Their style of play has been fun to watch
Their results(W/L) have been frustrating

They have more finesse or basketball skills than most recent UK teams
They are completely lacking in physicality and overall grit or toughness

They will win their first game in the NCAAT and likely make the second week
They will not survive the second week end and possibly the 3rd game.

Cal lucked out putting this team together, Sheppard's play bailed him out
Team progress has been minimal, one of Cal's worst coaching jobs ever

The failure to move Sheppard and Dillingham into starting roles is beyond stupid
The failure to figure out which 2 of the 3 bigs to play is senseless

If Sheppard and Dillingham both go in the top 5 draft picks despite not being starters
Cal will laud that as some type of success or accomplishment. when in truth he should
be crucified for such a decision.

Lastly Cal has reduced the UK basketball program to a mid level SEC program, it
is a stretch to call what he does coaching. Hopefully he will walk away soon so
maybe we can begin the rebuilding process(if that is even possible)

Score alot of points and play no defense! Lol

Has Kentucky as the four seed in the Midwest. Top seeds in our bracket would be

1. Purdue
2. Iowa State
3. Creighton

Cal has somewhat of a reputation of getting players ready for the next level. My question: is that really true?

Yes, UK has plenty of former players in the NBA. But, is that because Cal prepared them or they were just that physically talented?

Consider:
1. Very few former Cats hit the NBA and make a splash immediately. Most of them that stick around begin to show their stuff in years 3+. Other programs have rookies who look like they belong almost immediately.
2. Obviously the UK players aren't taught much about fundamentals. As seasons wear on, we see the same poor shot selection, defensive lapses, inability to adapt to in-game situations, no ability to attack or play a zone defense, unwillingness to block out effectively, etc.
3. UK does not play an NBA system - how is our system preparing them for the next level?

I've heard this comment about Cal a long time but I'm not sure it's accurate. He recruits NBA level talent but it's almost always several years into their pro career before they blossom. Perhaps the OAD philosophy is to blame. But even the few players who stick around for several years don't seem to improve with age (there are some exceptions).

He would walk away. But he knows he can keep making millions to sleep walk through season after season and here nothing anyone can do about.

He is truly a scumbag.

We will be a 4 seed in the Midwest

First game would be against 13 seed Vermont

Second game if we advance would be against 12 seed McNeese or 5 seed San Diego St.

More than likely this could end up being their draw come tomorrow.

Just for reference and discussion, here are the average minutes played played and points scored in our nine (9) losses, as compared to year-to-date averages. There's a lot more involved, like defense, rebounding, foul trouble, match-ups and injuries, of course, but we're an offensive-minded team this year.

Our nine (9) losses have been by an average of 9.0 points, as we scored 82.2 versus 89.4 season average:
05 KANSAS
07 UNCW
05 TEXAS A&M
17 SOUTH CAROLINA
03 FLORIDA
11 TENNESSEE
04 GONZAGA
01 LSU
10 TEXAS A&M
Schedule for 2023-24

We were physically manhandled.

It has too! No excuse to keep doing it!

I feel awful for them. Every year they spend a crap ton of money to go to Nashville and watch us get bounced right away. Cal hasn’t won one in 5 years. No chance next year either. Don’t waste your money on the NCAA tournament either. Cal will screw you there as well. It’s clear no matter what team Cal has March is going to be a disaster. There’s nothing to look forward to anymore. How can a Kentucky fan with any pride for the program support these results? How many straight years of being a non factor in March does it take? We aren’t even a factor in our own conference tournament anymore much less the NCAA.

This nightmare needs to end.

Then tomorrow probably against Auburn. Should be a fun weekend

Just for reference and discussion, here are the average minutes played played and points scored in our nine (9) losses, as compared to year-to-date averages. There's a lot more involved, like defense, rebounding, foul trouble, match-ups and injuries, of course, but we're an offensive-minded team this year.

Our nine (9) losses have been by an average of 9.0 points, as we scored 82.2 versus 89.4 season average:
05 KANSAS
07 UNCW
05 TEXAS A&M
17 SOUTH CAROLINA
03 FLORIDA
11 TENNESSEE
04 GONZAGA
01 LSU
10 TEXAS A&M

How can Doug Shows continue to be allowed to ref games with UK? Someone needs a serious investigation into him

This is ridiculous!! This is not Kentucky Basketball.
L, Texas A&M (2024 SEC Tournament)
L, Kansas State (2023 NCAA Tournament)
W, Providence (2023 NCAA Tournament)
L, Vanderbilt (2023 SEC Tournament)
L, Saint Peters (2022 NCAA Tournament)
L, Tennessee (2022 SEC Tournament)
W, Vanderbilt (2022 SEC Tournament)
L, Mississippi State (2021 SEC Tournament)
L, Auburn (2019 NCAA Tournament)

I'm grilling some NASCAR cut steaks before the game!

Personally, I need a Final Four to feel good about the job Cal has done this year.

Is there any way Mitch pulls the trigger? Can we pony up the funds?

My main question is - if Cal loses in the 1st round, does he get fired? 2nd round?

I only see Cal leaving by his own free will until this contract expires or the buyout gets lower.

... and it seemed like exactly the same way. Texas A&M only scored over 90 twice this season and both were against UK.

So did anybody see ANYTHING that Cal did differently for this game last night? Because I didn't.

Is it too much to expect the coach to learn from a loss to a supposed lesser team and employ a new strategy if you play them again? Or am I just delusional?

..loss out of the way and Cal can get about the serious business of helping this uber talented team ready themselves for the NBA evaluations.

Starts in front of Rob and Reed. Let that sink in.

QUICK TAKES: Texas A&M 97, Kentucky 87​

Kentucky's Tre Mitchell and Reed Sheppard scrambled for a loose ball during Friday's 97-87 loss to Texas A&M in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. (Steve Roberts/USA Today Sports)

Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK

In our regular postgame feature, the Cats Illustrated staff offers its first impressions from Kentucky's SEC Tournament opener, a 97-87 loss to Texas A&M on Friday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville...​

JUSTIN ROWLAND:

I feel for the Kentucky fans who made the trip and expected this to be a fun weekend in Nashville. What an egg. We know this isn't a good defensive team. But they were really bad tonight. My opinion is still that the NCAA Tournament is random, and its unpredictability isn't really affected by how a team played in the conference tournament. I think Texas A&M played at a high level, but Kentucky just could not stop the ball. I also thought they showed some nerves at times on offense. Not a great sign before the Big Dance.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

You gotta tip your cap to Texas A&M. That's a hard pill for BBN to swallow on this night, but the Aggies played desperate to lock up a spot in the NCAA Tournament and turned in what might be their best possible performance. Buzz Williams' team entered the game 350th in the nation in 3-point shooting at a woeful 27.7% There's only one team worse on the NCAA stat sheet. Kentucky entered the game No. 1 at 41.2% Amazingly, the two teams both hit 11 from the 3-point arc. A&M also turned 13 offensive rebounds into a crazy 26 second-chance points. I'm not sure I've ever seen that stat result in two points for each one grabbed. The Cats have no answer defensively for Wade Taylor IV and Tyrese Radford, who have scored 114 points in two wins over UK this season. It's hard to type that last line with a straight face. They may have cost themselves a seed line tonight.

TRAVIS GRAF:

Forget the last time Kentucky won the SEC Tournament, which was 2018. With this loss, Kentucky has now lost five of their last six SEC Tournament games. Does this preview another NCAA Tournament flameout like those seasons? Remains to be seen. However, Kentucky doesn’t have a lot of past history to hang their hat on to get excited for the Big Dance. I’m normally not the type that comments on who starts and who comes off the bench, but how many times is Kentucky going to let tough teams punch them in the mouth to start games and dig a hole? Teams with a prolific scoring guard should scare Kentucky heading into the tournament, as they struggle to stop simple straight-line drives and gave up 97 points to an A&M team that averages 73 a game.

OFFICIAL KENTUCKY POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:

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*****

KENTUCKY HC JOHN CALIPARI UK NETWORK RADIO Q&A:

* We weren't ourselves tonight. Too much one-on-one. We're at our best when we're passing and creating for others. Kinda separated a bit with trying to do our own thing. Maybe a lesson that we can't do that again.

* Cal says he shoulda gone to zone earlier. Just not comfortable playing it.

* Their guards got 72 (with a put-out sigh).

* Tried to get into their legs a bit, were right there, but they just kept beating us off the bounce for layups. "We're better than that. It's just disappointing."

* Told the team they have to stick together because the next one is the "real tournament." Quickly adds he feels bad for the fans who made the trip. "This was like Rupp Arena."

* A lot of people are losing right now. You have people getting knocked off left and right. We're so young, it's a new experience for us.

* You're not changing what you do now. You just gotta get your mindset right.

* Turned quickly into a bump-and-grind game. We're not at our best when that's allowed to happen.

* Antonio Reeves never found his rhythm. Foul trouble hurt. They're not robots. Gotta get him back up for the NCAAT.

* Knows the team will fight back.

My plans changed today, don't plan on watching any games could careless.

Also thought BBN was freakin awesome at the game last night, shout out to my brothers and sisters.

You have two lottery picks and don’t start them . It is Not in the interest of the program to play favorites over what is in the best interest of the team that is paying you to coach your best. He has violated the universal duty to act in good faith . He should be gone . you can easily prove your case with analytics .
No question in my mind a Fayette County jury would Agree with UK if Calis dumb enough to fight his firing .