"Kentucky is better than Arkansas"

[Smashcat]

Kentucky is better than Arkansas​

There is one key stat that tells the story of why Kentucky is out to an early lead on Arkansas in the John Calipari breakup battle. In the Wildcats' 103-62 season-opening win over Wright State, 30 of their 39 baskets came on assists. While many of those buckets came in transition, UK also looked better running its half court offense than Arkansas did in its opener.

The Razorbacks needed a 14-1 late run to pull away from Lipscomb in a 76-60 win on Wednesday to open Calipari's tenure. Just 10 of their 34 made came on assists as Arkansas struggled to a 4-of-19 performance from beyond the arc. Kentucky looked like an actual team in its first game under Mark Pope. Arkansas merely looked like a collection of talent in its debut under Calipari. There's plenty of time for things to change. But if we're overreacting to a one-game sample size, then Kentucky is winning the breakup battle so far. -- David Cobb

Dribble Handoff: Kentucky looks impressive and other overreactions to college basketball's opening week

Here are some knee-jerk observations to the early action as the 2024-25 college basketball season gets started

www.cbssports.com

 

[Creed Bratton]

 

[electricat2]

i dont know, but i do think Arkansas is wildly overrated.
all of the predictions are based on Calipari being a hall of fame coach.
we all know those days are gone. i guess everybody else will have to find out on thier own

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Game is in Rupp too so yeah…..

 

[Short-Dawg-69]

I can agree but we will find out soon enough.
We play each other and play a lot of the same teams during the season.

Let’s hope UK comes out better overall.

 

[Smashcat]

Arkansas has to go to Texas to play Baylor Saturday. Have a feeling Baylor will quickly make up for the way they looked against the Zags.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Tuesday night we’ll know where we stand.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Arkansas has to go to Texas to play Baylor Saturday. Have a feeling Baylor will quickly make up for the way they looked against the Zags.

Very true

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Tuesday night we’ll know where we stand.

I know where we stand right now.
And its on the Mt top
Duck Fuke

 

[MonsterMash79]

I know where we stand right now.
And its on the Mt top
Duck Fuke

Easy lead foot… competition wise, Tuesday will be the measuring stick 👍

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

It's painful to watch. Athletes but not shooters isolating until one of them takes a bad shot.

Onward, and so happy.

 

[JonathanW]

That Arkansas coach (can't remember his name) relies on talent to win games. So he needs a leader to step up and lead. It's rare for a FR to do that, so honestly, I think their success will depend on Johnell Davis, not just in how well he plays, but also in how well he leads.

Davis is IMO our biggest miss this offseason. Although I'm happy with who we have.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Easy lead foot… competition wise, Tuesday will be the measuring stick 👍

Really? No Joke?
Duh?
Are you serious?
Great post Captain Obvious:



“Aye Aye El Capitan”
Moral of the gist? Lay off or suffer the painful Consequences.
Put in lame-man’s terms; Go bark up another tree CO.
Isnt it beautiful???

 

[JPFisher]

That Arkansas coach (can't remember his name) relies on talent to win games. So he needs a leader to step up and lead. It's rare for a FR to do that, so honestly, I think their success will depend on Johnell Davis, not just in how well he plays, but also in how well he leads.

Davis is IMO our biggest miss this offseason. Although I'm happy with who we have.

I thought I'd read on this board that Davis was a locker room nightmare, though that was probably just sour grapes.

Skill-wise, a big miss. But... Oh well. 🤷‍♂️

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Interesting thing for me is all 3 former UK players started. That explains 100% why z and Thiero left.

They wouldn't have been guaranteed to start here IMO.

Cal going with an experienced starting line up is the right call but they don't have enough shooters. They will lose games due to that.

 

[uk78]

It doesn't matter how Arkansas plays in other games as our game is going to match a rivalry. Games like that can be intense and bring out effort unlike what other games don't. However, if we have a lead in the second half we all know that the Arkansas coach is weak during the contest in making in game adjustments.

 

[seccats04]

Interesting thing for me is all 3 former UK players started. That explains 100% why z and Thiero left.

They wouldn't have been guaranteed to start here IMO.

Cal going with an experienced starting line up is the right call but they don't have enough shooters. They will lose games due to that.

Z won’t start when Aidoo comes back from ‘injury.’ Seems like all of Cal’s big men are always hurt.

 

[yoshukai]

Tuesday night we’ll know where we stand.

Not necessarily. The Duke team with Zion embarrassed us but we still had a pretty good year .

 

[yoshukai]

I’ll probably catch some heat on this but………I expect Arkansas and UK to have similar seasons in terms of wins and seeding in the ncaa tournament. How far each advance I the tournament is anybodys guess .

 

[kats23]

I think overall this season Arkansas and Kentucky come out similar. But the style of play is just much more enjoyable to watch from Kentucky's standpoint. Your hope is year 2, 3 and 4, Pope begins to really take off with this program. Cal, no matter what is on the downward trend of his career. We all saw it since 2019. Top 5 class after top 5 class and year after year we're going home early, we're losing frustrating games. That isn't changing at Arkansas. That's the way it will be until he retires.

We're going to have nights where we don't shoot well. Not sure there's an NBA player on the roster outside a cup of coffee type so probably going to get out-talented this year a time or two as well. But I bet there's few games if any that we'll come across saying we got out coached or out hustled. I'm good with that for a year or two until Pope can establish himself and bring in a little more talent. Our trajectory is up while Cal's is down. Regardless of record this season.

 

[JonathanW]

I thought I'd read on this board that Davis was a locker room nightmare, though that was probably just sour grapes.

Skill-wise, a big miss. But... Oh well. 🤷‍♂️

If what you heard was correct, they will have Ups, AND DOWNS.

 

[yoshukai]

I think overall this season Arkansas and Kentucky come out similar. But the style of play is just much more enjoyable to watch from Kentucky's standpoint. Your hope is year 2, 3 and 4, Pope begins to really take off with this program. Cal, no matter what is on the downward trend of his career. We all saw it since 2019. Top 5 class after top 5 class and year after year we're going home early, we're losing frustrating games. That isn't changing at Arkansas. That's the way it will be until he retires.

We're going to have nights where we don't shoot well. Not sure there's an NBA player on the roster outside a cup of coffee type so probably going to get out-talented this year a time or two as well. But I bet there's few games if any that we'll come across saying we got out coached or out hustled. I'm good with that for a year or two until Pope can establish himself and bring in a little more talent. Our trajectory is up while Cal's is down. Regardless of record this season.

I agree. I expect our margin of victory and our margin of defeat to be much wider than past years just based on style of play.

 

[TriangleUKCat]

Not necessarily. The Duke team with Zion embarrassed us but we still had a pretty good year .

Yeah that should have been a Final Four team. But ya know…

Still have PJ Washington missed free throws PTSD

 

[JonathanW]

Interesting thing for me is all 3 former UK players started. That explains 100% why z and Thiero left.

They wouldn't have been guaranteed to start here IMO.

Cal going with an experienced starting line up is the right call but they don't have enough shooters. They will lose games due to that.

Z probably would not have started if Aidou was healthy. Aidou played, but only 7min. No way he was at full strength.

 

[Cleatortoises]

I’ll probably catch some heat on this but………I expect Arkansas and UK to have similar seasons in terms of wins and seeding in the ncaa tournament. How far each advance I the tournament is anybodys guess .

I feel like I have a pretty good guess. 😎
Did you see that clowns post game?
So effing wacko and incoherent.

 

[Cleatortoises]

I don't want the insertion above of "lame man's terms" to get glossed over.
That must join the lexicon of our fast paste discussions.
This can be a doggy dog world.