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If Oscar is a no go Tuesday do we win ?

Michigan State starts 3 seniors and 2 juniors. Their toughness and defense aren’t going to be a pushover. If we can get the game into the 70s I don’t believe they have the guards to keep up. Also it can’t be overlooked that they just had a west coast trip with a big game.
Their schedule is brutal this year, izzo is putting them through a war
 
My only concern is the lineup and execution. Reeves and CJ need 30 minutes each. Toppin needs to be reeled in. And we need to run with whichever PG is feeling it

I think Wallace is the better long term option, but sometimes the experienced Wheeler is the better option. At the same time, Wheeler might be forcing it and not shooting well.

This will likely come down to Cal making the right adjustments and roster choices..
 
I think we do and the reason is Ugonna. This kid is way more advanced than we were led to believe.
Project his numbers if he plays 30 minutes and obviously the defensive presence he gives us
We do need Toppin to play better than he did last night and last night proved we have a two headed monster at point guard
Sissoko is a beast ... Ware will foul out and can't guard him regardless, so we will need Ugonna to show up Tuesday night.
 
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If we lose to Michigan State ( which we very well might without Oscar) someone in this thread is going to have another bipolar meltdown…
 
I see it, too. I said it after last game and got hammered on a little because his stat line ended up decent. But he looks like he’s doing his own thing out there too often, and it does look like he’s trying out for the NBA.

He’s a great role player, as long as he plays his role.
He still has a Covid year doesn’t he?
 
I think UK wins, but it will be hard fought. I hate we even PLAY in Indiana. MSU will have those methods heads howling for some cats blood. Literally. Nothing but animals. I dislike even crossing the river. I'd drive around the damn state if I could.
 
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Yeah, I think we win either way. Love the make up of this squad. I hope Oscar is back and healthy though ASAP. The longer this goes the more uncertainty there is about how this is healing.

such is every injury at Kentucky over the past 5 years or so
Can we sacrifice a Goat or something to try and rid us of this problem?
 
Michigan State starts 3 seniors and 2 juniors. Their toughness and defense aren’t going to be a pushover. If we can get the game into the 70s I don’t believe they have the guards to keep up. Also it can’t be overlooked that they just had a west coast trip with a big game.
I expect a hard fought game but I think we have more firepower.
 
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Toppin missed a couple of bunnies but if he makes two of the shots he missed we'd be talking about what a stat stuffing monster he's become. In most games his shooting percentage will be better and if he still does the other things he did last night that would be pretty studly.
 
I can see Toppin going 2-10 and try and handle the ball. We will be in a fight, we'll need wheeler, and Fredrick to play well if Oscar isn't playing. With him 74-60 without him we still win but 68-63.
 
Wishful thinking with Cal on the sidelines. Hope he does push tempo. However, I have serious doubts.
I do too, he said somewhere before he likes pressing teams that press, I wish he would try to dictate the pace of the game more instead of reacting to how another team wants the pace to be
 
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Im more nervous for the Mich st game tbh. Mich state is very big and physical. Gonzaga is extremely overrated.
 
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Kentucky needs to dictate the tempo - not Michigan State. Michigan State has the toughness to beat the Cats, so UK better be ready to block out, defend and rebound like their hairs on fire. My game plan would be to run, run and press as MSU does not have the depth that UK has…
 
Oscar is extremely important to this team, especially against bigger teams, like MSU. Without Oscar, we really don't have a post presence. Ugonna will get there, but he's not there now.

I have no reason to believe Oscar won't play, he's been practicing, so I think he'll go.
 
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My only concern is the lineup and execution. Reeves and CJ need 30 minutes each. Toppin needs to be reeled in. And we need to run with whichever PG is feeling it

I think Wallace is the better long term option, but sometimes the experienced Wheeler is the better option. At the same time, Wheeler might be forcing it and not shooting well.

This will likely come down to Cal making the right adjustments and roster choices..
Wheeler could stand to become the most polarizing player ever at UK if cal plays him significant minutes at the expense of Wallace becoming what he needs by tournament. This guy Wallace does it all yet we have fans afraid to come right out and say it. He needs to run the team 30 min a game. Rather this is the way people are framing it by “who’s feeling it”. The pg role shouldn’t be based on that it should be a consistent player who can defend, reb, and give the team the best chance to win game in and game out. Splitting the baby just creates an unstable situation with no consistency.
 
Wheeler could stand to become the most polarizing player ever at UK if cal plays him significant minutes at the expense of Wallace becoming what he needs by tournament. This guy Wallace does it all yet we have fans afraid to come right out and say it. He needs to run the team 30 min a game. Rather this is the way people are framing it by “who’s feeling it”. The pg role shouldn’t be based on that it should be a consistent player who can defend, reb, and give the team the best chance to win game in and game out. Splitting the baby just creates an unstable situation with no consistency.

I don't think any fans are afraid of Wallace taking Wheeler's minutes lol. We just still see Wheeler as an elite college PG who might not have as high of a ceiling as Wallace, but is likely more stable in the first month or two.

If Wheeler shows that he's not the guy for the job, I and others have no problem putting Wallace in there. Heck, I wouldn't even be opposed to it for MSU and beyond.. I just don't think it's some wildly wrong decision to roll with Wheeler right now.

I'd also be careful to just assume Wallace is the better option for his one freshman year at UK. It's not like he lit up Duquesne or anything.. 8 pts, 4 assists and 4 TOs, missed one of two free throws.
 
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