Does anyone else feel this way?

[caneintally]

I usually avoid the boards as people when you lose have zero perspective but does anyone else actually not have much worries about this team? I mean if you have seen us under Cal you know we lose on the road in league 3-5 times usually and then barring an injury we start picking it up in late Feb/early March . I am surprised we lost this game but when the refs just flat out suck and a guy shoots out his butt it happens . I can honestly say I am not concerned at all beyond of Poythress' up and down play . That is my only concern and it is a real one but I saw Poy wins tourney games 2 years ago so I know he can play well. I fully expect to come in 2nd in the SEC behind A&M and win the SECT , get a 4 or 5 seed and make the final 4. March is about guards and boy do we have them. I mean everyone including Oklahoma and UNC are just slightly above average this year. Anyways, thought I would bring some rational moderation to this board since most are jumping off buildings like they do after every single loss LOL. GO CATS!

 

[JerseyCat84]

lol

 

[BourbonBalz]

No, I have zero faith in this team. No post game = early tournament exit. We have several great athletes at the four and five spots, but they are far from great players. As much as I love Cal, I think he's done a poor job coaching this year. This team is no better now than it was in the first game of the season. In some ways it's worse. I will continue to watch, support, and hope, but I have no faith they will turn it around. Not after today. This was a horrible loss.

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

I don't think we are going to see another repeat of 2014. That team had the players to do it, this one doesn't. Our frontcourt is a liability. That's it in a nutshell really. Can't make a title run when you have no inside threat at all.

 

[FilsonCat]

This is Cal's worst team. Maybe not talent-wise, but top to bottom, the least capable to play against physical basketball teams.

The way rule changes to reduce physical play have been enforced have been largely ignored in SEC play, or very selectively enforced.

SEC basketball contests involving UK are really unwatchable at present because of the officiating issues.

We certainly have been playing terrible basketball, but having to overcome a 12 made freethrow disadvantage on the road is very tough.

Especially against an Auburn team that was allowed to hack and shove at will against a less physical team.

 

[kyeric]

I usually avoid the boards as people when you lose have zero perspective but does anyone else actually not have much worries about this team? I mean if you have seen us under Cal you know we lose on the road in league 3-5 times usually and then barring an injury we start picking it up in late Feb/early March . I am surprised we lost this game but when the refs just flat out suck and a guy shoots out his butt it happens . I can honestly say I am not concerned at all beyond of Poythress' up and down play . That is my only concern and it is a real one but I saw Poy wins tourney games 2 years ago so I know he can play well. I fully expect to come in 2nd in the SEC behind A&M and win the SECT , get a 4 or 5 seed and make the final 4. March is about guards and boy do we have them. I mean everyone including Oklahoma and UNC are just slightly above average this year. Anyways, thought I would bring some rational moderation to this board since most are jumping off buildings like they do after every single loss LOL. GO CATS!

I wish I had that confidence in these guys.

I did have at at least a little glimmer, even up until 4pm today. I figured we were 13-3 coming off a nice road win against a decent Alabama team and a home win where we were up 20 or 22. I thought we'd take care of business @Auburn and @Arkansas before getting a couple more at home and be 17-3 headed to Kansas. At 6pm, it was the first time I started to think, I can't wait to get the new guys in next year. I'm dreading the game in Lawrence. I'm dreading the game in Fayetteville for that matter. Any road game is going to be a nightmare.

At this point, I'm hoping we can avoid a 10-loss season and stay in the top 25 all year.

As Cal has said all year, we have a loooooong way to go.

 

[420grover]

Yes. I truly don't care. After 2014, I said that I was done with caring about what happens during the regular season. It's all about March.

 

[jameslee32]

Same arguments, different year. FARRRRR CAL!!!

 

[cats2010]

Thinking this team will do anything in March is laughable. This is easily the worst team of the cal era including the NIT team. If this team makes it out of the first weekend it will be a huge success.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Give the OP credit as being a true HOMER. Some damn thick Blue shades.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I usually avoid the boards as people when you lose have zero perspective but does anyone else actually not have much worries about this team? I mean if you have seen us under Cal you know we lose on the road in league 3-5 times usually and then barring an injury we start picking it up in late Feb/early March . I am surprised we lost this game but when the refs just flat out suck and a guy shoots out his butt it happens . I can honestly say I am not concerned at all beyond of Poythress' up and down play . That is my only concern and it is a real one but I saw Poy wins tourney games 2 years ago so I know he can play well. I fully expect to come in 2nd in the SEC behind A&M and win the SECT , get a 4 or 5 seed and make the final 4. March is about guards and boy do we have them. I mean everyone including Oklahoma and UNC are just slightly above average this year. Anyways, thought I would bring some rational moderation to this board since most are jumping off buildings like they do after every single loss LOL. GO CATS!

Good post.

I don't know. On one hand you can look at 2011 and 2014 and say those teams struggled too especially on the road and in the end we were fine. And people want to point out those teams had superior talent but those teams also looked like crap at points during the season.

Also sometimes teams just shoot an insane percentage. Sometimes you just have to say the opponent played outta their minds and move on.

Then again, the way they have lost some of these games are concerning. Not so much this one but OSU and UCLA.

I don't know. With Cal tho I'm never gonna bet against them figuring this thing out

 

[ukwazoo]

I'm like you for the most part, but Skal's struggles and Ulis's outside shooting are two other worries for me.

 

[jolivesr]

Pearl is about to start winning big time in the SEC

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I don't think we are going to see another repeat of 2014. That team had the players to do it, this one doesn't. Our frontcourt is a liability. That's it in a nutshell really. Can't make a title run when you have no inside threat at all.

We're seeing now that the '14 team had one real NBA player (after WCS went down) and that was Randle. The rest of the team - twins, Young, Dakari, Poythress - were and still are all NBA d-league guys.

I don't think this team has that high of a mountain to climb if we're comparing them to the '14 team. This team just needs Poythress to wake the hell up. If it happens, I think the overall talent is comparable. This year's group has a vastly superior backcourt to the '14 team.

That said, the '14 team was very fortunate to make it to the title game. If Harrison doesn't make a bank three against WSU, UK's season would have ended in the second round.

I think one tactic Cal might want to consider more is that of moving Poythress and Willis into the frontline together. Yes, they'd give up some rebounding to the opposing teams, but that's already happening on a nightly basis. Might as well finesse it up and play to this team's few strengths - guard play.

It's hard for Tyler to play to his strengths when he doesn't have multiple options to kick the ball to. Lee gives nothing offensively. It's almost embarrassing at this point.

 

[qwesley]

Cane just needs to start using the term "bigguns"

 

[The_Answer1313]

If we are waiting on Poy to pick it up we are going to be waiting all season long.

I think Poy is what he is at this point. Wildly inconsistent

 

[jolivesr]

Cane just needs to start using the term "bigguns"

As in McBigguns

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Yes. I truly don't care. After 2014, I said that I was done with caring about what happens during the regular season. It's all about March.

You're on point.

So, does UK have enough for March? Elite guards with some guys who at least have potential at the forward positions in Willis and Poythress? I think it's enough to make some noise on a neutral court. That's all you can ask in a down season after you've lost 7 guys to the draft.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

If we are waiting on Poy to pick it up we are going to be waiting all season long.

I think Poy is what he is at this point. Wildly inconsistent

I agree, but you've got to try to get something from him because Lee offers zilch on offense.

I think the following unit might be the best unit:

F - Poythress
F - Willis
G - Murray
G - Briscoe
G - Ulis

If Lee doesn't defend (and he's been rather pedestrian lately) he adds no value. Willis at least stretches the floor and Poythress offers an adequate array of low post moves. Both of them are competent rebounders.

Bottom line is this team is limited. Got to go with your strengths. I would love to see them start shooting more threes and speeding up tempo. Cal wants to grind it out, but I'm not sure this team can sustain the junkyard dog approach for 40 minutes. They're obviously too much of a finesse team.

 

[Xception]

I'm not worried , this team will develop later than most and we will be fine .

 

[Ben101er]

I usually avoid the boards as people when you lose have zero perspective but does anyone else actually not have much worries about this team? I mean if you have seen us under Cal you know we lose on the road in league 3-5 times usually and then barring an injury we start picking it up in late Feb/early March . I am surprised we lost this game but when the refs just flat out suck and a guy shoots out his butt it happens . I can honestly say I am not concerned at all beyond of Poythress' up and down play . That is my only concern and it is a real one but I saw Poy wins tourney games 2 years ago so I know he can play well. I fully expect to come in 2nd in the SEC behind A&M and win the SECT , get a 4 or 5 seed and make the final 4. March is about guards and boy do we have them. I mean everyone including Oklahoma and UNC are just slightly above average this year. Anyways, thought I would bring some rational moderation to this board since most are jumping off buildings like they do after every single loss LOL. GO CATS!

I usually feel this way, but not so much, this year. Reason being is that I don't see us improving where this team needs it most, and that is inside presence. Poy and Lee have been here for years, and they had 9 pts and 7 rebounds between them, in 40 minutes. Unless Wynyard can get in shape, and give us some scoring and toughness, down low, I don't think another month and a half are going to benefit Poy and Marcus. I like them both. I think they are great people. But, they are just not going to take us where we want to go, on the basketball floor.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I agree, but you've got to try to get something from him because Lee offers zilch on offense.

I think the following unit might be the best unit:

F - Poythress
F - Willis
G - Murray
G - Briscoe
G - Ulis

If Lee doesn't defend (and he's been rather pedestrian lately) he adds no value. Willis at least stretches the floor and Poythress offers an adequate array of low post moves. Both of them are competent rebounders.

Bottom line is this team is limited. Got to go with your strengths. I would love to see them start shooting more threes and speeding up tempo. Cal wants to grind it out, but I'm not sure this team can sustain the junkyard dog approach for 40 minutes. They're obviously too much of a finesse team.

Thing is taking Lee out takes away a major strength of ours (offensive rebounding). Lee rebounds 16% of our misses. Poy 10% and the rest are too low to mention. We ranked 7th in offensive rebounding %. At this point, that's the only thing we do really well.

The flipside to that is having Lee in the game while helps us on the boards, limits us offensively in all other areas. He really can't shoot well, has no post game and can't make free throws.

I have no idea the answer.

 

[uk78]

The idea that we should ignore the season with the hopes that post season will be different is ridiculous. Only one team can win it all and we should worry about winning the SEC, the SEC tourney, and then post season.

Plus It isn't about winning and losing when you compare other past Kentucky teams, instead it is how they played. You go on the road to face some highly ranked teams like Florida at the time, etc. and you lose though playing well,that's OK. You go on the road and lose to a crummy Auburn team and play poorly? That's a completely different story.

This current team looks pretty bad on the interior and I don't see the solution or the comparison to our past teams. Lets face it, Lee was O.K coming off the bench the past few seasons but as a starter he is just O.K. Poy? Oy? Poy is a senior, when do you think things are going to change? Skal? The most significant recruiting miss I think I can ever recall. Unless Wynyard is a secret weapon waiting to be played in the post, this year is going to remain a huge disappointment (remember pre-season for better or worse we were ranked number one). We will win some games but this is Kentucky.

 

[Spica Orbit]

I did have at at least a little glimmer, even up until 4pm today. I figured we were 13-3 coming off a nice road win against a decent Alabama team and a home win where we were up 20 or 22. I thought we'd take care of business @Auburn and @Arkansas before getting a couple more at home and be 17-3 headed to Kansas. At 6pm, it was the first time I started to think, I can't wait to get the new guys in next year.
---
And what makes you think the "new guys" for next year will perform any better than this year's freshmen? It'll be the same thing next year, athletes, but few basketball players.

Spica Orbit

 

[CATS1945]

Some calls were BS. Even Cal mentioned it which is unusual

 

[CharlieT71059]

I get upset for a few minutes after a loss but get over it pretty quick

 

[katkraze]

The cats will be a 4-5 seed - no big deal

 

[aceman509]

People that say with a straight face that this team is worse than the NIT team need to leave this board because they are either stupid, trolls, or both.

The NIT team had 0 wins as impressive as Duke or Louisville. They also didn't beat a team as good as Alabama (Alabama isn't great, but they are middle of the conference) on the road by 16.

I agree with OP for the most part. I am still a little worried, as obviously I would be much more confident if we were winning these games, but if history is an indicator we will be right in the thick of it come March. You had to have gone into SEC play this year penciling in 5 road losses. Funny how the same fans that thought we'd go 16-2 or better in the conference are now the ones saying we would be lucky to even win 20 for the season. They just don't think realistically. This is what freshman Cal teams do during January and February. It is frustrating, sure, but I have faith this team will have it figured out by March.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

We start 5 5 star payers. 2 are upperclassmen, one is anot experiencedo sophomore. I'm not sure what the problem is.

 

[ukfan03]

I saw a couple bad foul calls in the first half on Poythress. I think that really hurt him.

 

[Floydboy12]

I actually was not as frustrated with our play yesterday as I was during the MSU game. I thought for about 27-28 minutes we played hard and fairly well. The last 10 minutes not so much. It's hard to win on the road when the other team is making prayer shots and getting a completely different whistle than you are. That being said, a good team has to fight through and find a way to win. We have to learn to do that. It's time Cal stops with the lip service of not playing guys who haven't earned it and actually follows through with the threat. It's time to see if we have anything with Humphries and Wynyard.

 

[Supreme Lord Z]

 

[BigBlueFan1963]

If we are waiting on Poy to pick it up we are going to be waiting all season long.

I think Poy is what he is at this point. Wildly inconsistent

Definition of no perspective.

 

[kats23]

This team is just a mixed bag. 3 point guards and I think you see why teams in the past don't play 3 PG at a time. What was supposed to be lob city again has become 3 guys who are sometimes too aggressive, too tentative, and not a good enough front court to bail them out. You put in the miss with Skal, the projects on this team, and again another UK team without an athletic 3 and you have what we see on the court. It's an inconsistent lineup so you have inconsistent results.

Maybe this team can figure it out but not without some major tinkering and probably some egos may have to get hurt.

 

[bigbluedon]

Cal is scared to play Humphries or Tai because we might lose. Humphries played a lot against Duke and we lost. Oh wait, no we didn't.