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Consistency & Fundamentals

Yeah, I will admit, I was disappointed with the effort at Ole Miss. I would have thought, after losing to Kansas, the team would come out focused and playing with passion in that game, especially realizing how important it was. A loss there would have meant the team is OUT of the tournament once again. I was hoping to see the team that won 4 straight and was playing with purpose. I thought our offense looked ok in spurts, but the defense didn't make the trip, apparently. We looked like we expected an easy W with very little effort needed defensively. So, now we've seen that these guys can be very good defensively when they want to be, so we're expecting it every time out. It's frustrating when you don't see it.
 
Don't forget, "we are everyone's Super Bowl!"

You have to expect these types of games to happen. We just happen to be seeing them more often.🤓
 
Yeah, I will admit, I was disappointed with the effort at Ole Miss. I would have thought, after losing to Kansas, the team would come out focused and playing with passion in that game, especially realizing how important it was. A loss there would have meant the team is OUT of the tournament once again. I was hoping to see the team that won 4 straight and was playing with purpose. I thought our offense looked ok in spurts, but the defense didn't make the trip, apparently. We looked like we expected an easy W with very little effort needed defensively. So, now we've seen that these guys can be very good defensively when they want to be, so we're expecting it every time out. It's frustrating when you don't see it.

Great Point on being taught, we have seen it.. But no Consistency? Frustrating as you stated, how do you become Consistent or what does it take to achieve it?

It’s been a problem for Cal now for a few years. Injuries does not help , but We still haven’t seen it this entire year!!!
 
Yeah, I will admit, I was disappointed with the effort at Ole Miss. I would have thought, after losing to Kansas, the team would come out focused and playing with passion in that game, especially realizing how important it was. A loss there would have meant the team is OUT of the tournament once again. I was hoping to see the team that won 4 straight and was playing with purpose. I thought our offense looked ok in spurts, but the defense didn't make the trip, apparently. We looked like we expected an easy W with very little effort needed defensively. So, now we've seen that these guys can be very good defensively when they want to be, so we're expecting it every time out. It's frustrating when you don't see it.
Agree that has been my main gripe(yes I admit I have others) all year. We never know what to expect from game to game. We haven't played with apparent passion all year. Just for the sake of discussion is it the players or the coaching? This is by Kentucky standards a veteran team. Cal shouldn't have to teach too many basics and players should have a good understanding of what it takes to play the college game.

You are a knowledgeable poster when it comes to UK basketball and the college game in general ,care to speculate on what gives with this team?
 
Our entire defensive approach lacks fundamentals.

Rarely do we maintain a low seated position on defense, and opponents easily drive and get us on their hip for an easy layup or a foul.

Rarely do we maintain a "ball man basket" defensive position.

Rarely do we close out well without risking fouling the shooter.

Rarely do we seek out a defender on a shot in order to box out.

For a coach that has been described as a strong teacher of defense in the past, Cow Perry sure isn't showing it.
 
Agree that has been my main gripe(yes I admit I have others) all year. We never know what to expect from game to game. We haven't played with apparent passion all year. Just for the sake of discussion is it the players or the coaching? This is by Kentucky standards a veteran team. Cal shouldn't have to teach too many basics and players should have a good understanding of what it takes to play the college game.

You are a knowledgeable poster when it comes to UK basketball and the college game in general ,care to speculate on what gives with this team?
I really don't know docholiday. I wish I had some answers. I've always been of the mind that you control what you can control. You can't always control when shots are falling, but you CAN control how you play defensively. It's a good thing our shots were falling on Tuesday (and many of theirs weren't- I think they missed 3 layups down the stretch). Otherwise, that game would have been way too close for comfort. Actually, if I'm being fair, I thought our defense was better against Kansas, and it could have been a win if our shots had been falling. But against Ole Miss, the defensive effort wasn't there, not consistently. We played defense in spurts.

I will say this, and it's no compliment to this team. From the beginning of the year, I've noticed that this team is especially susceptible to allowing missed shots and poor offense affect its defense. They hang their heads and get frustrated when they aren't scoring and then they play with little effort and energy on the other end. I think it's mental with this group. They have the ability to be a very good defensive team. We've seen it. They just don't do it.
 
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I really don't know docholiday. I wish I had some answers. I've always been of the mind that you control what you can control. You can't always control when shots are falling, but you CAN control how you play defensively. It's a good thing our shots were falling on Tuesday (and many of theirs weren't- I think they missed 3 layups down the stretch). Otherwise, that game would have been way too close for comfort. Actually, if I'm being fair, I thought our defense was better against Kansas, and it could have been a win if our shots had been falling. But against Ole Miss, the defensive effort wasn't there, not consistently. We played defense in spurts.

I will say this, and it's no compliment to this team. From the beginning of the year, I've noticed that this team is especially susceptible to allowing missed shots and poor offense affect its defense. They hang their heads and get frustrated when they aren't scoring and then they play with little effort and energy on the other end. I think it's mental with this group. They have the ability to be a very good defensive team. We've seen it. They just don't do it.
As I said in a previous post KU hit 2 3's as the shot clock expired. We were in the game and played enough defense to win if we had been able to throw the ball in the ocean from a boat at sea. We (as a team) spend periods of time in games just going thru the motions. Maybe that isn't fixable but it should be I think.
 
We (as a team) spend periods of time in games just going thru the motions. Maybe that isn't fixable but it should be I think.
Good coaching can fix that kind of thing.


Oh, wait. Never mind. I said GOOD coaching.

images
 
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Our entire defensive approach lacks fundamentals.

Rarely do we maintain a low seated position on defense, and opponents easily drive and get us on their hip for an easy layup or a foul.

Rarely do we maintain a "ball man basket" defensive position.

Rarely do we close out well without risking fouling the shooter.

Rarely do we seek out a defender on a shot in order to box out.

For a coach that has been described as a strong teacher of defense in the past, Cow Perry sure isn't showing it.
We are very poor on fundamentals on both sides of the ball actually. We have been for a long time.

I'm still not sure what the players are actually taught in practice unless it's just NBA combine drills and interview practice.
 
I really don't know docholiday. I wish I had some answers. I've always been of the mind that you control what you can control. You can't always control when shots are falling, but you CAN control how you play defensively. It's a good thing our shots were falling on Tuesday (and many of theirs weren't- I think they missed 3 layups down the stretch). Otherwise, that game would have been way too close for comfort. Actually, if I'm being fair, I thought our defense was better against Kansas, and it could have been a win if our shots had been falling. But against Ole Miss, the defensive effort wasn't there, not consistently. We played defense in spurts.

I will say this, and it's no compliment to this team. From the beginning of the year, I've noticed that this team is especially susceptible to allowing missed shots and poor offense affect its defense. They hang their heads and get frustrated when they aren't scoring and then they play with little effort and energy on the other end. I think it's mental with this group. They have the ability to be a very good defensive team. We've seen it. They just don't do it.
1. Defense involves effort!
2. 5 players knowing where the ball is and where their man is at all times.
3. The main requirement for a good defensive team is staying between your man and the basket.

Defense is not sexy and will not make the highlights. But when you are struggling to score, it is even more essential. In high school, we were taught to overplay our man on his strong side, which meant if he was right handed you tried to make him go left and thus slow him down. Understand that college players can use their opposite hand better than HS kids but the concept is the same. Our opponents should make Wheeler go right because he goes left constantly. We don’t Execute 1-3 very well or overplay. Agree with IL Wildcat, they just don’t do it. Coaching!!
 
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