remember a single play where Bridges scored on the big guy. The team defense was spectacular but the gameplan Cal drew up for Bridges was particularly special.
* De'Aaron Fox at the free throw line. Fox had a strange game in that he followed tremendous moments with futility, but he continues to be flawless at the line. Not sure what the disconnect is between his jumper and free throws, but something is going on when he decides to take an outside shot.
* After Duke's loss, Kentucky should be the #1 in America come Monday morning. Always a good feeling.
The Bad
* De'Aaron Fox from the perimeter. Hide the children. I don't see him ever being more than adequate out there, but if he becomes like Briscoe was last year then it's going to be very hard for him to be an elite point guard. Even John Wall could keep the defense on its toes.
* The last four minutes of the first half. Kentucky is flailing in these games at the end of the half. Much of that was foul trouble, but we just stopped executing. That could have easily been a 20-point game at halftime had we played all the way through.
* The rebounding. We continue to be a mediocre rebounding team. Without Gabriel's effort in the last 10 minutes it would have been much worse than +4 for MSU. And each team we've played is significantly smaller.
* Bam's continuing foul trouble. We've talked about this before, but the wrestling matches he wants to get in have to stop.
* Derek Willis's 1 shot attempt. The player we saw last year has astonishingly disappeared.
The Ugly
* For the first time this year we got a look at Calipari's stall offense late in the game. I'm not sure why he goes to that so early, but clearly he'll never stop. Never seen a coach who so desperately wants players to just grind it out. He's done it every year at UK and every year we're awful at it. College players can't execute at that level. They need to just continue doing what they do when they have a lead late. Duke showed what can happen in this sport when you try and get cute with the lead late in games.
* Isaac Humphries' inability to squeeze the basketball. Isaac did some decent things, but he's got to be better at holding on to the ball. Had it knocked and raked away repeatedly in that game.
* Tom Izzo's style of play. The "burn-the-shot-clock-until-it's-under-five-and-then-go" style is an old Izzo staple, and it's clear why he did it with the speed of our team...but man. That was rough to watch.
* The McQuaid kid trying to guard Briscoe. I mentioned this above, but
. I would assume there were some nightmares on Sparty's trip home.
* Isaiah Briscoe dominated the kid who was trying to guard him. It was just painful to watch for the most part. I know it's early, but Briscoe has positioned himself as one of the best players in the country. Maybe the best close-to-the-basket scoring guard Kentucky has had with Cal, and that's saying a whole lot.
* The team defense. After two games where Kentucky couldn't guard anybody, the defense ratcheted up and really made it hard for Michigan St. to do anything. There were long movements in this game where they couldn't even get a clean shot. Really impressive to watch and it's the area where UK can be a title contender.
* Malik Monk. I've thought Monk was in for a huge game, and we saw it last night. Unfortunately he's the kind of player who will follow a 7 threes game with an epic struggle from outside because he's just that kind of streaky, but on the big stage he showed who he can be.
* How easy the game was. Just very little pushback from a team full of athletes that's incredibly well-coached. I don't think Michigan St. is a juggernaut or anything, but we made that game look like a breeze. Surprising this early in the season.
* Wenyen Gabriel's second half. He was in on everything. Loose balls. Tough rebounds. He got in passing lanes. He continues for me to be the most intriguing player on this team, and for the first time this year he had a definite hand in how we won that game. We're just touching this guy's potential.
* Bam defensively on Miles Bridges. Bridges came in off a massive game against Arizona, and for long stretches Cal put Bam on him. And Bam was great: I can't remember a single play where Bridges scored on the big guy. The team defense was spectacular but the gameplan Cal drew up for Bridges was particularly special.
* De'Aaron Fox at the free throw line. Fox had a strange game in that he followed tremendous moments with futility, but he continues to be flawless at the line. Not sure what the disconnect is between his jumper and free throws, but something is going on when he decides to take an outside shot.
* After Duke's loss, Kentucky should be the #1 in America come Monday morning. Always a good feeling.
The Bad
* De'Aaron Fox from the perimeter. Hide the children. I don't see him ever being more than adequate out there, but if he becomes like Briscoe was last year then it's going to be very hard for him to be an elite point guard. Even John Wall could keep the defense on its toes.
* The last four minutes of the first half. Kentucky is flailing in these games at the end of the half. Much of that was foul trouble, but we just stopped executing. That could have easily been a 20-point game at halftime had we played all the way through.
* The rebounding. We continue to be a mediocre rebounding team. Without Gabriel's effort in the last 10 minutes it would have been much worse than +4 for MSU. And each team we've played is significantly smaller.
* Bam's continuing foul trouble. We've talked about this before, but the wrestling matches he wants to get in have to stop.
* Derek Willis's 1 shot attempt. The player we saw last year has astonishingly disappeared.
The Ugly
* For the first time this year we got a look at Calipari's stall offense late in the game. I'm not sure why he goes to that so early, but clearly he'll never stop. Never seen a coach who so desperately wants players to just grind it out. He's done it every year at UK and every year we're awful at it. College players can't execute at that level. They need to just continue doing what they do when they have a lead late. Duke showed what can happen in this sport when you try and get cute with the lead late in games.
* Isaac Humphries' inability to squeeze the basketball. Isaac did some decent things, but he's got to be better at holding on to the ball. Had it knocked and raked away repeatedly in that game.
* Tom Izzo's style of play. The "burn-the-shot-clock-until-it's-under-five-and-then-go" style is an old Izzo staple, and it's clear why he did it with the speed of our team...but man. That was rough to watch.
* The McQuaid kid trying to guard Briscoe. I mentioned this above, but
. I would assume there were some nightmares on Sparty's trip home.
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