I got to thinking about all the comments regarding the UK game last night vs Albany. There are a lot of well-deserved concerns for our current team, but I don't think the situation is as bad as some have made it out to be.
Consider - UK played a team who made the NCAA tourney the last three years running. Albany returned most of their team from last season. UK fielded a mostly young team, none of whom started regularly last year, and a returning player who is coming off a major injury. Yes, we should have played much better - not going to argue that. And we should have won by more than 13 - play got very, very sloppy the last few minutes and that is where we allowed them to get closer in the rebounding and in score. I won't talk about the T on Murray which could have given us a 15-17 pt win.
Duke played Siena - a team that has NOT been to the tourney since 2010 and who went 11-20 last season. Duke only won that game by 18. Duke shot 45% from the floor for the game; 24% from three and only outrebounded Siena by 4. They had 9 assists and 5 blocked shots.
Kentucky vs Albany, we shot 56% from the floor, 35% from the three - granted our rebounding sucked as we only outrebounded Albany by 6. But we did also have 16 assists and 8 blocked shots. (not going to discuss turnovers though - obvious reasons)
The only reason I bring up Duke is because we play them Tuesday. They play Bryant tonight - another team that hasn't been to the tourney recently (since 2008) while our Cats play another tourney team in NJIT.
Just some things to think about - take them as you will.
Consider - UK played a team who made the NCAA tourney the last three years running. Albany returned most of their team from last season. UK fielded a mostly young team, none of whom started regularly last year, and a returning player who is coming off a major injury. Yes, we should have played much better - not going to argue that. And we should have won by more than 13 - play got very, very sloppy the last few minutes and that is where we allowed them to get closer in the rebounding and in score. I won't talk about the T on Murray which could have given us a 15-17 pt win.
Duke played Siena - a team that has NOT been to the tourney since 2010 and who went 11-20 last season. Duke only won that game by 18. Duke shot 45% from the floor for the game; 24% from three and only outrebounded Siena by 4. They had 9 assists and 5 blocked shots.
Kentucky vs Albany, we shot 56% from the floor, 35% from the three - granted our rebounding sucked as we only outrebounded Albany by 6. But we did also have 16 assists and 8 blocked shots. (not going to discuss turnovers though - obvious reasons)
The only reason I bring up Duke is because we play them Tuesday. They play Bryant tonight - another team that hasn't been to the tourney recently (since 2008) while our Cats play another tourney team in NJIT.
Just some things to think about - take them as you will.