Fully aware that Kentucky plays Mizzou next, but let's talk about the one that College Gameday will be present for, and the one that everybody's eyes will be on. Will likely be the hardest game that Kentucky has had all season, especially in a place like Phog Allen Fieldhouse, and it'll be exciting to watch.
Just wanted to throw some info out, and have some discussion about the game. Leave some opinions.
Starting 5 for Kentucky:
Tyler Ulis (5'9")
Jamal Murray (6'4")
Isaiah Briscoe (6'3")
Derek Willis (6'9")
Alex Poythress (6'8")
Starting 5 for Kansas:
Frank Mason (5'11")
Devonte Graham (6'2")
Wayne Selden (6'5")
Landen Lucas (6'10")
Perry Ellis (6'8")
Over the last 5 games:
Tyler Ulis vs Frank Mason
Tyler Ulis has averaged 18.5 PPG (44.3% FG, 35.3% 3PT), 6.2 AST, 4.4 REB, 1 STL, 1.8 TO
Frank Mason has averaged 13.2 PPG (34.0% FG, 38.1% 3PT), 2.8 AST, 6.4 REB, 0.8 STL, 2.6 TO
==
Devonte Graham vs Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray has averaged 20 PPG (45% FG, 36.8% 3PT), 1.6 AST, 5 REB, 1.8 STL, 1.8 TO
Devonte Graham has averaged 9 PPG (39.5% FG, 42.1% 3PT) 4.4 AST, 2.6 REB, 0.4 STL, 1.4 TO
==
Isaiah Briscoe vs Wayne Selden
(This may be the most important match-up. Their best perimeter offensive player vs our best on-ball defender)
Isaiah Briscoe has averaged 8.4 PPG (43.5% FG, 0% 3PT [on 3 shots]), 3.4 AST, 4.6 REB, 0.6 STL, 1.6 TO
Wayne Selden has averaged 11.4 PPG (38.5%FG%, 34.5% 3PT), 1.8 AST, 2.8 REB, 0.8 STL, 3 TO
==
Alex Poythress vs Perry Ellis
(I'll always feel good about Poythress vs Ellis after what Poy did to Ellis last year, athletically, Poy is on another level, and at the same size as Ellis)
Alex Poythress has averaged 12 PPG (64.7% FG, 0% 3PT [on 3 shots]), 5.2 REB, 1 BLK, 0.4 STL
Perry Ellis has averaged 17 PPG (48.4% FG, 36.4 3PT), 6.6 REB, 1 BLK, 0.8 STL
==
Derek Willis vs Landen Lucas
Derek Willis has averaged 7.8 PPG (44.8% FG, 41.2% 3PT), 6.4 REB, 1.4 BLK, 0.8 STL
Landen Lucas has averaged 2.4 PPG (50% FG, 0% 3PT [on 0 shots]), 4.8 REB, 0.4 BLK, 0 STL
==
A couple of things I want to note:
I just wanted to say that Ulis has turned it up to another level recently. 20 points and 5 rebounds in 6 of the last 8 games. For reference, over the past 20 years, only 1 other PG at Kentucky has had 6 different 20 point, 5 assist games in his 4 year career. John Wall accumulated 5 such games in his 37 games here. If you're looking for a point guard who has played better basketball than Ulis as of late, you won't find him.
Also would like to say that Derek Willis' rebounding averages have come down because of the two games prior to that little chat he had with his father, which apparently turned him into the best rebounder on the team because he's attacking the basket hard on rebounds. Over the last 3 games, Willis has averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, and really, he's playing much better defense all over the floor.
==
As I mentioned, winning in Phog Allen Fieldhouse is one very difficult task, but I feel much more confident about the game now than I did a couple of weeks ago before Derek Willis stepped up his game and elevated our entire team as a result of his effort.
Right now, as of late, Kentucky is playing better basketball than Kansas is. Our Cats will need to apply the same kind of pressure that they've been applying out on the perimeter against the 2 best 3PT shooting teams in the SEC, and Alex Poythress will need to do what he did to Perry Ellis last year. If you take away Wayne Selden and Perry Ellis, you beat Kansas. I'm confident that we can do that because Poythress, inconsistent or not on offense, is made to defend stretch 4's like Ellis, and Briscoe will bring his usual game and contest Wayne Selden who is typically loose with the basketball (which will be dangerous for KU against our best on-ball defender).
I think the dynamic that our offense brings with Willis in the game will also be big for us. He spaces the floor, and Kansas doesn't have somebody that can defend the post well (that Bill Self will put in the game because he's a freshman). Nobody here, nor there, will ever convince me that Frank Mason, Devonte Graham, and Wayne Selden can defend Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray, and Isaiah Briscoe off the bounce (and here lately, nobody has been able to defend Ulis or Murray, period).
Discuss.
Just wanted to throw some info out, and have some discussion about the game. Leave some opinions.
Starting 5 for Kentucky:
Tyler Ulis (5'9")
Jamal Murray (6'4")
Isaiah Briscoe (6'3")
Derek Willis (6'9")
Alex Poythress (6'8")
Starting 5 for Kansas:
Frank Mason (5'11")
Devonte Graham (6'2")
Wayne Selden (6'5")
Landen Lucas (6'10")
Perry Ellis (6'8")
Over the last 5 games:
Tyler Ulis vs Frank Mason
Tyler Ulis has averaged 18.5 PPG (44.3% FG, 35.3% 3PT), 6.2 AST, 4.4 REB, 1 STL, 1.8 TO
Frank Mason has averaged 13.2 PPG (34.0% FG, 38.1% 3PT), 2.8 AST, 6.4 REB, 0.8 STL, 2.6 TO
==
Devonte Graham vs Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray has averaged 20 PPG (45% FG, 36.8% 3PT), 1.6 AST, 5 REB, 1.8 STL, 1.8 TO
Devonte Graham has averaged 9 PPG (39.5% FG, 42.1% 3PT) 4.4 AST, 2.6 REB, 0.4 STL, 1.4 TO
==
Isaiah Briscoe vs Wayne Selden
(This may be the most important match-up. Their best perimeter offensive player vs our best on-ball defender)
Isaiah Briscoe has averaged 8.4 PPG (43.5% FG, 0% 3PT [on 3 shots]), 3.4 AST, 4.6 REB, 0.6 STL, 1.6 TO
Wayne Selden has averaged 11.4 PPG (38.5%FG%, 34.5% 3PT), 1.8 AST, 2.8 REB, 0.8 STL, 3 TO
==
Alex Poythress vs Perry Ellis
(I'll always feel good about Poythress vs Ellis after what Poy did to Ellis last year, athletically, Poy is on another level, and at the same size as Ellis)
Alex Poythress has averaged 12 PPG (64.7% FG, 0% 3PT [on 3 shots]), 5.2 REB, 1 BLK, 0.4 STL
Perry Ellis has averaged 17 PPG (48.4% FG, 36.4 3PT), 6.6 REB, 1 BLK, 0.8 STL
==
Derek Willis vs Landen Lucas
Derek Willis has averaged 7.8 PPG (44.8% FG, 41.2% 3PT), 6.4 REB, 1.4 BLK, 0.8 STL
Landen Lucas has averaged 2.4 PPG (50% FG, 0% 3PT [on 0 shots]), 4.8 REB, 0.4 BLK, 0 STL
==
A couple of things I want to note:
I just wanted to say that Ulis has turned it up to another level recently. 20 points and 5 rebounds in 6 of the last 8 games. For reference, over the past 20 years, only 1 other PG at Kentucky has had 6 different 20 point, 5 assist games in his 4 year career. John Wall accumulated 5 such games in his 37 games here. If you're looking for a point guard who has played better basketball than Ulis as of late, you won't find him.
Also would like to say that Derek Willis' rebounding averages have come down because of the two games prior to that little chat he had with his father, which apparently turned him into the best rebounder on the team because he's attacking the basket hard on rebounds. Over the last 3 games, Willis has averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, and really, he's playing much better defense all over the floor.
==
As I mentioned, winning in Phog Allen Fieldhouse is one very difficult task, but I feel much more confident about the game now than I did a couple of weeks ago before Derek Willis stepped up his game and elevated our entire team as a result of his effort.
Right now, as of late, Kentucky is playing better basketball than Kansas is. Our Cats will need to apply the same kind of pressure that they've been applying out on the perimeter against the 2 best 3PT shooting teams in the SEC, and Alex Poythress will need to do what he did to Perry Ellis last year. If you take away Wayne Selden and Perry Ellis, you beat Kansas. I'm confident that we can do that because Poythress, inconsistent or not on offense, is made to defend stretch 4's like Ellis, and Briscoe will bring his usual game and contest Wayne Selden who is typically loose with the basketball (which will be dangerous for KU against our best on-ball defender).
I think the dynamic that our offense brings with Willis in the game will also be big for us. He spaces the floor, and Kansas doesn't have somebody that can defend the post well (that Bill Self will put in the game because he's a freshman). Nobody here, nor there, will ever convince me that Frank Mason, Devonte Graham, and Wayne Selden can defend Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray, and Isaiah Briscoe off the bounce (and here lately, nobody has been able to defend Ulis or Murray, period).
Discuss.
![[laughing]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/laugh.r191677.gif "Laughing [laughing]")
