Fresh off a devastating 13-point win in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky's players are probably hanging their heads. They can't afford to sulk for long because Notre Dame, Butler, Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina, NC State, Duke, ... anybody ... is now capable of beating UK. All they have to do is mimic Cincinnati's brutish strategy of playing physical basketball. Simply enough, if Arizona's players play exactly the same way Cincinnati's players do, Kentucky's in trouble.
It is fascinating to read some of the stuff out there these days.
Yes, Kentucky is beatable, and Cincinnati just showed everybody how. They lost by 13 points.
Push the Wildcats around. Beat them up. Make it ugly. Never back down. Didn't Texas do this? Isn't a 10 point loss a loss? Isn't a 13 point loss a loss? Do we think other teams haven't tried this?
Kentucky withstood the challenge this time, but this was against Cincinnati, an undersized and lesser-skilled team that hurt itself far more than the Wildcats did. Indeed, actually Cincinnati would have lost by 13 points to many teams today. College basketball's first-ever 36-0 team had very little to do with the outcome.
Put this same game plan in the hands of an Arizona or Wisconsin, especially in an arena that isn't Rupp West, and Kentucky is no longer guaranteed of becoming the first team to go unbeaten since Indiana in 1976. Yes, Kentucky will be playing near road games the rest of the way. And yes, Arizona and Wisconsin will completely scrap their identities as basketball teams, forged over many months, to rush into a "do what Cincy did to keep it within 13" game plan.
But the Wildcats have shown occasional flashes of vulnerability throughout the season, and they are not playing their best basketball at the most critical time of the year. Fresh off two NCAA Tournament wins by an average of nearly 20 points, an SEC Tournament title, and 36 consecutive wins.
But the Bearcats lost this game as much as Kentucky won it, shooting a miserable 24% in the second half. It's merely a coincidence that Kentucky will likely go down as the best defensive team of, at least, the modern era.
On one possession alone, the Bearcats bricked a pair of free throws and missed not one, not two, but three shots after getting the offensive rebound. Kentucky can't count on similar butterfingers next weekend or, if the Wildcats advance, in the Final Four. So Kentucky is not playing its best basketball of the year. i.e. They can play a lot better. But it's Cincinnati making mistakes that should really worry Kentucky. Of course, Arizona and Wisconsin don't need to worry about Kentucky's room for improvement ... that defeats the premise of the story.
Kentucky has four players 6-10 or taller on its roster, compared with Cincinnati's one. Yet the Bearcats outrebounded the Wildcats 45-38, including a 21-12 edge on the offensive glass. And lost by 13.
The Wildcats didn't shoot particularly well, either, finishing at 37%. And won by 13.
But his brother, Andrew, and Devin Booker might as well have their faces on milk cartons for as much as they've contributed to the offense. Andrew Harrison had five points on 2-for-7 shooting, and Booker is 4-for-15 in Kentucky's two tournament games. This is hilarious. She literally just refuted the exact same point she made to create her thesis.
It's a good lesson to learn, no question. But Kentucky also needs to realize there are some other very good teams out there, and it won't always be able to impose its will. These young, cocky kids have another thing coming.
If a better team can duplicate what Cincinnati did, and has the depth and energy to keep it up for 40 minutes, the Wildcats will find themselves in a fight they might not be able to win. Incredible insight here. "If..." "...and...." "depth and energy...." "keep it up...." "MIGHT..." Is this serious?
UK is not invincible (post 13-pt win)
It is fascinating to read some of the stuff out there these days.
Yes, Kentucky is beatable, and Cincinnati just showed everybody how. They lost by 13 points.
Push the Wildcats around. Beat them up. Make it ugly. Never back down. Didn't Texas do this? Isn't a 10 point loss a loss? Isn't a 13 point loss a loss? Do we think other teams haven't tried this?
Kentucky withstood the challenge this time, but this was against Cincinnati, an undersized and lesser-skilled team that hurt itself far more than the Wildcats did. Indeed, actually Cincinnati would have lost by 13 points to many teams today. College basketball's first-ever 36-0 team had very little to do with the outcome.
Put this same game plan in the hands of an Arizona or Wisconsin, especially in an arena that isn't Rupp West, and Kentucky is no longer guaranteed of becoming the first team to go unbeaten since Indiana in 1976. Yes, Kentucky will be playing near road games the rest of the way. And yes, Arizona and Wisconsin will completely scrap their identities as basketball teams, forged over many months, to rush into a "do what Cincy did to keep it within 13" game plan.
But the Wildcats have shown occasional flashes of vulnerability throughout the season, and they are not playing their best basketball at the most critical time of the year. Fresh off two NCAA Tournament wins by an average of nearly 20 points, an SEC Tournament title, and 36 consecutive wins.
But the Bearcats lost this game as much as Kentucky won it, shooting a miserable 24% in the second half. It's merely a coincidence that Kentucky will likely go down as the best defensive team of, at least, the modern era.
On one possession alone, the Bearcats bricked a pair of free throws and missed not one, not two, but three shots after getting the offensive rebound. Kentucky can't count on similar butterfingers next weekend or, if the Wildcats advance, in the Final Four. So Kentucky is not playing its best basketball of the year. i.e. They can play a lot better. But it's Cincinnati making mistakes that should really worry Kentucky. Of course, Arizona and Wisconsin don't need to worry about Kentucky's room for improvement ... that defeats the premise of the story.
Kentucky has four players 6-10 or taller on its roster, compared with Cincinnati's one. Yet the Bearcats outrebounded the Wildcats 45-38, including a 21-12 edge on the offensive glass. And lost by 13.
The Wildcats didn't shoot particularly well, either, finishing at 37%. And won by 13.
But his brother, Andrew, and Devin Booker might as well have their faces on milk cartons for as much as they've contributed to the offense. Andrew Harrison had five points on 2-for-7 shooting, and Booker is 4-for-15 in Kentucky's two tournament games. This is hilarious. She literally just refuted the exact same point she made to create her thesis.
It's a good lesson to learn, no question. But Kentucky also needs to realize there are some other very good teams out there, and it won't always be able to impose its will. These young, cocky kids have another thing coming.
If a better team can duplicate what Cincinnati did, and has the depth and energy to keep it up for 40 minutes, the Wildcats will find themselves in a fight they might not be able to win. Incredible insight here. "If..." "...and...." "depth and energy...." "keep it up...." "MIGHT..." Is this serious?
UK is not invincible (post 13-pt win)
