Looking Ahead: Tre Mitchell vs. KU

[Tampa_cat54]

Tre Mitchell is in the unique position of having played 4 games against Kansas (3 last year, 1 the prior year).

In those contests, he is averaging 16 PPG and 6 RPG.

2023: 15 Points & 5 Rebounds

2023: 20 Points & 7 Rebounds

2023: 11 Points & 7 Rebounds

2022: 17 Points & 5 Rebounds

Not bad having that kind of experience in your lineup this early with a young team.

It will be interesting to see how Cal uses him early on in the year (more minutes at the 5 vs. the 4, etc.)

 

[bbncal02]

Tre Mitchell is in the unique position of having played 4 games against Kansas (3 last year, 1 the prior year).

In those contests, he is averaging 16 PPG and 6 RPG.

2023: 15 Points & 5 Rebounds

2023: 20 Points & 7 Rebounds

2023: 11 Points & 7 Rebounds

2022: 17 Points & 5 Rebounds

Not bad having that kind of experience in your lineup this early with a young team.

It will be interesting to see how Cal uses him early on in the year (more minutes at the 5 vs. the 4, etc.)

Considering Bradsahw and Ugo probably aren't playing by then, we could see some rotational work between Z and Tre. I'd like to see Tre against HD.

 

[BBNinSC]

Mitchell is a very important piece for us. I think he can hold the 4 spot done nicely

 

[BassProCat]

Welp his confidence level will be sky high going into that matchup.

 

[Ukgold]

The guy was basically a gift from the universe. This team better be special. Too many guys on this team who could be the X factor

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Tre Mitchell is in the unique position of having played 4 games against Kansas (3 last year, 1 the prior year).

In those contests, he is averaging 16 PPG and 6 RPG.

2023: 15 Points & 5 Rebounds

2023: 20 Points & 7 Rebounds

2023: 11 Points & 7 Rebounds

2022: 17 Points & 5 Rebounds

Not bad having that kind of experience in your lineup this early with a young team.

It will be interesting to see how Cal uses him early on in the year (more minutes at the 5 vs. the 4, etc.)

To me that game you live with dicksinson getting his, and go all out stopping the others

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Remember what Keion Brooks did to the Jailhawks at Helm's Banner Arena? Mitchell is like a much better Brooks with a jump shot.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Remember what Keion Brooks did to the Jailhawks at Helm's Banner Arena? Mitchell is like a much better Brooks with a jump shot.

I do agree Mitchell is better, but Brooks was way more athletic and also gets sh*t on too much around here. He was a solid 4 man for us.

 

[caneintally]

I do agree Mitchell is better, but Brooks was way more athletic and also gets sh*t on too much around here. He was a solid 4 man for us.

Yep Brooks for some reason was made a scape goat but he was a very good not great player.

 

[rabbitTown]

Tre Mitchell is in the unique position of having played 4 games against Kansas (3 last year, 1 the prior year).

In those contests, he is averaging 16 PPG and 6 RPG.

2023: 15 Points & 5 Rebounds

2023: 20 Points & 7 Rebounds

2023: 11 Points & 7 Rebounds

2022: 17 Points & 5 Rebounds

Not bad having that kind of experience in your lineup this early with a young team.

It will be interesting to see how Cal uses him early on in the year (more minutes at the 5 vs. the 4, etc.)

Key missing stat... despite that effort, he only won the 2022 game with UT.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I do agree Mitchell is better, but Brooks was way more athletic and also gets sh*t on too much around here. He was a solid 4 man for us.

Most all of Brooks points in the Kansas game were mid range jumpers. Not much athleticism required for that.

 

[BlueCephus]

I do agree Mitchell is better, but Brooks was way more athletic and also gets sh*t on too much around here. He was a solid 4 man for us.

He probably get's "sh*t" on because he made some really bad mistakes at critical times like he was a Freshman his whole time at UK.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Most all of Brooks points in the Kansas game were mid range jumpers. Not much athleticism required for that.

When did I say he scored most of his points in that 1 game from athleticism?

 

[Tampa_cat54]

He probably get's "sh*t" on because he made some really bad mistakes at critical times like he was a Freshman his whole time at UK.

Okay and Jacob Toppin didn't make way more costly mistakes last season on our way to a 6 seed and really bad losses.

People clamoring for Toppin and how much better he was going to be were sorely mistaken- we were better when we had both, but the fans made it either/or and forced one of them out.

 

[BlueCephus]

Okay and Jacob Toppin didn't make way more costly mistakes last season on our way to a 6 seed and really bad losses.

People clamoring for Toppin and how much better he was going to be were sorely mistaken- we were better when we had both, but the fans made it either/or and forced one of them out.

I personally thought both of them were hot garbage by Kentucky standards.

 

[BBNinSC]

Remember what Keion Brooks did to the Jailhawks at Helm's Banner Arena? Mitchell is like a much better Brooks with a jump shot.

And don’t play to Dickinson’s strength, he’s a plodder, we should be able to run past him on offense

 

[EastCoastYoungCat]

And don’t play to Dickinson’s strength, he’s a plodder, we should be able to run past him on offensePut him in ball screens all day

 

[RunninRichie]

Yep Brooks for some reason was made a scape goat but he was a very good not great player.

Total revisionism here.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Total revisionism here.

The dude averaged double figures and shot nearly 50% from the field on a top-10 team in college basketball. Had 27 against Kansas, 20 against Tennessee, 18 on the road at Bama, etc.

Then goes on to average 18 and 7 last year in the Pac-12, including 23 on the road against a top-10 UCLA team (Jacob Toppin scored 5 points on 2-10 shooting against that exact same UCLA team), had 16 on the road against a top-5 Arizona team, then scored 25 points at home against that same Arizona team, etc. etc.

But clowns on here want to act like he was Ryan Harrow or Eloy Vargas.

Now THAT is revisionist history.

Was he a star? Obviously not, and no one tries to paint him as one, but he was a very solid contributor on one of the best teams in college basketball as a junior (despite how it ended), and just gets used as a scapegoat for a team that ended up having a terrible terrible loss to end the season.

But the people pretending like Brooks was some terrible player that never should have been given a jersey here are frustrating to listen to.

 

[BlueCephus]

The dude averaged double figures and shot nearly 50% from the field on a top-10 team in college basketball. Had 27 against Kansas, 20 against Tennessee, 18 on the road at Bama, etc.

Then goes on to average 18 and 7 last year in the Pac-12, including 23 on the road against a top-10 UCLA team (Jacob Toppin scored 5 points on 2-10 shooting against that exact same UCLA team), had 16 on the road against a top-5 Arizona team, then scored 25 points at home against that same Arizona team, etc. etc.

But clowns on here want to act like he was Ryan Harrow or Eloy Vargas.

Now THAT is revisionist history.

Was he a star? Obviously not, and no one tries to paint him as one, but he was a very solid contributor on one of the best teams in college basketball as a junior (despite how it ended), and just gets used as a scapegoat for a team that ended up having a terrible terrible loss to end the season.

But the people pretending like Brooks was some terrible player that never should have been given a jersey here are frustrating to listen to.

Neither Toppin or Brooks were guys you go to final fours with and the most frustrating part about it was knowing that and having to watch them play anyway. So glad both are gone. (and that Rupp arena is still named as such)

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Key missing stat... despite that effort, he only won the 2022 game with UT.

Irrelevant stat IMO.

KU had a lot better players in those games.

UK has the players to beat KU. Not having the complete team and Z getting here late may doom us ultimately but it's goofy to blame Mitchell for his team's records against KU.

Kinda like the goobers blaming Oscar for ncaa losses here.

 

[Wonky]

I personally thought both of them were hot garbage by Kentucky standards.

This

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Neither Toppin or Brooks were guys you go to final fours with and the most frustrating part about it was knowing that and having to watch them play anyway. So glad both are gone. (and that Rupp arena is still named as such)

Crazy thing is if you combined them you had a good player but in their own they both had to many problems. Toppin would have moments but was never consistent. The tournament last year is a good example. Good against providence and a complete no show against kstate

 

[Padsfs07]

Crazy thing is if you combined them you had a good player but in their own they both had to many problems. Toppin would have moments but was never consistent. The tournament last year is a good example. Good against providence and a complete no show against kstate

Exactly. I think we will be happy with Tre Mitchell. He seems like a good mix.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Put Mitchell at the 5 and put him in PnR/PnP action. KU will start out man and that will pull HD away from the basket, make him work on defense/tire him out and maybe get him in foul trouble. If this is successful it will force Self to go zone, which being that early in the season, they may not be real prepared for.

Of course, if I’m Self in that situation, I pound it inside to HD every possession to exploit his size advantage on Mitchell. Cal won’t go zone, so HD could feast if he stays out of foul trouble.

 

[jwhkchawk]

Put Mitchell at the 5 and put him in PnR/PnP action. KU will start out man and that will pull HD away from the basket, make him work on defense/tire him out and maybe get him in foul trouble. If this is successful it will force Self to go zone, which being that early in the season, they may not be real prepared for.

Of course, if I’m Self in that situation, I pound it inside to HD every possession to exploit his size advantage on Mitchell. Cal won’t go zone, so HD could feast if he stays out of foul trouble.

As an opposing fan I’ll play devils advocate:
Atleast early in the season KU may prefer to play small ball with KJ Adams at the 5 and McCullar at the 4 like they did last year with Jalen Wilson.

Long term that almost certainly won’t be our best lineup, but certainly something we could adjust to. Just would depend on how willing Self would be to go away from his prized transfer game one. At a minimum KJ would likely step out with Mitchell as he’s very capable at that.

Not sure where that leaves Dickinson though. He was never going to be a strength on D, but thankfully the other 4 are atleast solid on the perimeter.

Really an interesting chess match early in the season.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Yep Brooks for some reason was made a scape goat but he was a very good not great player.

The resson is he absolutely SUCKED about half the games he played. Most inconsistant guy since Rod Rhodes

 

[bucsrule8872]

As an opposing fan I’ll play devils advocate:
Atleast early in the season KU may prefer to play small ball with KJ Adams at the 5 and McCullar at the 4 like they did last year with Jalen Wilson.

Long term that almost certainly won’t be our best lineup, but certainly something we could adjust to. Just would depend on how willing Self would be to go away from his prized transfer game one. At a minimum KJ would likely step out with Mitchell as he’s very capable at that.

Not sure where that leaves Dickinson though. He was never going to be a strength on D, but thankfully the other 4 are atleast solid on the perimeter.

Really an interesting chess match early in the season.

From what I have heard, HD will become a cancer in the locker room if he doesn’t get his. Rumor has it, he is not a good locker room guy. That may change now that he is with a true contender, though. Winning fixes a lot of issues.

 

[502 Wildcat]

We aren't gonna stop Dickinson. Nobody is. Just too good.

The way you approach Dickinson is the same way teams approached Oscar last season - make him defend.

With our guards, and Tre/Justin's ability to stretch the floor, we can feast on him in that way.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Im just hoping Tre and the other forwards can just hold it down, somewhat, in the paint. I don't expect us to win the rebounding margin or get a ton of blocks. But we have to try and make things messy for HD any way we can.

 

[Woodsmoke]

The dude averaged double figures and shot nearly 50% from the field on a top-10 team in college basketball. Had 27 against Kansas, 20 against Tennessee, 18 on the road at Bama, etc.

Then goes on to average 18 and 7 last year in the Pac-12, including 23 on the road against a top-10 UCLA team (Jacob Toppin scored 5 points on 2-10 shooting against that exact same UCLA team), had 16 on the road against a top-5 Arizona team, then scored 25 points at home against that same Arizona team, etc. etc.

But clowns on here want to act like he was Ryan Harrow or Eloy Vargas.

Now THAT is revisionist history.

Was he a star? Obviously not, and no one tries to paint him as one, but he was a very solid contributor on one of the best teams in college basketball as a junior (despite how it ended), and just gets used as a scapegoat for a team that ended up having a terrible terrible loss to end the season.

But the people pretending like Brooks was some terrible player that never should have been given a jersey here are frustrating to listen to.

He sucked from a consistency standpoint. For every good game he had, there were a string of bad games. The frosh from Auburn a couple years back, Jabari Smith made a Junior Keion Brooks look like a high schooler. If the truth makes it hard for you to listen to, then you should probably scroll on.

 

[Woodsmoke]

As an opposing fan I’ll play devils advocate:
Atleast early in the season KU may prefer to play small ball with KJ Adams at the 5 and McCullar at the 4 like they did last year with Jalen Wilson.

Long term that almost certainly won’t be our best lineup, but certainly something we could adjust to. Just would depend on how willing Self would be to go away from his prized transfer game one. At a minimum KJ would likely step out with Mitchell as he’s very capable at that.

Not sure where that leaves Dickinson though. He was never going to be a strength on D, but thankfully the other 4 are atleast solid on the perimeter.

Really an interesting chess match early in the season.

Where does Kansas go to for their outside shooting? Grady Dick and Jalen Wilson were sharpshooters that could go-off at any time.

 

[HagginHall1999]

We just need to run Dickinson into the ground. Simple. Mitchell and hopefully Ivisic will be up to task.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

He sucked from a consistency standpoint. For every good game he had, there were a string of bad games. The frosh from Auburn a couple years back, Jabari Smith made a Junior Keion Brooks look like a high schooler. If the truth makes it hard for you to listen to, then you should probably scroll on.

So a top 3 NBA draft pick outplayed him, so he sucks?

Got it. So much common sense packed into one statement.

 

[Woodsmoke]

So a top 3 NBA draft pick outplayed him, so he sucks?

Got it. So much common sense packed into one statement.

Smith was 18. Brooks was 22. Earlier, you were building Keion up to be a good player who was under-rated. Now you’re giving him a pass because he was playing against a high NBA draft pick. Make up your mind, either Keion is good or he isn’t. Good players with 2 years D1 experience don’t get embarrassed by someone who is 4 years younger with limited game experience.

 

[blackcat714]

I personally thought both of them were hot garbage by Kentucky standards.

Good just not Kentucky good

 

[jwhkchawk]

From what I have heard, HD will become a cancer in the locker room if he doesn’t get his. Rumor has it, he is not a good locker room guy. That may change now that he is with a true contender, though. Winning fixes a lot of issues.

We have only read great things since he’s been there and he’s at least saying all the right things. I am certain he will get his as our bugs always do and we will likely win more than he did at Michigan just because we are pretty consistent in the regular season haha. Hopefully we don’t have to worry about that side of him if it’s there.

 

[jwhkchawk]

Where does Kansas go to for their outside shooting? Grady Dick and Jalen Wilson were sharpshooters that could go-off at any time.

Will easily be our biggest flaw, although Jalen was far from a lethal shooter, just a solid streaky one. Nick Timberlake will be our “Grady” but he’s not 6’8”. Harris is a reluctant shooter but is a 40% career shooter and Dickinson is roughly 40% as well career. I bet McCullars is 2nd in attempts and is capable, but probably a 32-34% guy at best.

Furphy will eventually be a good shooter and will see the court plenty this year as a talented Australian kid, but he likely will take the Svi Mikhailuk route and be a little too gun-shy for a year or 2 before being a real option. By then he may try to play pro ball in one form or another so we may never see that.

Shooting will be our biggest inconsistency as it was last year. Just will be slightly better at playing inside

 

[Ukgold]

Put Mitchell at the 5 and put him in PnR/PnP action. KU will start out man and that will pull HD away from the basket, make him work on defense/tire him out and maybe get him in foul trouble. If this is successful it will force Self to go zone, which being that early in the season, they may not be real prepared for.

Of course, if I’m Self in that situation, I pound it inside to HD every possession to exploit his size advantage on Mitchell. Cal won’t go zone, so HD could feast if he stays out of foul trouble.

foul trouble could be our downfall vs Kansas, if Burk ends up being Mitchell's backup at the 5

 

[RipThru]

As an opposing fan I’ll play devils advocate:
Atleast early in the season KU may prefer to play small ball with KJ Adams at the 5 and McCullar at the 4 like they did last year with Jalen Wilson.

Long term that almost certainly won’t be our best lineup, but certainly something we could adjust to. Just would depend on how willing Self would be to go away from his prized transfer game one. At a minimum KJ would likely step out with Mitchell as he’s very capable at that.

Not sure where that leaves Dickinson though. He was never going to be a strength on D, but thankfully the other 4 are atleast solid on the perimeter.

Really an interesting chess match early in the season.

Are you implying that Dickinson won't start...? Or is HD gonna be the PG?🙄