Has Kentucky peaked yet?

[ukfan1622]

I don't think they have peaked. I think they've been improving in a number of areas but injuries have hidden some of it.
It's just my an opinion from a nobody but I really believe that if Kentucky can get Butler and Carr healthy they'll be a team nobody wants to face.

 

[Skyguyb27]

IMO They haven’t peaked but they also didn’t have as large a mountain to climb to the top as did a lot of the freshman filled teams.

 

[m080470]

Depends. I think we can improve a lot defensively and the emergence of Almonor and Noah as weapons will only get better as we move towards March BUT on the flip side, injuries are keeping us from reaching our peak. Kerr is done but if we don't get Butler and Carr back reasonably healthy, it will be too much to go deep in the tournament

 

[ukfan1622]

Kerr is done but if we don't get Butler and Carr back reasonably healthy, it will be too much to go deep in the tournament

I agree completely but I feel very confident about getting Butler back; I'm not as optimistic about Carr.

 

[Mike_Edwards]

No, the injuries have kept that from happening which is one of the silver linings, that and the youngins having to grow up quicker in real games. If we get healthy by March we’re in for a fun ride!

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Just praying that Carr and Butler can get healthy! If so, we have some good stuff coming.

 

[UKSanders]

IMO They haven’t peaked but they also didn’t have as large a mountain to climb to the top as did a lot of the freshman filled teams.

Maybe not quite a large a mountain, but considering none of the guys had played together OR under Pope/in his system, there was still a pretty significant climb.

Where the injuries especially hurt is Pope's strategy wants to use depth to wear down the opposition, but that's really isn't possible with 3 guys missing from the rotation.

 

[Short-Dawg-69]

No not peaked or any where near peaked.
If all healthy…. I think we have a couple more gears on both ends of the court we can/will show improvement on.

 

[JimboBBN]

It’s hard to peak when we are missing anywhere from 1-3 players in our rotation any given game. People were freaking out after we beat Duke thinking we had peaked, but I continue to see progress from this team. The most encouraging category as far as that goes has been toughness.

 

[NociHTTP]

People constantly worried about where we are rather than enjoying the journey.

 

[BlueBomb]

Things are pretty simple for this team. We knock down threes and battle on the glass, we win. Our opponent drives us off the line and/or beats us up inside, we lose.

I anticipate that will be the formula for the rest of the season. Not sure much will change to any significant degree.

 

[ukfan1622]

Things are pretty simple for this team. We knock down threes and battle on the glass, we win. Our opponent drives us off the line and/or beats us up inside, we lose.

I anticipate that will be the formula for the rest of the season. Not sure much will change to any significant degree.

All true of course but we have been doing better on the boards the last few games and we will generally shoot the three pretty well, just too many good shooters not to hit them at a pretty good clip.

 

[BlueSince92]

I think our mountain was actually larger. Our offense is very complicated and freshmen or no freshmen, everybody save JR had to learn that from absolutely zero. Not only learn all the moves and plays but also learn all the philosophy and decision-making theory and practice behind it, and then work all that into muscle memory. All while learning to cooperate and communicate and anticipate the workings of all the other human parts in that system even though not a single person on this team including JR had ever previously logged a minute of game, scrimmage, or practice time with any other person on the team.

Say what you want. That’s a bigger mountain than any other team faced this year in all of division 1. Or any other division for that matter. Both Pat Kelsey and Kevin Young started with way more than what we started with. There are “freshmen heavy” teams out there, but there are no 1–11 freshman teams and no other teams in any sense that ultimately had as much ground to cover as we did. Very seldom have there ever been.

 

[BluPappi81]

No, for the simple reason the team had never played together until the season started. Likewise, w the exception of Jax, the players hadn’t been coached by this staff. So I’d expect more progression rather than a peak/regression, assuming good health across the roster.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

I don't know about peaked......

.....but I know I definitely peeked! This team is fun to watch.

 

[docholiday51]

I don't think there is a sustainable peak with this team. There is too much flux tied to if the 3 goes in or not

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

No!

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

Our freshmen are really improving. Didn't we all see that over the last few games. Chandler and Noah are much improved on D and Perry is getting there. None are ready to carry the load but all are greatly improved. I like Garrison a TON, too...and he's getting there as well. Straight up potential....Chandler, Garrison, Noah and Perry all have a shit ton more than they have tapped into yet, imho. Not to even mention, only Jax has ANY experience in Pope's system. Bottom line, I think we are only seeing this team START to play well together and put the pieces together to do that. Maybe some of that is due to necessity with Butler, Kerr and Carr hurt but I don't care why. Lol! Pope has got this!! The pieces are starting to fit. It's a shame...I guess...that it appears to be due to injuries. It'll help the young guys in the long run.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I honestly don't know what to make of this team. I thought we'd handle Clemson ang get blasted by Tennessee.. im just along for the ride!

I do think that if we can't get healthy and get some of these guys back there's gonna be a ceiling for us.

 

[kyboy1998]

If you could keep them all together I don’t think they would peak until early to mid thirties. So for that reason I don’t believe they have.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

I think our ceiling has rose because 2-3 other players are starting to gain confidence and our depth is getting great.
All the while, Butler and company are healing and getting ready for the stretch. I’m thinking we start seeing more of Brea, Robinson, and Almonor together, especially against certain teams.

 

[jwphelps]

I don't think they have peaked. I think they've been improving in a number of areas but injuries have hidden some of it.
It's just my an opinion from a nobody but I really believe that if Kentucky can get Butler and Carr healthy they'll be a team nobody wants to face.

No, they still have moments where they don't click.