My favorite part….we didn’t play great

[Jamal Mercer]

Tons of room for improvement after a top 10 win.

Jaxson Robinson won’t have a worse game all year.

We won’t be in a ridiculous amount of foul trouble in the first half like that the rest of the year.

Pope will figure out the rotation and certain guys won’t get minutes.

This team will lose some games but I’m more encouraged than ever. Can’t freaking sleep.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Yes, absolutely. That was an A close, and an A effort, but there was some fixes needed in a lot of the first 30ish min. We will still get better. But that fight? That's something you either have or you don't. Gonna be fun seeing how good this team gets.

 

[Bluesnky]

It doesn’t get any better than that second half defense. Do that for two halves and we are #1.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

The potential of this team knowing they can play this well against a top 10 team like DOOK is scary. They are only going to get better, and this was without Robinson having a great game too!

 

[jeffky]

Our spacing was poor but that 2nd half defense can bring home hardware

 

[Bluegrass79]

They were down six points with 8 to go. Out played them from that point

 

[bbncal02]

We played pretty damn good to close out the game, but over all, no, we didn't have a great game. Especially the End of the First Half/2nd Quarter.

But we adjusted and played really well for most of the 2nd Half.

 

[podgejeff_]

I mean credit Duke for that. That's probably the most athletic team we'll see this year. Their defense is real.

Pope's offense is just REALLY hard to guard for 40 min. And apparently he knows of a coaching secret called halftime adjustments that we're not used to seeing.

 

[LmdCat]

Tons of room for improvement after a top 10 win.

Jaxson Robinson won’t have a worse game all year.

We won’t be in a ridiculous amount of foul trouble in the first half like that the rest of the year.

Pope will figure out the rotation and certain guys won’t get minutes.

This team will lose some games but I’m more encouraged than ever. Can’t freaking sleep.

The fact that the team wasn't playing up to their abilities is the reason why I couldn't believe some of the stuff posted at halftime. We played poorly while Duke played extremely well and yet we were only down 9.

 

[Bluesnky]

We played pretty damn good to close out the game, but over all, no, we didn't have a great game. Especially the End of the First Half/2nd Quarter.

But we adjusted and played really well for most of the 2nd Half.

It’s hard to play from behind, man. We were one or two plays away from being buried most of the game. I can’t believe they won that game. It looked like they were headed for a blowout. We have ourselves a hell of a coach.

 

[bbncal02]

It’s hard to play from behind, man. We were one or two plays away from being buried most of the game. I can’t believe they won that game. It looked like they were headed for a blowout. We have ourselves a hell of a coach.

Yeah I was worried at the half that Duke would come out and hit 2 or three 3s and just bury us.

 

[KyJones64]

I mean credit Duke for that. That's probably the most athletic team we'll see this year. Their defense is real.

Pope's offense is just REALLY hard to guard for 40 min. And apparently he knows of a coaching secret called halftime adjustments that we're not used to seeing.

I was thinking the same thing. 2nd half was pure Mark Pope and Kentucky Magic!! These guys never got flustered, I absolutely LOVE our Cats!! 🏀

 

[gharding07]

After hearing Pope postgame, good lord he is one smart dude and sooo under control down the stretch on the sidelines. I think we have a keeper.

 

[sambowieshin]

Duke is a very good team filled with very talented, athletic, well coached players.
Make no mistake.... This was a hellava win for a hodgepodge of random players Pope has sewn together on short notice.
The Frankenstein Five

 

[Rockfly78]

Feel bad for JR tho. 70 NBA scouts in attendance. It’s possible that got to him. But he will be fine. Stud

 

[ukfan1622]

Another thing is that we came from behind mainly on 2 point shots. If this team gets hot from three range they could from back from being down double digits while you were getting something out of the fridge.

 

[runt#69]

It doesn’t get any better than that second half defense. Do that for two halves and we are #1.

Second half defense was stellar.

Didn't see that coming!

Steal my heart, and Oweh we go ! 🏀❤️

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

While I hate to give Duke any credit, their defense was different than what this team has seen or will see very often.
It’s awesome that in November we got to test ourselves against that and come out on top.

 

[runt#69]

It's true!

But Coach Pope just isn't smarter than 99.9 % of all college basketball coaches ... He's smarter than 99.9% of the rest of us, me included !

Go Big Blue !

 

[ukfan1622]

It's true!

But Coach Pope just isn't smarter than 99.9 % of all college basketball coaches ... He's smarter than 99.9% of the rest of us, me included !

Go Big Blue !

I was gonna make a joke and it was going to be really, really funny like you can't believe but I decided to just say that yes, that is true.

 

[Phil_The_Music]

I was gonna make a joke and it was going to be really, really funny like you can't believe but I decided to just say that yes, that is true.

Usually the people that always say, "I'm not that smart" (which Pope says a lot) are in fact, actually that smart. lol

 

[Fox2monk]

Feel bad for JR tho. 70 NBA scouts in attendance. It’s possible that got to him. But he will be fine. Stud

You can tell he was flustered, I’m sure he will play well more often that not. He has the talent.

 

[crawfords corner]

So much stuff I liked I can't pick a favorite thing. Like this....

Bench scoring
UK- 25
Duke- 6


UK had 7 players with at least 6 points. 6 of whom had at least 1 make from 3. Shots were pretty evenly taken for the most part. This team seems to have great balance in it's scoring. Our best NBA prospect had a horrible game and UK still managed to beat a very talented Duke team.


We also blocked 8 shots and assisted on 68% of our own shots.

 

[SC_INCAT]

Yes, absolutely. That was an A close, and an A effort, but there was some fixes needed in a lot of the first 30ish min. We will still get better. But that fight? That's something you either have or you don't. Gonna be fun seeing how good this team gets.

You hit the nail on the head with the fight part. This team has it 100%.

 

[crxohio]

Duke is a very good team filled with very talented, athletic, well coached players.
Make no mistake.... This was a hellava win for a hodgepodge of random players Pope has sewn together on short notice.
The Frankenstein Five

Love it. Let's roll with that team name around here.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

I thought we started the game extremely tight,lots of adrenaline. We also( I give Duke credit here) seemed to be rushing our shots.Duke had an effective plan to start the game, extending their defense. and pushing our offense away from their comfort zone. To me at least Pope earned his spurs as UK coach tonight by recognizing what they were doing and adjusting accordingly, something Cal hadn't done in several years. I also think our guys relaxed and let the game come to them. I though Schier made a serious coaching blunder going almost exclusively to Flag late, making a multi talented team rather one deminsoinal.