I don't get the FEAR of Villanova

[LowCountryCat]

Not saying they're not good. I acknowledge they are good. But they play in a mediocre conference and their signature wins are Tennessee and Xavier, while losing to such powerhouses as Butler, Providence, Creighton, and St. John's at home. Granted, they mostly dominated the teams in their conference, but they aren't perfect.

Meanwhile, they pad their schedule with Hofstra, Lafayette, and Columbia. What? No Muhlenberg? That would be the Cosby trifecta.

Again, not mocking them. But some people here just flat don't want to play them. At the end of the day it's five on five at any moment during the game.

 

[K-Town Kat]

Not saying they're not good. I acknowledge they are good. But they play in a mediocre conference and their signature wins are Tennessee and Xavier, while losing to such powerhouses as Butler, Providence, Creighton, and St. John's at home. Granted, they mostly dominated the teams in their conference, but they aren't perfect.

Meanwhile, they pad their schedule with Hofstra, Lafayette, and Columbia. What? No Muhlenberg? That would be the Cosby trifecta.

Again, not mocking them. But some people here just flat don't want to play them. At the end of the day it's five on five at any moment during the game.

I'd rather play them than Duke, so I'm all for Nova taking them out.

 

[harlanhomeboy]

Anybody afraid of Villanova on here is crazy. Can they beat us? Sure. Would you rather lose to them than Duke? ABSOLUTELY. Go Villanova! I think our length would give them problems anyways so I’m not scared of them (or Puke for that matter).....

 

[ulismyman]

Watch their game with Bama

 

[BlueSince92]

Watch their game with Bama

Watch Wenyen's game with Alabama. Sample size that small cannot mitigate what OP wrote.

 

[LowCountryCat]

Watch their game with Bama

Did you watch OUR game with Bama?

 

[ulismyman]

Did you watch OUR game with Bama?

Indeed

 

[Montana81]

We matchup well with both Duke and nova. Especially with a healthy Vanderbilt.

Also we currently have the ultimate matchup nightmare in CBB in SGA. I'm not sure there's a team left there really equipped to deal with him.

Though I imagine eventually a team will get smart enough to focus more on denying him the ball.

 

[LowCountryCat]

We matchup well with both Duke and nova. Especially with a healthy Vanderbilt.

Also we currently have the ultimate matchup nightmare in CBB in SGA. I'm not sure there's a team left there really equipped to deal with him.

Though I imagine eventually a team will get smart enough to focus more on denying him the ball.

"Wenyen for three!"

 

[kyjeff1]

In a 1 game scenario with Villanova, which would be the title game of course, I like our chances. Bet it comes down to the last possession.
But if they hit threes like they did in the Bama game, good night. I think they took 40 threes and hit 20. A good many of those threes were well guarded too. I think a few of their players were just extremely hot thst day.
Also, yes, I realize we hit a ton of threes against Bama, but not 20+.

 

[bukadika]

We matchup well with both Duke and nova. Especially with a healthy Vanderbilt.

Also we currently have the ultimate matchup nightmare in CBB in SGA. I'm not sure there's a team left there really equipped to deal with him.

Though I imagine eventually a team will get smart enough to focus more on denying him the ball.

Bill Self would throw out that junk “triangle and 2” defense he has thrown at Cal teams the last few years and they haven’t figured out how to score against it.

 

[jwhite123]

Nova has the chance to bury you. They’re also very vulnerable since they rely on outside shots. Just depends on what day you play them

 

[CATofninelives]

Not saying they're not good. I acknowledge they are good. But they play in a mediocre conference and their signature wins are Tennessee and Xavier, while losing to such powerhouses as Butler, Providence, Creighton, and St. John's at home. Granted, they mostly dominated the teams in their conference, but they aren't perfect.

Meanwhile, they pad their schedule with Hofstra, Lafayette, and Columbia. What? No Muhlenberg? That would be the Cosby trifecta.

Again, not mocking them. But some people here just flat don't want to play them. At the end of the day it's five on five at any moment during the game.

aTm worries me way more than Nova.

 

[CatChow]

Nova beating Gonzaga by 16 and Xavier by 24 are the prime examples of why I really really hope they get knocked out before a potential title game matchup.

Not saying we can't beat them, but if we catch them on a night where their shots are falling, they would solidly beat us. HOWEVER, live by the 3, die by the 3

 

[shutzhund]

Not saying they're not good. I acknowledge they are good. But they play in a mediocre conference and their signature wins are Tennessee and Xavier, while losing to such powerhouses as Butler, Providence, Creighton, and St. John's at home. Granted, they mostly dominated the teams in their conference, but they aren't perfect.

Meanwhile, they pad their schedule with Hofstra, Lafayette, and Columbia. What? No Muhlenberg? That would be the Cosby trifecta.

Again, not mocking them. But some people here just flat don't want to play them. At the end of the day it's five on five at any moment during the game.

May be you confuse "fear" with respect. Two vastly different emotions.

 

[MbergCat]

Not saying they're not good. I acknowledge they are good. But they play in a mediocre conference and their signature wins are Tennessee and Xavier, while losing to such powerhouses as Butler, Providence, Creighton, and St. John's at home. Granted, they mostly dominated the teams in their conference, but they aren't perfect.

Meanwhile, they pad their schedule with Hofstra, Lafayette, and Columbia. What? No Muhlenberg? That would be the Cosby trifecta.

Again, not mocking them. But some people here just flat don't want to play them. At the end of the day it's five on five at any moment during the game.

What's wrong with Muhlenberg?!?

 

[Smashcat]

I believe I read Nova is undefeated when at full strength. I still like our chances if we play them. Brad Calipari was on big man Spellman’s prep school team. Might have some personal insights on his tendencies UK can use if we have to defend him.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I'd rather play them than Duke, so I'm all for Nova taking them out.

I want Duke. I think we rise to the occasion and beat that ass. SGA would beat their zone to death. Get their bigs in foul trouble and they're finished. We have just the guard to do that.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

What's wrong with Muhlenberg?!?

Uh oh.

 

[Wall2Wall]

I'd compare their reputation to when Cal was a Memphis. Different philosophies in recruiting, but the reputation for each was similar. A top ranked team, minimal losses but played in a crappy conference and collected wins against a bunch of teams that did not have the caliber of anyone playing in late March. Cal obviously got to a title game in 2008 and Wright has a ring from two years ago. But for the most part their teams ran into a wall of equal/superior teams in the tournament that they just didn't have the experience playing against in the regular season.

 

[WildcatDJ]

Bill Self would throw out that junk “triangle and 2” defense he has thrown at Cal teams the last few years and they haven’t figured out how to score against it.

This UK team is much more balanced. Junk defenses may slow us up, but we'll be able to adjust much easier because we don't rely on just one or two guys like we have recently.

Junk defenses are designed to slow down the best player or two for the other team. Our balance will hopefully negate that.

 

[caneintally]

Nova is the best team left in the tourney but I don't fear them. Duke is way to finiky . If any single thing goes wrong for them ( Gracie missing shots , foul trouble ect ) they can't beat good teams as they have no bench and rely completely on a zone. It is almost impossible to win a title in this era playing zone. No team has won a title since Cuse playing zone more then 40% of the time ( that was UL btw) . Nova does rely on shooting too much but boy do they have some shooters.
IMO the toughest teams left not named UK are
1.Nova 2. A&M ( when they want to play ) 3. Duke 4. Gonzaga 5. KU 6. Michigan 7 Texas Tech .

 

[LowCountryCat]

What's wrong with Muhlenberg?!?

Ha ha ha ha...well played. It's from the old Bill Cosby "Hofstra" football story.

 

[blueberryfields]

Come one, come all... That is the beauty of the Tournament.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I'd rather play them than Duke, so I'm all for Nova taking them out.

I think villanova is better, but I agree. We don't matchup with Duke at all.

 

[RamHard]

We matchup well with both Duke and nova. Especially with a healthy Vanderbilt.

Also we currently have the ultimate matchup nightmare in CBB in SGA. I'm not sure there's a team left there really equipped to deal with him.

Though I imagine eventually a team will get smart enough to focus more on denying him the ball.

Not trying to flame ,but who on your team could guard Bagley and Carter. Plus their zone would be big problems for you. As for Villanova you inside would cause them problems, but their quickness would cause you problems

 

[katwest]

We have better players than North Carolina* and they beat them twice, teams played zone on us all year and we won 26 games and the SEC was arguably the best conference. So what are you saying?

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Not trying to flame ,but who on your team could guard Bagley and Carter. Plus their zone would be big problems for you. As for Villanova you inside would cause them problems, but their quickness would cause you problems

Who's gonna guard SGA or Knox? See how that works.

 

[TheBigBlueSpectacle]

We matchup well with both Duke and nova. Especially with a healthy Vanderbilt.

Also we currently have the ultimate matchup nightmare in CBB in SGA. I'm not sure there's a team left there really equipped to deal with him.

Though I imagine eventually a team will get smart enough to focus more on denying him the ball.

Speaking of, game is tomorrow. I wonder when we will get word on Vando and the KSU player

 

[KentuckySir2]

I want Duke. I don’t care if it’s a tough draw for us but I want to beat them bad. And then I want to turn around 7months later and beat them in Indy.

 

[TheKentuckyKid]

They are really good, I think they are better than Duke, but losing to Duke would be worse than losing to Nova. But man beating Duke would be the best.

 

[144catfan]

They are really good, I think they are better than Duke, but losing to Duke would be worse than losing to Nova. But man beating Duke would be the best.

You do realize that IF we would meet Duke there is NO WAY the NCAA would allow us to beat Duke for a title. Unfortunately that scenario would be impossible.

 

[AGEE11]

If meet meet Duke or Kansas at the end, I know who will stop SGA.

The only one who can...

The one who stopped the 2015 juggernaut...

The one who stopped the best player in CBB in last year's tourney D Fox...

The rooferee himself...

He'll poop in your chimney or on a UK March run...

John Higgins

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

What CAT fans should fear is that UK won't get to the title game against whoever is there. I will be thrilled if Kentucky gets to the championship game.

I do have UK over Nova in my bracket.

 

[Montana81]

Not trying to flame ,but who on your team could guard Bagley and Carter. Plus their zone would be big problems for you. As for Villanova you inside would cause them problems, but their quickness would cause you problems

Dukes greatest strengths are offensive rebounding and three point shooting. Kentucky with a healthy Vanderbilt(one of the best rebounders in the country and THE best rebounder in the country by %) was one of the top rebounding teams in the nation as well so we can at least keep them from beating us on offensive rebounds.

We're also one of the top 3pt defending teams in the nation.

Their zone doesn't worry me either. We have 6'5, 6'6, 6'9 and 6'10 guys shooting 34, 42, 34 and 40% from outside. Any team dumb enough to zone us deserves the big fat L they'll get handed for playing the cowards defense.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

I think our length on 3 point defense would make it hard for Villanova to go on those barrages.
It would be a dog fight no doubt though.
Rather play them than Duke. Duke has 2 good bigs and would probably get all the calls. We need Villanova, Kansas, or SYRACUSE to go ahead and step up and take out the rats.

 

[The_Spirit_Of_Numbers2]

Villanova is the only team i'd have any respect for left in the tournament overall...

 

[ScoutingPro]

Probably cause you don't understand basketball.

If they shoot well basically no team can keep up with them.

Veteran
Tough
Sound defensive
Well coached

For this year they are the most complete team out there. Not a super team but this specific season... yes they are justified to be favorites

 

[etowncatfan]

You have to fear any team that hit 17. 3 point shots in their last game.

 

[The_Spirit_Of_Numbers2]

And they have poured it on like that in damn near all the games ive seen them play this year in the 2nd half.. because they have been better as a team all year, and when they get hot in those 2nd halves, they destroy people. They know how to win and expect to win, and have more veterans that have played together a long time, the ingredients that most college teams are missing now. Matchup wise for kentucky, they are like UF on steroids.. Any team that can bomb it from out there at such a high clip can give uk trouble from it honestly...