How does everyone see the matchups v UCLA?
- Thread starter CATSrock
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Who guards Welsh and Leaf is my question
Willis and Bam mainly. All we gotta do is force tough shots and rebound (everybody) and the rest will work itself out imo.
Would start Bam on Leaf and Willis on Welsh. Welsh doesn't really have a back to the basket, kill you in the post kind of game. He likes to float around 12-15 feet and look for his baseline jumper. Bam is athletic enough to guard Leaf.
That being said, it all starts with cutting off the head of the snake. If Fox can limit Ball, it will help out tremendously. Rebounding the ball will be huge. Limit them to one shot.
That being said, it all starts with cutting off the head of the snake. If Fox can limit Ball, it will help out tremendously. Rebounding the ball will be huge. Limit them to one shot.
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I am thinking like the pundits....Willis is the important cog in the UCLA game. UK is playing better defense.
Welsh loves to pump fake. I hope we don't go for that shit.
One thing is for sure....we better not see the Fox and 4 bench players lineup or we're going to get smoked.
I have to disagree about Bam on Leaf. We didn't have success guarding Leaf in Lexington because we continuously let him run the base line unopposed. To quick for Bam.....really. My best guess is Fox on Ball and Monk on Allfred and I'll let coach finish the rest of the D. Malik you need to get your stroke back, like now!
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.
Buuut...they shot lights out last time. That Welsch kid always gets us. I'm expecting a close game.
Buuut...they shot lights out last time. That Welsch kid always gets us. I'm expecting a close game.
If Leaf is too quick for Bam, what do you think he will do to Willis? Bam's defense has been phenomenal towards the end of the season. While I hate when we switch him on guards instead of our guards fighting over ball screens and him hedging, he has held his own staying in front of quicker players.
I believe Hawkins will get more playing than in the previous game with UCLA. Not much defense was played in that game by either side. We need to slow down their scoring.
Yeah, if we Bam can't hang with him we are up a creek without a paddle lol. I really believe Leaf surprised Cal and the Cats in the first matchup. We will be ready the second time around.
No worries about this game. UK will shut them down and show that the mighty UCLA offense isn't all it's cracked up to be. I look for Monk to play inspired and Fox to shut down Ball and shut up his loud-mouthed father. Bam will have a big day. Hawkins and Briscoe will check Alford
I don't think we are going to shut Leaf down, but we are going to have to limit his touches as much as possible by smothering the guards, particularly Ball.
They are going to spread us out and open the middle up, but we really need to do our best to shut their outside shooting down, if we allow them to go off from 3 point range than say goodnight.
Shut the outside down and contain Leaf and Welsh with Willis, WG and Bam.
But they have to guard us and it wouldn't hurt if Monk went off.
They are going to spread us out and open the middle up, but we really need to do our best to shut their outside shooting down, if we allow them to go off from 3 point range than say goodnight.
Shut the outside down and contain Leaf and Welsh with Willis, WG and Bam.
But they have to guard us and it wouldn't hurt if Monk went off.
Leaf destroyed UK last game. Cal will not allow that to happen again.
I think that the UK offense becomes the most important piece of the puzzle. Do we get back on track, or do we continue struggling in certain aspects--Monk shooting, spacing, offensive flow. UK cannot afford to not be on their A-Game offensively against UCLA.
FTR, I think this is the game where UK gets their offensive mojo back. Add in that the defensive mojo is already in place, and we are in a good position if that does happen. Fingers crossed.
I think that the UK offense becomes the most important piece of the puzzle. Do we get back on track, or do we continue struggling in certain aspects--Monk shooting, spacing, offensive flow. UK cannot afford to not be on their A-Game offensively against UCLA.
FTR, I think this is the game where UK gets their offensive mojo back. Add in that the defensive mojo is already in place, and we are in a good position if that does happen. Fingers crossed.
Lol at shutting UCLA down. That's just not gonna happen. The more I think about I believe the way to go may be to let Ball get his, but clamp down on everyone us. Ball can get his 20-25, but UCLA is at their best when he is setting everyone else up.
Your opinion my opinion we are trying to visualize the game and that is fun! Afraid Bam would get in foul
trouble fast! I'll opt to game time to see.
Might want to guard the goofy big white guy this time. He killed us last time.
The way Bam has been playing if we give it to him constantly they won't be able to stop him and then it'll all fall into place everywhere else
I'm really hoping with our defense better, they also have a bad shooting night.
Watched parts of the first game again. Our defense was really struggling then...way too many easy baskets on poor communication. If they d up the way they did Sunday they should be okay. I look for them to use screens, pick and roll on Willis..hes the weakest link in the defense. However, he did a good job last game.
Leaf is the one I am concerned about.
I think he is their best player by far.
Cal Better have a plan to stop him or the Cats are in for a long night.
I think he is their best player by far.
Cal Better have a plan to stop him or the Cats are in for a long night.
I believe we lost to Florida both home and away in 2014, and again in the SECT final when Young slipped and fell on that final play. We went all the way to the NCAA finals that year.
Florida in 2014 and uconn Maui, ff, national final. someone mentioned it on another thread
Amazing how people forget this. We better watch out or UCLA and KU could hand us 3 game losing streaks in the series...here's hoping we get a shot to end KU's 2 game winning streak in 12 days.
They have 5 extremely good offensive players and a backup center that is ready to bust Bam's head. Being as we struggle stopping drives and guarding the 3, Monk will probably need to score 40, Fox 30 and Willis on fire at times for us to have a decent chance. Maybe a LITTLE pessimistic, but that is the way I see it.
Would it be better to play stall ball so they don't get in as many offensive rythems? Or, play so physical they possibly get frustrated? Trying to out score them with the way we are playing now does not seem realistic. Their 5 offensive juggarnauts seem much more consistent than our 3 or 4 good offensive players.
Thought it was interesting Cal at first saying he watched the tape with them and we played terrible boxing out and rebounding but then later talked about how hard it is going to be to beat them. They always play at a very high intensity and we play that way when we feel like it. Maybe it all comes together this game because it will take 40 minutes of high intensity, low turnovers (they hardly ever turn it over) and the best defense we can possibly play.
Would it be better to play stall ball so they don't get in as many offensive rythems? Or, play so physical they possibly get frustrated? Trying to out score them with the way we are playing now does not seem realistic. Their 5 offensive juggarnauts seem much more consistent than our 3 or 4 good offensive players.
Thought it was interesting Cal at first saying he watched the tape with them and we played terrible boxing out and rebounding but then later talked about how hard it is going to be to beat them. They always play at a very high intensity and we play that way when we feel like it. Maybe it all comes together this game because it will take 40 minutes of high intensity, low turnovers (they hardly ever turn it over) and the best defense we can possibly play.
UCLA will not be as balanced on offense as they were in the first meeting. Holiday and Hamilton won't kill us as bad. Fox shows on a big stage he is just as good if not better than Ball, Monk has a normal 20+ point game. UK by 7
Briscoe was 0-5 from three in December against them. He cannot shoot that many threes again. I'd be just fine if he didn't take 1. Finally hit one last game after a long drought but can't have him shooting those, it's basically a wasted possession, same as turnover.
Ultimately, UK will have no answer for Ball.
He is transcendent. Ethereal. Just being on the same floor with him seems to terrify his opponents.
His gaze. His gaze is piercing.
He is a force that cannot be reckoned with.
He is transcendent. Ethereal. Just being on the same floor with him seems to terrify his opponents.
His gaze. His gaze is piercing.
He is a force that cannot be reckoned with.
I hope Gabriel plays defense and passes the ball; he cannot be allowed to jack up a bunch of jumpers trying to shoot his way out of his terrible slump.
Not much to disagree about here. This could be the game that very well pumps some life into us. We must not turn the ball over by rushing a long impossible pass over and over. I would like to see 3 ref's that will let us play. If they have the whistle fever may it be consistent on both ends. Go Cats
The elephant in the room is Monk. As to his recent shooting slump- something that I think has been overlooked and could be very important, is that bruised tailbone he recently suffered. Have any of you had this happen to you? It happened to me due to an unfortunate incident 25 years ago in Elkhorn Creek, where I either bruised or broke it, I don't know, didn't have health insurance at the time. I could barely move. No matter what I did, it would hurt and the pain would radiate down my legs and up my back, for at least a couple of weeks. This HAS to have affected his movement, his shot, and his confidence. I feel really great about this extended break between games because he's got more time to recover from that.
Five offensive juggernauts? You act like these guys are the best college basketball team of all-time and we have to play our A+++ game to beat them, and that's if they are having an off-day. I don't think they are quite as good as you are saying, nor are we quite as ill-equipped to win.
