Final Four Research - There are Levels to This

[AirRaid08]

To put some s**t into perspective.

In 85 years since the first NCAA Tournament

Here is the list of the coaches have went to a final four in their first year coaching or at a new school.

Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989)
Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961)
Bill Hodges (Indiana State, 1979)
Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 1998)
Bill Guthridge (North Carolina, 1998)
Denny Crum (Louisville, 1972)
Dick Harp (Kansas, 1957)
G.P. "Gus" Tebell (NC State, 1950)
Ray Meyer (DePaul, 1943)
Bruce Drake (Oklahoma, 1939)
Hubert Davis (North Carolina, 2022)

So 11. In 85 years, 11.

Not sure I didn’t miss some. But I would venture to say that all of these guys didn’t have to put an entire team together in 6 weeks.

There are levels to this.

 

[bbncal02]

To put some s**t into perspective.

In 85 years since the first NCAA Tournament

Here is the list of the coaches have went to a final four in their first year coaching or at a new school.

Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989)
Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961)
Bill Hodges (Indiana State, 1979)
Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 1998)
Bill Guthridge (North Carolina, 1998)
Denny Crum (Louisville, 1972)
Dick Harp (Kansas, 1957)
G.P. "Gus" Tebell (NC State, 1950)
Ray Meyer (DePaul, 1943)
Bruce Drake (Oklahoma, 1939)
Hubert Davis (North Carolina, 2022)

So 11. In 85 years, 11.

Not sure I didn’t miss some. But I would venture to say that all of these guys didn’t have to put an entire team together in 6 weeks.

There are levels to this.

Anyone expecting a FF this year, well, that's just crazy. But I don't think it's crazy to expect us not to give up like 78 ppg

 

[AirRaid08]

No excuses at all for our deficiencies for we all know what those are.

Just seen allot of bridge jumpers this past few weeks. I’m as disappointed as anyone.

I feel Coach will be cutting down nets in our future. It will take talent, time and luck like anyone else.

 

[ukcatz12]

Anyone expecting a FF this year, well, that's just crazy. But I don't think it's crazy to expect us not to give up like 78 ppg

I think at full strength this was a FF caliber team. It would have been crazy to expect that before the season, but it doesn't seem that crazy to expect that after we saw how this team can perform when healthy.

We currently have the 2nd best offense in the country while not having a PG. It actually got better after the Ole Miss game despite the fact that we have zero ball handlers. When we were healthy we were statistically a top 30 defense. As more guys have gotten hurt it's slowly gotten worse and worse. I think at full strength this team has an elite offense and an average at worst defense. That's probably a 1 or 2 seed in the tournament with a good shot at the Final Four.

I think part of the disappointment right now is because we got a small taste of how great this team could be only to see it ripped away due to circumstances outside of anyone's control. I honestly think even if we just had half has many injuries there are zero complaints about Pope right now. In my opinion people don't realize just how handicapped he is right now with the injuries.

 

[Digger-Cat]

The team is good enough to be the 2nd most efficient offense in the country even without point guards, so we should stop using the 'he only had 6 weeks to build a team' bit.

What we're seeing here is a lack of effort on defense, not talent or skill. They legit have to want to play defense, they clearly don't.

This team has length, size and award winning defenders, but since January 1st, we rank 218th in defensive efficiency. Does anybody really think this is from a lack of talent? It's not.

 

[AirRaid08]

The team is good enough to be the 2nd most efficient offense in the country even without point guards, so we should stop using the 'he only had 6 weeks to build a team' bit.

What we're seeing here is a lack of effort on defense, not talent or skill. They legit have to want to play defense, they clearly don't.

This team has length, size and award winning defenders, but since January 1st, we rank 218th in defensive efficiency. Does anybody really think this is from a lack of talent? It's not.

I would disagree on the six weeks thing for it’s factual. The offensive efficiency numbers are astounding taking that into consideration.

Totally agree with you on defensive. It’s just baffling we are so bad at it. Also agree that the effort just doesn’t seem to be there on that end of the floor.

 

[AJG-15]

When he got presented, Pope said in front of 25,000 BBN fans that his job is to bring a banner from year one. He put the pressure of himself. I thought that was mistake then and I think was mistake now for fans to be asking for his head after 1/2 of season.

We should give Pope at least 3 years to start building the program. By year 3 , I would expect and sweet sixteen/ elite 8 type of run and perhaps a final four in 5 years, and a title in his first 10 years.

Only Rupp won more than one NCAA title. If Pope can get us a title in 10 years he would be part of Kentucky tradition.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I don't think anyone was realistically expecting a final four.

I think given the elite offense that we still very much have, people thought we could go on a run tho.
That became doubtful depending on whether or not Butler comes back tho.

 

[Digger-Cat]

I would disagree on the six weeks thing for it’s factual. The offensive efficiency numbers are astounding taking that into consideration.

Totally agree with you on defensive. It’s just baffling we are so bad at it. Also agree that the effort just doesn’t seem to be there on that end of the floor.

Thing is, yeah, he assembled the roster in 6 weeks time, but he got the guys he really wanted. He also said he focused on guys that were good defenders.

This is about effort, not the talent level.

MP did an incredible job building this roster, he just has to get them to defend.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Anyone expecting a FF this year, well, that's just crazy. But I don't think it's crazy to expect us not to give up like 78 ppg

Yeah, who ever thought this team was a legit final four contender? I didn't. It's not talented enough.

 

[Usmcincy]

Just making the tournament this year is an impressive achievement

 

[The_Answer1313]

Even in the beginning of the season when we were sitting 10-1, there was warning signs this wasn't a final four team.

 

[Supafuzz75]

What retards were expecting a final four this year? 😂

 

[bbncal02]

Yeah, who ever thought this team was a legit final four contender? I didn't. It's not talented enough.

When we were playing decent i thought “Long shot but maybe”. I didn’t build my hopes on it but I thought maybe an outside shot.

 

[Digger-Cat]

LOL, UK was literally one of the odds on favorites to reach a FF all through December.

We were up to #4 in the country. There were signs of defensive issues, but our offense was/is ultra elite.

We weren't the only ones thinking UK could get to a FF.

Freaking NC State made it last year, it's really not that far fetched. They were a 10 seed IIRC.

 

[king of cali]

Here comes the same old tired “6 weeks to build a team excuse” lol.

No one was expecting a Final Four this year. Having a team that consistently plays hard and looks like they have a clue on defense shouldn’t be too much to ask.

 

[AirRaid08]

What retards were expecting a final four this year? 😂

Allot after 10-1.

Have you met Kentucky fans? 😂
JK

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

The team is good enough to be the 2nd most efficient offense in the country even without point guards, so we should stop using the 'he only had 6 weeks to build a team' bit.

What we're seeing here is a lack of effort on defense, not talent or skill. They legit have to want to play defense, they clearly don't.

This team has length, size and award winning defenders, but since January 1st, we rank 218th in defensive efficiency. Does anybody really think this is from a lack of talent? It's not.

Lack of athleticism. For sure. And only having 6 weeks to put a roster together is not just something people say, it’s what happened. And having the #2 offense in the country in spite of that is an amazing thing. And offensive efficiency really has nothing to do with being able to play defense. If you truly believe our guys just “don’t want” to play defense, you’re being silly.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Lack of athleticism. For sure. And only having 6 weeks to put a roster together is not just something people say, it’s what happened. And having the #2 offense in the country in spite of that is an amazing thing. And offensive efficiency really has nothing to do with being able to play defense. If you truly believe our guys just “don’t want” to play defense, you’re being silly.

But it's not a lack of athletesism. These guys don’t know where to be, they don't recover and they go under screens. That's a lack of effort, concentration and communication and I'm not the only one saying that. Pretty much every analyst that talks about our putrid defense says the same things.

We're the worst defense in all of the power 6 conferences. You mean to tell me teams like Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Providence, Florida State, Oklahoma State and Washington, have better athletes?

We are 218th since January 1st and I'll say this, there was a noticable difference in our defensive intensity in the 2nd half Tuesday night, so they certainly can play decent defense if they wanted to.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

But it's not a lack of athletesism. These guys don’t know where to be, they don't recover and they go under screens. That's a lack of effort, concentration and communication and I'm not the only one saying that. Pretty much every analyst that talks about our putrid defense says the same things.

We're the worst defense in all of the power 6 conferences. You mean to tell me teams like Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Providence, Florida State, Oklahoma State and Washington, have better athletes?

We are 218th since January 1st and I'll say this, there was a noticable difference in our defensive intensity in the 2nd half Tuesday night, so they certainly can play decent defense if they wanted to.

First half of Ole Miss - yes it was garbage. I’ll give you that half. But I thought it was more a sign of complete dejection. When we tried that zone - 100% was a sign of our guys just not knowing what the hell they were doing, and the effort was questionable after that for rest of half. But generally, in most every other game, the guys want to play better D, they just don’t seem to be able to do it.

 

[Digger-Cat]

First half of Ole Miss - yes it was garbage. I’ll give you that half. But I thought it was more a sign of complete dejection. When we tried that zone - 100% was a sign of our guys just not knowing what the hell they were doing, and the effort was questionable after that for rest of half. But generally, in most every other game, the guys want to play better D, they just don’t seem to be able to do it.

You have to go into these games fully locked and loaded to defend hard. Our guys just don't have that mindset and I can't blame them, they are focusing on offensive execution.

Their defensive intensity in the 2nd half was really good, not top 10 good, but very good.

They have themselves to blame for getting down by 27 in the first half. Their effort on defense from the opening tip, was awful. Seems like we get behind in every game in the 1st half now and it's because our guys are not fully committed to defending with their hair on fire. You can't just hope the other team misses.

Hopefully our guys got the message now

 

[Edgarman]

Thing is, yeah, he assembled the roster in 6 weeks time, but he got the guys he really wanted. He also said he focused on guys that were good defenders.

This is about effort, not the talent level.

MP did an incredible job building this roster, he just has to get them to defend.

Coach Pope made his portal recruiting seemingly based on offense performance. I think the mistake made was not trying to balance his recruiting with defense being part of the equation. A team can't really be complete with all shooters. Certainly it was and is fun when everyone is hitting but that does not happen when we play defensive minder teams. Florida did not play defense the night we outscored them but looking at our loses we failed to guard and were not knocking down high percentage of our 3s. Most good teams usually have two really good scorers but 3 average shooters but 5 kids playing solid defense. Auburn has two "scorers" but 5 defensive players. Bama , TN, and Missouri have similar makeup. Officiating has changed in last few years allowing more physical play and the four previously mentioned teams have embraced this style of play. Pope needs to embrace the new trend of physical play. I know each game we have fans screaming about officials but if you had watched the TN/Missouri game last night you wuld have seen the new style of "letting them play." Both teams probably needed a whirlpool treatment after the game for bruises. Do I like tht style, Hell no, but is the new officiating style that you MUST adapt to.