As I set here watching the U of L vs. Duke ... I have started to ponder a lot of topics for college basketball this year.
1. Is Duke a legit contender this year? Maybe, but I definitely have a hard time believing it after watching them get beat handily by Miami at home, which happens to come after a double digit loss to NC State. They definitely have weaknesses. There guards are not quick enough to guard other guards, and once beat they have no one to protect the rim. Jefferson and Okafer are horrendous pick and roll defenders which causes lots of problems. Sure today they are playing a zone, but they are repeatedly leaving players open for shots, as well as lifting the zone so high that the baseline is open. U of L had the lob twice and threw bad passes and are a horrible shooting team.
My guess ... Duke is a sweet 16 team at best. Although I would not be surprised to seem them loss the first weekend.
2. If U of L is truly the 6th best team in the country then how weak is college basketball. I know that UK only beat them by 8 at Louisville. However, if was UK's first road test in a very hostile environment and they played about as bad as they possibly could, yet the game never seemed to be in doubt. The win seemed more like a 15 point win.
Which leads to today's game with Duke. How can you be an elite team and only score 20 points against one of the worse teams in the country? Last two teams scored 87 and 90 points. Louisville is horribly offensively, and there D is not causing as many TO's in years past. U of L has a high ranking because of a good record against a schedule that is somewhere around 150th in the nation.
My guess ... U of L is a sweet 16 team, and only because of defense.
3. How can the SEC be as bad as the media makes them appear to be. Sure they have some bad out of conference losses. However, they have some quality wins. In addition, teams like Florida who was highly ranked, are just not getting their complete team playing together.
Now with that being said, let's consider this. U of L and North Carolina are supposedly top 4 in their conference. Kentucky beat them both handily. I think they are a conference with teams ranked too high for the level they have played. Duke and U of L have a horribly weak schedule before conference play.
Moving on to the Big 12. Once again, the best team is Kansas and how did they fare against Kentucky? Not so well if you remember. UK also easily disposed of Texas which is also one of the top teams in the conference. Yet that conference, which has quality teams but teams that I believe are ranked too high just because of conference they are in.
Last, if SEC is so weak. How has UK beat up on top tier teams from other conferences yet struggle against mid tier SEC teams Ole Miss and Texas A & M.
I know ... we played poor ... they played above their heads. However, I would go with the face that the SEC is better than advertised.
4. Is NCAA down this year. Actually I would say yes. I believe college basketball has been down since 2012. UK is elite. I have told my father in law since November ... Virginia is for real ... Have everything needed to be a contender. We know how Wisconsin is ... Yet I do not believe they are as good as their run last season. Arizona ... major weakness in back court and no go to player. Gonzaga solid ... but are they solid enough to contend for it all. Prob not. Kansas is improving but can they improve enough to be an actual contender?
My closing thoughts ... UK will cut down the nets. We may lose a game or two but I believe they are just as elite this season as the 96 and 12 teams were.
Your thought?
1. Is Duke a legit contender this year? Maybe, but I definitely have a hard time believing it after watching them get beat handily by Miami at home, which happens to come after a double digit loss to NC State. They definitely have weaknesses. There guards are not quick enough to guard other guards, and once beat they have no one to protect the rim. Jefferson and Okafer are horrendous pick and roll defenders which causes lots of problems. Sure today they are playing a zone, but they are repeatedly leaving players open for shots, as well as lifting the zone so high that the baseline is open. U of L had the lob twice and threw bad passes and are a horrible shooting team.
My guess ... Duke is a sweet 16 team at best. Although I would not be surprised to seem them loss the first weekend.
2. If U of L is truly the 6th best team in the country then how weak is college basketball. I know that UK only beat them by 8 at Louisville. However, if was UK's first road test in a very hostile environment and they played about as bad as they possibly could, yet the game never seemed to be in doubt. The win seemed more like a 15 point win.
Which leads to today's game with Duke. How can you be an elite team and only score 20 points against one of the worse teams in the country? Last two teams scored 87 and 90 points. Louisville is horribly offensively, and there D is not causing as many TO's in years past. U of L has a high ranking because of a good record against a schedule that is somewhere around 150th in the nation.
My guess ... U of L is a sweet 16 team, and only because of defense.
3. How can the SEC be as bad as the media makes them appear to be. Sure they have some bad out of conference losses. However, they have some quality wins. In addition, teams like Florida who was highly ranked, are just not getting their complete team playing together.
Now with that being said, let's consider this. U of L and North Carolina are supposedly top 4 in their conference. Kentucky beat them both handily. I think they are a conference with teams ranked too high for the level they have played. Duke and U of L have a horribly weak schedule before conference play.
Moving on to the Big 12. Once again, the best team is Kansas and how did they fare against Kentucky? Not so well if you remember. UK also easily disposed of Texas which is also one of the top teams in the conference. Yet that conference, which has quality teams but teams that I believe are ranked too high just because of conference they are in.
Last, if SEC is so weak. How has UK beat up on top tier teams from other conferences yet struggle against mid tier SEC teams Ole Miss and Texas A & M.
I know ... we played poor ... they played above their heads. However, I would go with the face that the SEC is better than advertised.
4. Is NCAA down this year. Actually I would say yes. I believe college basketball has been down since 2012. UK is elite. I have told my father in law since November ... Virginia is for real ... Have everything needed to be a contender. We know how Wisconsin is ... Yet I do not believe they are as good as their run last season. Arizona ... major weakness in back court and no go to player. Gonzaga solid ... but are they solid enough to contend for it all. Prob not. Kansas is improving but can they improve enough to be an actual contender?
My closing thoughts ... UK will cut down the nets. We may lose a game or two but I believe they are just as elite this season as the 96 and 12 teams were.
Your thought?
