John Calipari says Kentucky Wildcats took a big step back vs Wright State
- Thread starter preacher_tom
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After the Duke game, I saw a few posts how we might go undefeated. After watching this Wright State game, I didn't see those posts!
Actually, I did suggest as pleasing as it was to beat the crap out of Dook, a lot of our offense was in transition and I was uncertain how we would be when playing more of a half court set where those breaks weren't available. We found out against Wright State.
A lot of work to do...........especially with Skal and going at the basket than away, holding his position, and most of the front court players being more physical.
Actually, I did suggest as pleasing as it was to beat the crap out of Dook, a lot of our offense was in transition and I was uncertain how we would be when playing more of a half court set where those breaks weren't available. We found out against Wright State.
A lot of work to do...........especially with Skal and going at the basket than away, holding his position, and most of the front court players being more physical.
Skal could become a player that nobody wants to guard, like you mentioned if he goes toward the basket instead of away....He'd get a lot of free throws and cause the opposition to rethink how to guard a player who is not afraid of contact.
Too early in the season to be worried about much.
The team is learning how to play as a team. Murray and Skal are playing within an elite system for the first time in their lives. They're learning how to post, how to take good shots, how to defer when needed. We see the progression every season. Perhaps more of our fans are finally noticing the trend.
As a fan, we should have nothing to worry about.
As a coach (Cal), he would make these statement.
This is why, we'll see continued success with Cal. Key of us fans are to keep celebrating the progress. Poythress for example, his third double double of his career!!! Excellent!!!
He's almost back, and that dunk was disgusting...WEEEHEEEEE
As a coach (Cal), he would make these statement.
This is why, we'll see continued success with Cal. Key of us fans are to keep celebrating the progress. Poythress for example, his third double double of his career!!! Excellent!!!
He's almost back, and that dunk was disgusting...WEEEHEEEEE
And as ugly as it may have been, we are still undefeated. Thus, we still can go undefeated.
We've seen some of our best teams ever look below average against crappy teams in December and November. Last year we trailed Buffalo at the half. 2011-2012 looked shoddy against ODU. I think we were losing at the half to some other scrub team in our game at Freedom Hall that year, too.
Color me not concerned, at all.
Color me not concerned, at all.
Not the best game from the Cats, but partly because of a good game from Wright State. Also, Ulis is awesome. UK is young but they'll keep gelling more and more as the season progresses.
Not fool's gold, but it did give the guys a bit of overconfidence going into the WSU game. As Feez13 said, we do this every year with a game or two. It will be a great, great teaching opportunity for Cal. And, the best thing about it is that we won, so he can get their attention without the pain of a loss.
If this had been BCG, we would've lost. Easily.
Some people never seem to learn. After we beat Duke, they were talking undefeated season again. Then 3 days later, we played flat but still beat Wright State by double digits, and some people are ready to jump out of upper story windows. There hasn't been an undefeated college basketball team in 40 years, because each basketball game is about the matchup on that day. That's why a team can play great on a given day, then look bad 3 days later. These days, long win streaks happen to deep teams with lots of scoring options, because different matchups present different challenges. We don't know yet how good Duke and Wright State really are. Last year, our 38 win streak was a fluke. Columbia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, LSU could easily have beat us. It was a fluke that we pulled out those 4 games, but we had enough scoring options to hang tough when those games were decided. Our current team will win a lot of games, because we again have many elite scoring options. Labissiere and Ulis will be very prone to different kinds of physical matchups, but it's going to be a tough assignment for any team to stop both of them plus Murray, Briscoe, Poythress, Humphries on a given day. Whether this team can win the close games depends on unknown intangibles that must be tested and proven under fire. I want #9, and that's the only important thing this year.
Yes, this team has some kinks right now, but the good news is they are obvious. Anybody watching can see that we need to be stronger in the paint, and we need to shoot better behind the line. I worry when we have a talented team that struggles and you can't quite figure out why. When you can see the problem, you can fix it.
And besides, I don't mind the learning process that takes place during a 4-0 run.
And besides, I don't mind the learning process that takes place during a 4-0 run.
Great game for Cal to head back to the practice gym with and now have the attention of all his players. They now know they aren't all that good yet and can get beat by anyone on any night if they come out flat and just run through the motions of a game. Also, he can point to how other teams might play us to have a chance to beat us and work on overcoming such games where the other team plays so physical and packs the defense in the key area. Great learning tool for coaches and players both is the way I look at this game and we will see improvement from it.
Anyone who didn't see this game coming hasn't been paying attention to basketball in general over the last forever. I mean, we just polished off Duke in an impressive way; these guys cane into this game more laid back, knowing a W was gonna happen, and coasted. Cal has to say what he said, it's his job. Trust me, he would be just as "worried" had we won by 30. It's all good.
Count Me in group that believes we did not get better playing wright state. If we can't shoot free throws we are moving toward some better than average. If we can't shoot the ball from deep we will be just an average team. If we won't play defense we will be average. If we won't listen to coaches than we are just a also average team. I saw things that if they become a habit then we have problems.
Fact is, two of the three guys who figure to be our leading scorers are shooting awful right now, and the third can't stay in the game because he can't defend without fouling, and our rebounding has been crap.
But we're undefeated right now. When Murray/Ulis get over their slump and Skal learns how to play physical, we'll be pretty damned good.
But we're undefeated right now. When Murray/Ulis get over their slump and Skal learns how to play physical, we'll be pretty damned good.
LOL. Obviously. We would have had a bunch of nobodies and 3stars playing for us. our star would be a 4star projected to go mid 2nd round lol
Ulis is scoring just fine, but his shooting is decidedly off. He and Jamal are both only shooting around 40% and their 3-point shooting in particular is atrocious. Ulis is 3 of 14. Murray is 6 of 21.
Both of them were scorching the nets from 3 in the pre-season, so I'm not too concerned.
Ball St. Nuff said. Put it behind you and realize this - we just played turrible and won by 15, giving our coach some stuff to motivate with along the way. Geez, bunch of pre-madonnas round here. Act like you never had something not go your way in your entire lifetime. Just one game silly gooses!
No. The same people are reasonable every year. The same people are nuts every year. The same people troll every year.
Well, we do tend to add a few trolls here and there.
Wait a second. What? Your telling me that a team that just lost 7 players and over 80% of its offense may struggle at times in some games. That's BS. It's just that Cal. can't coach, he just rolls the ball out there.
Disagree, those kids didnt have 10% of the athletic ability we did and they out muscled us in the paint and they made some very good drives and hit shots. They had a great game plan and executed. Very solid basketball players.
We were soft and complacent. I agree with Cal. Take the win but these kids have much more in them.
Skal is simply playing too damn tall. He can't hold or gain position because his center of gravity likens to one of those flailing balloons in front of car dealerships.
He needs to lean his back against a wall, knees bent at 90 angle, and hold that position as part of his conditioning. When he can hold that a few minutes with a 50lb sand bag on his knees, he's ready to go.
He needs to lean his back against a wall, knees bent at 90 angle, and hold that position as part of his conditioning. When he can hold that a few minutes with a 50lb sand bag on his knees, he's ready to go.
Aahhh lets see what they look like in January. It is this young teams 4th game and When they where on the big stage they shinned. I say in the next game they will demolish whoever is in their way.
That is what some of the fans are forgetting. We lost 80% of our offense from last year. We have a bunch of new guys and it is going to take a little while to get things going smoother. We are going to get better and better as the season goes along.
Can't we just sit back watch some basketball and stop analyzing everything
UK shot 70% against Wright ST. FT shooting is not that bad overall. I have no doubt Murray and Ulis will have the ball in their hands when the other team is fouling late.
Hey, BigBlueLou, your opinion DOES matter here on our board, man! At least I think so, because most all of us on the Rafters are hard core UK fans (for the most part) that are very knowledgeable about hoops.
That said, In my (humble) opinion, I think we can all agree that with the talent we've got this year we have the greatest upside of any other team out there. Sure, we've got a lot of work to do both offensively and defensively, but I think most of us here realize Coach Cal can mold this into a championship team. We're in the best hands of any college coach in America, if you ask me. At the very least, Cal is equal to any of the others....
Bottom line for me is that we're still sitting on top of the mountain in a third UK Golden era.
Right where we should be!
Go Big Blue!
That said, In my (humble) opinion, I think we can all agree that with the talent we've got this year we have the greatest upside of any other team out there. Sure, we've got a lot of work to do both offensively and defensively, but I think most of us here realize Coach Cal can mold this into a championship team. We're in the best hands of any college coach in America, if you ask me. At the very least, Cal is equal to any of the others....
Bottom line for me is that we're still sitting on top of the mountain in a third UK Golden era.
Right where we should be!
Go Big Blue!
Watch the play in the second where the big center clothelines Murray. Blatantly stuck his arm straight out and hit Murray right in the throat. Could have been real bad.
We won by 15.
Should we have won by 25? Probably.
Did we only when by 5 or lose?
Nope.
Lets keep it in perspective people.
The game was never in doubt as Wright St never led.
Should we have won by 25? Probably.
Did we only when by 5 or lose?
Nope.
Lets keep it in perspective people.
The game was never in doubt as Wright St never led.
