Anonymous Coaches on UK’s Defense

[DreadLox]

Speaking of reading charts. Here we are, dumbass. Updated 2/20/24

NCAA Basketball Stats - NCAA BB Team Defensive Efficiency | TeamRankings.com

NCAA Basketball defensive efficiency, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

134th

Is that merely cumulative or weighted toward the present? I have no idea of its methodology. Do you? I really doubt that there's a parameter in there for "recent addition of three 7+ players to the team." If the delay in adding the players was deliberate it would be called sandbagging or bringing in a ringer.
Odds makers and touts will account for the newcomers in their spreads. Calipari's critics should too.

The idea that we're the same team we were at the beginning of the season is nuts.

 

[catsfanbgky]

Another big key to this better effort, Thiero is playing like he is capable of playing. getting consistency from him and his intensity has been crucial. Same with Edwards (not to the extend of Thiero obviously) and others. I think the biggest thing is balance. What I mean by that is, keep enough offense on the floor, but also have guys who are playing defense as part of the formula. I have never been one of the fans screaming "play Sheppard, Dillingham, Reeves, and such and such, they are our best scorers". Well yes they are, but can they get stops ? Need 3 scorers (or capable scorers) and 2 of the best defenders (Thiero / Onyenso) on the floor as much as possible. Even at that, we have to have the "scorers" buy in and give max effort at the defensive end. But fans have to understand that if the guys are giving 100% max effort at BOTH ends, Cal will / and does sub in and out, Players need a breather, if not they will reach and foul. Just we do not need Cal rolling out Thiero, Onyenso, Burks, Wagner and whom ever, has to be players who can score on the floor just like defenders. Need a nice balance, do not go heavy either way when subbing.

 

[Smashcat]

👍

 

[otis-gip]

it’s very alarming how every player on this team gets beat off the dribble. I just don’t understand how none of them cannot stay in front of their man.

If taking the ball out of the net after an opponent score does not bother you, then failing at any other aspect of defense will not matter either.

 

[wccat2969]

I don’t understand why a coach would always stick with running just a man to man defense with the roster turnover we have each year. I would run whatever suited my roster and whatever was best against our opponents. I believe had we ran a 1-3-1 defense against Calhouns last title team, we would have won the national championship that season. Louisville destroyed them that year running that defense. Look at what the 1-3-1 did to us in Cals first tournament against WVU.

Most times Reed and Dillingham play zone anyway. They will leave their assignment at any time to guard another player.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Mike-D clearly doesn't understand how development across a season works. Mike-D knows he has no argument to make, so he moves the goalposts and decides to ramble about irrelevant otherwise topics

"We're sooooo bad boooohooo booohoo, we lost 3 games in a row, boooohoooo". UK then snags 2 great wins, best 2 defensive performances of the season, then we get: "BUT HE DIDNT PLAY ZONE!!!! BUT BIG Z DIDNT PLAY!!! BUT CAL IS STILL THE COACH!!! ARGGHHH!!!"

lmao, get a grip man

The following night…..a loss to 13-12 LSU.

Some of us have that grip on reality. Cal sucks.

 

[crestcat]

The following night…..a loss to 13-12 LSU.

Some of us have that grip on reality. Cal sucks.

Trust Cal, he can’t help himself, a little success and he has to double down and produce a loss every bit as bad as the win was good. From Swaggy to Saggy.

 

[TheDude73]

I gave up on this article 3 paragraphs in because 1) they won't let you read with an ad blocker, so I had to turn it off, and 2) their ads are SO FREAKIN ANNOYING - flashing, popping up, running mini-videos, in some cases the same mini video in two spots that I can't stop (much like Cats Illustrated with that damned video just to the right that I can't do anything about even with Adblocker on and a video autoplay blocker active).

I understand these sites need to get paid to keep the doors open, but they can do that without annoying the shit out of readers, blocking the article, constantly flashing ads to the point that I think I may have a seizure.

Just painful.