I was pretty encouraged by the effort in a physical game where some of the pieces seemed off. Team responded when it mattered.
Saw the weaknesses of our team against WKU
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1.) You have to give our defense some credit. Every team we play happens to have their worst night offensively.
2.) I have no issues with Robinson’s shot selection. He’s going to make those shots. Pope wants opposing defense to be pressured into guarding sideline to sideline and he knows what Robinson is capable of.
The SEC is LOADED. It's unreasonable to expect this team to roll through the conference this season, even if they had John Wall running point. The road is going to be tough - gyms like Clemson's are no walk in the park, either, as we'll see next week.\
That said, this team isn't going to lose to random midmajor teams like Cal became accustomed to doing. They have enough experience paired with smart coaching to prevent that.
That said, this team isn't going to lose to random midmajor teams like Cal became accustomed to doing. They have enough experience paired with smart coaching to prevent that.
We were projected to finish 8th in the SEC. We are gonna struggle sometimes and loose some games.
Last night I think the issue was just the team was lackadaisical. The start time was weird and they just wanted to get the game over so they could visit with their families. It's human nature. The crowd at Rupp had the same energy and hell I just wanted the game to end while watching at home lol.
Last night I think the issue was just the team was lackadaisical. The start time was weird and they just wanted to get the game over so they could visit with their families. It's human nature. The crowd at Rupp had the same energy and hell I just wanted the game to end while watching at home lol.
I think we went inside so much because WKU took our outside game off the table, so to speak. Much like Duke tried to do. This will be the blueprint for other teams going forward: take away the 3-point attempts. I’m just glad that not many teams will be as effective as WKU was in that regard.
You are correct about WKU's very poor shooting last night. At one point in the second half, they were 2-19. With their quickness, they could get to the rim at will but couldn't finish. They were 4-26 on threes, with many of them bricks and they shot 31.8% for the game. Hopefully, our defense had a lot to do with their shooting woes, but I'm not certain of it. I absolutely never doubted that we would win the game, but it could've been much closer than it was, if they shot better.
WKU could not match up with our height. Often, especially on switches, Carr, Garrison and Williams had guys on them that didn't reach their armpits. WKU was extremely quick, but lacked height. To my view, it made sense to go inside.
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What if, what if, what if.
Jeez.
What if we hadn't missed 13 FTs.
Nobody here thinks we're going 40-0.
I will definitely remember this post, and your wobbly knees, later.
Posters are saying we had a off night ? WKU shot 21/66 for 32% and 4/26 for 15%. Our defense was not the cause. We only generated 11 turnovers, not physical defense, WKU just missed shots. Henry their best player shot 3/16 and 1/7. Another leading scorer lander shot it even worse, 1/12 and 0/5. A TON of open misses. 3 point defense is a useless stat. For any team. Right behind free throw line defense lol. I do agree effort was off, but also contend that playing that finesse against teams more physical than WKU will not end well. UNLESS we shoot 50% from 3 and make 12-15. WKU averages committing 12 turnovers per game, that is against Wichita State, Grand Canyon, Campbellsville, Lipscomb and Jax. State. UK only forced 11.
There’s stuff to glean from this game, sure, and stuff that reflects where we might make have some gaps and where we can improve. But there’s also the typical overreaction, which for this game has surprised me. Too many good folks applying way too many red flags.
We see this with teams who are trying to just make things as ugly as possible with no objective of winning but rather just to keep scores respectable.
Gonzaga faced this against Arizona St, Auburn against Kent St, Kansas against Oakland, etc. it happens.
We will know more about UK when they go on the road at Clemson next week.
We see this with teams who are trying to just make things as ugly as possible with no objective of winning but rather just to keep scores respectable.
Gonzaga faced this against Arizona St, Auburn against Kent St, Kansas against Oakland, etc. it happens.
We will know more about UK when they go on the road at Clemson next week.
“Butler's and Oweh's ability to move with the ball, get to the rim, score and/or get fouled, will be very important for us in these types of games”.
Exactly, and coupled with Carr’s toughness inside and ability to make shots in the paint.
WKU's tallest player was Faye. 6-7 and weighs 175 pounds. Lander is 6-2, Henry 6-2, Thedford 6-4 and he abused us inside. He shot 10 free throws. He attacked us at will. Several times guys let him get them on his hip and BEHIND him driving to the rim. I screamed several times, stay in front of the player, not try and defend from behind.
Those games happen. Teams are trying to figure out Coach Pope and his style. WKU had some talented players. They pressured Butler aggressively. They had a good plan.
Yeah I believe 13-5 contends for the title depending on how the schedule checks out for each team.
Yes, they had a good plan. They pressured Butler and I thought he handled it well. I thought Kriisa and Robinson, in particular, struggled mightily with the ball against pressure ... constantly pushing off with their left arm. It was never called, but could've been a few times. Honestly, it was surprising, if not alarming and telling.
He was really impressive last night, I agree.
I think his offensive confidence is really growing under Pope after spending years at San Diego State where you’re literally playing in the slowest paced / methodical offense that there is.
He’s definitely more talented offensively than I expected him to be.
Butler reminds me of those two (2) guards Texas A & M had last year ... fwiw
Thedford is a Freshman. Yes, he is very quick and adept with the ball. He reminded me of what I've seen out of Boogie Fland.
Kerr got called for an offensive foul last night as he was bringing the ball across the timeline. He definitely pushed the guy off him, it was an easy call.
This team doesn’t really have any weaknesses.
We are not an overall quick team so quickness will bother us some. We are not a slow team though. This team and coach can adjust to that and did last night. Did against Duke also.
They are still learning the system and each other. Only getting better.
The coaches will learn who to trust in situations too.
We may not have a take over the game guy but we don’t have a weak link either.
My only concern with this team is defensive rebounding. Pope says he’s addressing that and I’m sure he is.
You can already see the Pope influence in Garrison. He made some post moves last night that were straight from the scouting Mark Pope playbook when he played.
Pope is going to help our bigs more than Kenny Payne did.
We will probably take some losses since I doubt we’re going undefeated. But I can’t see who beats us when we’re clicking.
I said before the season I thought we would win the SEC and that’s still my opinion.
I also said we would be top 10 by January.
Little ahead of schedule on that one.
Just a really good team and a joy to watch!🏀
We are not an overall quick team so quickness will bother us some. We are not a slow team though. This team and coach can adjust to that and did last night. Did against Duke also.
They are still learning the system and each other. Only getting better.
The coaches will learn who to trust in situations too.
We may not have a take over the game guy but we don’t have a weak link either.
My only concern with this team is defensive rebounding. Pope says he’s addressing that and I’m sure he is.
You can already see the Pope influence in Garrison. He made some post moves last night that were straight from the scouting Mark Pope playbook when he played.
Pope is going to help our bigs more than Kenny Payne did.
We will probably take some losses since I doubt we’re going undefeated. But I can’t see who beats us when we’re clicking.
I said before the season I thought we would win the SEC and that’s still my opinion.
I also said we would be top 10 by January.
Little ahead of schedule on that one.
Just a really good team and a joy to watch!🏀
Thanks ... I did not recall it, but am not surprised. Pressure bothers him quite a bit.
Every single team we have played has had an “off night shooting.” Every single team has failed to make 40% from the field. What is the common denominator in all those off nights?
Robinson can I watched him do most of last year, he just needs to get his confidence back
We are currently 20th in the country in FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE DEFENSE ... fwiw:
NCAA College Men's Basketball DI current team Stats | NCAA.com
Discover the current NCAA Division I Men's Basketball leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.
www.ncaa.com
It has nothing to do with UK for sure. All UK does is leave 3 point shooters wide open and let people get them on their hip for wide open drives.
If I didn’t watch the game I would have though we lost by reading the board today.
WKU came out trying to prove they could hang with UK. They couldn’t. If if if if if if if
WKY definitely improved their free throw percentage defence last night. 😂We are currently 20th in the country in FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE DEFENSE ... fwiw:
NCAA College Men's Basketball DI current team Stats | NCAA.com
Discover the current NCAA Division I Men's Basketball leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.
I love the posters who think when you point out observations that don't follow their agenda that makes you "nervous." Plus, some comments are making it sound like WKU was a great team. Same team that got beat by top 10 Grand Canyon U, and won by 5 points against Lipscomb.
I said in the game thread, but last night will give the staff a lot of game footage to show where guys can improve and what needs to be worked on.
We were just lucky they were cold. If they'd been hot it would have been bad defense. I guess if we hold people to 40% for the year we'll be the luckiest team of all time.
Bad passing kept Western in the game, along with poor shooting, and horrible foul calls on both sides.
It seemed as if the game would never end with all the fouls being called.
Yep, i think it’s fair to point out some of the team weaknesses (there are a few), but some people read weaknesses ex nihilo. I can’t tell if it is sad fan anxiety or just people waiting until it was time to pounce on Pope. We are at the point where you will start seeing who the real supporters are. Wolves gonna come out of the dark all of a sudden.
I'm pretty sure this is the 1st time in maybe 20 years reading this board that somebody used a word or phrase I had never heard before and had to look up. Kudos!
I will always be happy to read legitimate criticism. I think it is fair to question our rebounding prowess. I think it is fair to question our lack of athleticism at some positions. I do think people who make up flaws will draw questions about their intentions. The “we can’t guard” and every team is having an “off night” veers into troll territory potentially. It is what it is.
Yeah, he can get to the basket, the problem is he's probably going to have a better average shooting threes than making layups.
At least it took 6 games before people started freaking out and we still haven't lost. Wait till we do lose, some of these people will need a safe space
Butler will be the one in control in tight games and with teams that pressure like that. Robinson and Kerr will need to work on their ball handling cause teams will use this more.
Agree! If we beat Zags on the road it might change my thinking on SEC road games but right now I'm thinking 14-4 is a ceiling on SEC record & 11-7 is the floor.
