Kentucky at Ole Miss Game Thread

[UKAlum84]

After watching the this game and last, I am at awe of the similarities in play between some of the Cal era teams and what we are seeing now......Im talking about similar behavior. How do you account for this? Its not nil or the coaches........something else is influencing the game at UK.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Pope’s softness in coaching style is reflected in his team and who came to play for him.

That's going to be a real problem going forward. This team would be the most experienced team we had in 15 years, but also the most laziest. That's in the coach. And if he's gonna do this players-first and just-happy-to-be-here, we will never win anything. No matter how good his system is, if the players are lazy and are coasting in this system, it will never work.

You know, in some ways, IF this is who Pope is.. id rather have Cal and the opposite. A poor bench coach, but who has talent and players who at least battle. Imo that's a better winning recipe.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Just get in a friggin zone and stay in it. Simple, don't be idiots and guard 1 guy with 2.

What exactly do they do in practice? Does Pope not know how to coach defense?

This isn't the WCC, or wherever elese he coached. Maybe this garbage worked in those little leagues, but it won't work here.

 

[RobEStacy]

He got who he could get in 6 weeks... A unproven coach, that the fan base was not even sold on... The error of margin was so thin... Then injuries.... The players are who they are... At this stage of there career, they are who they are... For most... This is there last season.. They got paid... They know there is no NBA career... Just get out of the season healthy... And go overseas.... Just is what it is. Next year... With some better players and hopefully a few of the current ones stay.... See what happens...

 

[NociHTTP]

Zone defense is one of the first defenses kids learn. This team appears to be incapable of playing zone. They act like they have no idea how to rotate with the movement of the ball. It is time for Pope to stop being a nice guy.

Not going to happen. He reminds me of Tubby, but even nicer.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Yes because analytics is what's telling the guys to completely not give an F on defense LOL.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

It’s simply the disparity in talent. Plain and simple.

It’s more than that. We aren’t even trying

 

[Fox2monk]

worst performance so far this year, along with osu. robinson totally disengaged on defense, nobody can guard anybody off the dribble, uncontested 3’s 🙄

Ohio state got lost the last 3 minutes. This is a total beat down. We may lose by 50.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

I'd love to have a coach that would make these guys run laps around New Circle road until they puke then make them run Man O' War run their asses into the ground

 

[HenryMuto]

We are shooting 50% from 3 and down 23 ??????????????????????????????????

 

[LmdCat]

Gotta abandon analytics and get tough, hard-nosed athletes.

If Pope isn't going to be that dude, he needs to recruit one who is capable putting fear in his teammates when they are dogging it.

 

[crice256]

Too much hero ball. Otega needs to kick the ball out to the corners for open 3's.
Too much standing around. This team has regressed significantly.

 

[bbncal02]

We are shooting 50% from 3 and down 23 ??????????????????????????????????

That's what happens when your defense is that of a derpy Golden Retriever.

 

[ThunderMash]

Kentucky is slowly but surely sliding back down the polls. If this low-effort, poor defense status continues, they're looking to be unranked soon. Don't expect Ole Miss to let up in the second half.

 

[kywildcat41035]

Pope needs to rip some a$$. This nice guy bs isn’t working

This is a big reason he won’t last long as our head coach

 

[ukfan117]

All I see is them finger pointing at each other instead of themselves and Ole Miss is feeding off of it.

 

[megablue]

Zero adjustments by pope. Jaxson is done at the pg. Teams found out he can't handle the ball and its over for him. Move on.

We actually looked decent with perry running the O with help from amari.

Play zone on d. No other option.

I was very surprised that Mark Few wasn’t smart enough to put his best defender on Robinson. We were lucky that he didn’t pressure Robinson.

 

[fisherscatfan]

Pope had to, or should have seen, this team cannot defend and yet refused to do anything but basically man to man.

Guys allow free cuts through the lane. We legit have guys that have no understanding of off ball help. Garrison legit was guarding a guy on the opposite side from the ball, shot went up and rebound came off and almost hit him in the back. He had no idea there was a shot. Zero help side and if you are going to play MTM with slow footed players you damn well better teach those principles.

There is an athlete issue but there is a glaring lack of fundamentals issue on D and that is coaching.

 

[katwest]

Kentucky leads the all time series 111 to 14, so I’d say the law of averages applies to this game. I’m sure Beard brought this up before the game. I also think this Ole Miss team could beat us 7 out ten times, they are to quick and we can’t guard them. They are a good team this year, after tonight they will be 17-6. We might beat South Carolina, LSU and Vandy at home, if Butler isn’t back by then, even that looks shaky. We are going to take our licks this year from hear on out, but it will change, it has too.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I don’t like him. And I wouldn’t want him as our coach.

But I will give him credit, his teams play hardball the time.

Yeah, I get that. And I thought Cal was an absolute Dbag until he got here.

Beard can REALLY coach. I know a guy that knows him well. GAd with him on Penders staff at Texas. That deal at Texas was way blown out of proportion. In no way should it have cost him his job.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

After watching the this game and last, I am at awe of the similarities in play between some of the Cal era teams and what we are seeing now......Im talking about similar behavior. How do you account for this? Its not nil or the coaches........something else is influencing the game at UK.

Im also starting to question the players. Guys that were the last remaining transfers for a reason. And they got the lottery ticket of a lifetime when we switched coaches at the end.

Makes you wonder if we fast forward a few years to when Pope is more established, which of these guys would be on the roster even?

Keep in mind, we saw this lazy uninspired play A lot more than we realize early on. Duke punked them first half of our game, and several others we came out looking like we didn't want to be there.

Something tells me this isn't the best crap of talent, skill, mentality, etc.

 

[blubo]

Brea with another bad night so far.

that’s because he can’t get open for a 3, nor can anybody else. we haven’t had a good defense all year and looks to be getting worse. shut down our 3pt offense and we’re toast

 

[The_Answer1313]

St Johns looks good.

Maybe Pitino will come back... lol

 

[fatguy87]

After watching the this game and last, I am at awe of the similarities in play between some of the Cal era teams and what we are seeing now......Im talking about similar behavior. How do you account for this? Its not nil or the coaches........something else is influencing the game at UK.

Lack of roster continuity is a common factor between this team and Cal’s.

 

[HoldMyBeer]

Yea.. maybe Analytics ain't everything. I'll take some NBA talent, por favor.

 

[G0 B1G BLUE]

Agree. Get in a zone and stay in a zone. Man to man is clearly not working. Do we have analytics for that? Or is watching your team get abused game after game not enough?

 

[blackcat714]

The fat lady just farted time to get out of hear

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

We have let go of the rope.

 

[jpuk974]

I’ve never turned a game off before the last minute before. I’ve kind of worn that as a badge of honor. That might change tonight. I am beyond frustrated. They gave up that half. Just frigging folded. So disappointed.

I’m in the same boat as you. Love my Cats, but I’m not watching the second half. This one has just been too tough to watch.

 

[NoDef]

This is exactly what is wrong with college basketball. The odds are stacked against us in a way we might not be able to make it to the top again. How much money does it take to win games and 6 in a row for a title? I'm not much on bought and paid for ball games. Our program is probably closer to Indiana then Blue Blood right now and everyone can rip me but the good days are gone.

We are reportedly Top 4 in NIL money. Our best two recruits are in state kids and neither look to make an impact next year. We are going to have to manage our funds right and kill it in the transfer portal. We don't have the talent coming back and the recruits coming in that will be able to compete next year.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Yea.. maybe Analytics ain't everything. I'll take some NBA talent, por favor.

why not have both lol.

 

[TheBlueMist]

I’ve never turned a game off before the last minute before. I’ve kind of worn that as a badge of honor. That might change tonight. I am beyond frustrated. They gave up that half. Just frigging folded. So disappointed.

I skipped the entire 2020-2021 season. You'll get used to valuing your free time more when your team doesn't appear to match your passion.

 

[HenryMuto]

St Johns looks good.

Maybe Pitino will come back... lol

I was actually hoping when Cal left he was the one who would come back but that was a pipe dream

 

[BigBlue1992]

We are shooting 50% from 3 and down 23 ??????????????????????????????????

It’s crazy! Like when Tennessee shot 11/45 from 3 and they still had a chance to win at the end. Doesn’t sound possible.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Amari, Oweh, and Jaxson are let go of the rope guys. They’re all vets that know when they don’t have it. And when they do you can see the give up on their faces.

Need a big second half to save our efficiency metrics from taking another colossal fall.

Oweh has been the biggest problem lately. He should give you a good guard defender on the floor. Back to back games full of him driving/getting fouled imo/and him letting it impact his defense.

 

[catlogic15]

22-23 year-olds playing with no heart.
Pope has lost his team.

 

[megablue]

Just get in a friggin zone and stay in it. Simple, don't be idiots and guard 1 guy with 2.

What exactly do they do in practice? Does Pope not know how to coach defense?

This isn't the WCC, or wherever elese he coached. Maybe this garbage worked in those little leagues, but it won't work here.

Screw the damn 1-3-1 … tighten it up with a 2-3 and stay with it.

 

[FanofUK]

Not being nasty on defense and not being fundamental on rebounds is on the coach plain and simple. We stand almost straight up on every defensive possession. How did pope being cut from a Pitino team forget about how the 96 team won on PURE defensive intensity.

 

[entropy13]

Well I think Pope has a lot of data to examine.

The data:

 

[LmdCat]

There was one clear example of when the ball hit the floor on a missed shot and Robinson was in the best position to get the ball, but he short armed the ball trying to avoid contact and didn't get the rebound. That was all about the lack of heart.