The last shot...

[Comebakatz3]

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Re-watching that yet again, I really don't know what Willis was thinking. It basically looks like he was focusing on establishing good rebounding position, without ever really even trying to cover his man.

Yet, rebounding position doesn't much matter in a buzzer beater scenario, as there likely won't even be time for a rebound. Preventing an open look is by far and away what matters most in that situation--Stay. On. Your. Man.

He did the right thing. It was a good play by Pinson and Maye. If Willis doesn't pick up Pinson at the free throw line he gets to the basket or possibly gets fouled. Willis gambled... it didn't pay off. Plain and simple. He stepped back after stopping the drive, but at that point there was nothing he could do to cover Maye. I can't say I blame anyone for the defense. Again... it's a scramble end of game situation that isn't easy to defend.

 

[StevieJFTW07]

Well, Laettner didn't travel..Maye did. So..there's that.

 

[new era cat]

Say what you want Cal should have called the TO.
Yes, Ole Roy would also have a chance to set a play, but our defense would not have been in such an unorganized scramble...

 

[barnabus_c2001]

one of our players should have caught the ball from the net and slowed that inbounds play down.its done wuite often.

 

[mrschwump]

Nonsense. Briscoe reacted the moment he saw the pass going to Maye, He can't go sooner or it would've meant leaving Berry (the far more lethal threat) wide open.

Your take on this is 100 percent wrong, and you just look foolish by continuing to defend it. Willis is clearly the guy who lost his man on that play, not Briscoe. Briscoe did everything one could expect from him, by both properly covering his own man, and then providing the help defense to try to cover for his teammate's blunder.

That your take on that play is to unjustly blame it on Briscoe for supposedly getting "totally lost", without even mentioning Willis, is just preposterously wrong.

OK, well that settles it once and for all.

 

[UK90]

He did the right thing. It was a good play by Pinson and Maye. If Willis doesn't pick up Pinson at the free throw line he gets to the basket or possibly gets fouled. Willis gambled... it didn't pay off. Plain and simple. He stepped back after stopping the drive, but at that point there was nothing he could do to cover Maye. I can't say I blame anyone for the defense. Again... it's a scramble end of game situation that isn't easy to defend.

Not trying to pick an argument, but I honestly don't know where you're seeing him supposedly "pick up Pinson at the free throw line." FOX is the guy who picked up Pinson, not Willis. I don't see Willis ever actually try to guard ANYONE. Instead, he essentially just runs straight to the rim and turns--again, almost as if he thought his job was to establish inside rebounding position instead of defending against an open shot.

That said, I agree with you that those end game situations are a crazy scramble where it's not easy to know where you're supposed to be. BUT the default in a man to man system is always to find the man you're assigned to guard and Get. On. Him. Willis is the only one who failed to do that for us on that final possession. And, not coincidentally, the man he was assigned to guard is the same one who then hit the wide open game winning shot.

 

[saxonburgcat]

I rarely post on here... medical school prohibits me from doing much. I've been a UK fan my entire life thanks to my dad. I graduated from Kentucky in 2014 and miss it everyday. I was wandering how this last second shot compared to the Laettner shot for those who were watching then. My dad said he teared up when that happened and I'm not afraid to admit that this shot had the same impact. I would almost take losing by 20 than losing by a last second (traveled) shot. Maybe it's just me ranting but I think this game is one I'll never get over. Last night was rough and today has been just as hard especially after an amazing run.

I was WANDERING the same thing. Also, I am wandering how it is that a medical school student wrote something that sounds like it was written by a junior high student?

 

[sabian_uk24]

I was WANDERING the same thing. Also, I am wandering how it is that a medical school student wrote something that sounds like it was written by a junior high student?

Typed it on my phone while I was rushing between classes. I guess my mind was wandering to that word instead of "wondering."I guess I shouldn't be allowed to make a mistake when typing! Go Cats

 

[Comebakatz3]

Not trying to pick an argument, but I honestly don't know where you're seeing him supposedly "pick up Pinson at the free throw line." FOX is the guy who picked up Pinson, not Willis. I don't see Willis ever actually try to guard ANYONE. Instead, he essentially just runs straight to the rim and turns--again, almost as if he thought his job was to establish inside rebounding position instead of defending against an open shot.

That said, I agree with you that those end game situations are a crazy scramble where it's not easy to know where you're supposed to be. BUT the default in a man to man system is always to find the man you're assigned to guard and Get. On. Him. Willis is the only one who failed to do that for us on that final possession. And, not coincidentally, the man he was assigned to guard is the same one who then hit the wide open game winning shot.

I am not taking any offense by it. We're having a good discussion. I think Willis turns at the free throw line and forces Pinson to angle out and away from the basket. At this time, it appears to me that Fox is just a half a step behind Pinson. So, Willis stepped up around the free throw line and forced Pinson outside. Pinson then smartly uses his body to shield the defenders from getting to Maye as he dumps it to Maye.

Now, Willis could have stuck with Maye, but I think then Pinson doesn't change his angle and he attacks the rim. At the rim a lot can happen. Possibly called for a foul, possibly get a block, possibly they score and get a foul. Of course, this is just speculation because Willis did step in, but it looks to me like Pinson is going to go for the rim until Willis changes his course at about the free throw line.

 

[Chuckinden]

In 1992, we weren't winning the national title. If we beat UNC yesterday, maybe we win it all. I don't know. We'd be the favorite.

2015 is the worst loss ever. 1992 is romanticized more than it should be. It was basically a Rocky Balboa moment where he goes the distance with Apollo Creed but just comes up short.

You get in the Final Four, anything can happen.

 

[UK90]

I am not taking any offense by it. We're having a good discussion. I think Willis turns at the free throw line and forces Pinson to angle out and away from the basket. At this time, it appears to me that Fox is just a half a step behind Pinson. So, Willis stepped up around the free throw line and forced Pinson outside. Pinson then smartly uses his body to shield the defenders from getting to Maye as he dumps it to Maye.

Now, Willis could have stuck with Maye, but I think then Pinson doesn't change his angle and he attacks the rim. At the rim a lot can happen. Possibly called for a foul, possibly get a block, possibly they score and get a foul. Of course, this is just speculation because Willis did step in, but it looks to me like Pinson is going to go for the rim until Willis changes his course at about the free throw line.

Dude, you should go into politics. You've shown a unique capacity for spinning reality, and then sticking with your spin even in the face of contradictory video proof.

Fox picked up Pinson just around passed half court, and turned him left around the three point line. And it appears the reason he turned was quite likely because he saw that wide open target on the left wing in Maye just waiting to have the ball flipped to him. Willis' defense is not what turned him (I doubt Pinson had even noticed Willis when he turned his angle left), instead it was more his LACK of defense providing an enticing wide open target on the left wing.

Bottom line: Four UK players covered the man they were assiqned to guard on that play. One did not. And, surprise surpise, that one is the guy whose man hit the wide open shot. If you want to somehow spin that into a claim that he defended the play well, I guess that's your prerogative, even if it does defy all elementary basketball logic.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Dude, you should go into politics. You've shown a unique capacity for spinning reality, and then sticking with your spin even in the face of contradictory video proof.

Fox picked up Pinson just around passed half court, and turned him left around the three point line. And it appears the reason he turned was quite likely because he saw that wide open target on the left wing in Maye just waiting to have ball flipped to him. Willis' defense is not what turned him (I doubt Pinson had even noticed Willis when he turned his angle left), instead it was more his LACK of defense providing an enticing open target on the left wing.

Bottom line: Four UK players covered the man they were assiqned to guard on that play. One did pot. And, surprise surpise, that one is the guy who's man hit the open shot. If you want to somehow spin that into a claim that he defended the play well, I guess that's your prerogative. It's all past tense now anyways.

I'm a lawyer, so I'm halfway to a politician. in my opinion it appears that everyone picked up their man. Willis hustled back after losing Maye for a moment. He then establishes himself in the middle of the paint near Maye. Pinson possibly goes left because Fox, but also because Willis stops him from being able to attack the middle. He loses Maye by staying in the middle rather than staying on Mayes hip. Still, the defense forced a 19 footer from a former walk on in order for them to get beaten. You take that every time.

 

[UK90]

in my opinion it appears that everyone picked up their man.

OK, now I suspect you're intentionally trying to give me a brain aneurysm. Willis' man was Maye. If he had properly picked up and covered Maye, then there's no way the only UK player near Maye when he took the pass would've been Bledsoe frantically rushing over to help after realizing he'd been left unguarded.

Regarding your second point, if your position is that it's OK to give a lowly former walk-on the open shot so that a higher regarded player doesn't take it instead--fine, fair opinion--but don't pretend Willis was covering the guy when he clearly was not.

 

[JohnnyGentle]

Didn't help that Briscoe was totally lost on the play, got to the point of attack much too late.

you people are mentally ill

willis ran down the middle of the floor and guarded absolutely nothing. he was bad the entire game

 

[JohnnyGentle]

But Fox did stop the ball. Pinson wasn't going towards the rim, he couldn't, so he passed out. Also, Willis was in the wrong position to support anyways. He was behind fox and completely ineffective of defense. If he was between Pinson and Mays, that would have been perfect, because he could of came back and challenged that shot a little.

entirely correct.

some people, obviously, will never see the light

 

[bluek2k4life]

Didn't help that Briscoe was totally lost on the play, got to the point of attack much too late.

Imo Cal should have called a timeout after Monk's bomb to set their defense.
UNC got the ball in real quick and the rest is history. Ughhhhhh...

 

[JohnnyGentle]

actually agree that cal probably should have called time out, but only because willis was such a space cadet

i love willis as a wildcat and for who he is, but to see people somehow blaming briscoe (who played quite well, and extremely hard) is a bit much

 

[JohnnyGentle]

pinson is a 40% shooter and probably the worst offensive player in carolina's rotation. certainly among their perimeter guys

much rather have him shooting a contested runner than maye shooting off the catch

 

[JoeBeeHall]

It is easier to shoot with 4 steps dang chaeter hope his crotch rots out .

 

[Hjack]

Didn't help that Briscoe was totally lost on the play, got to the point of attack much too late.

As happened occasionally during the season, he didn't have a clue.

 

[UK90]

As happened occasionally during the season, he didn't have a clue.

I see another nitwit has joined us.

 

[JohnnyGentle]

briscoe stepped on the baseline twice in january and they were howling. unhinged

willis gave up four layups between TV timeouts and if he made a 3 it was like it didn't happen. if he blocked a couple of them--which happened fairly often--then it meant he played good defense

nobody insists that briscoe can shoot. a similar consensus on willis and his chronic inattention to detail proved elusive

how many times did monk just lose the ball on the way up for a 3? pretty sure willis did it 5x as often on less than half as many attempts

 

[nyron]

Willis gave up consecutive 3-point plays to Maye in the second half, one when he ran by him on a fake and then when he lost him at the top of the key and fouled on a made shot. Pretty devastating to be owned by a slow, unathletic substitute.

 

[rupp876]

Maye walked with the ball and that is the only thing that should matter.

 

[cats2010]

OK, now I suspect you're intentionally trying to give me a brain aneurysm. Willis' man was Maye. If he had properly picked up and covered Maye, then there's no way the only UK player near Maye when he took the pass would've been Bledsoe frantically rushing over to help after realizing he'd been left unguarded.

Regarding your second point, if your position is that it's OK to give a lowly former walk-on the open shot so that a higher regarded player doesn't take it instead--fine, fair opinion--but don't pretend Willis was covering the guy when he clearly was not.

Willis found and picked up maye going down the court, the problem was he didn't stay with him. Willis turned his back on him locating the ball and maye stepped out---game over.

I do think fox had good enough position to keep pinson from getting to the rim but also think think he would have given it a go had Willis followed maye out. I also firmly believe with Higgins underneath the basket a cheap foul is called on fox which allows UNC to win the game anyway.

 

[Beast Johnson]

Maye walked with the ball and that is the only thing that should matter.

You, I, and everyone else knows that the reffs ain't gonna call a travel in that situation.

 

[rupp876]

I am absolutely positive if that is UK taking that shot a walk would have been called. Unacceptable anyway you look at it. The rules do not change due to time remaining.

 

[Mojocat]

OK, now I suspect you're intentionally trying to give me a brain aneurysm. Willis' man was Maye. If he had properly picked up and covered Maye, then there's no way the only UK player near Maye when he took the pass would've been Bledsoe frantically rushing over to help after realizing he'd been left unguarded.

Regarding your second point, if your position is that it's OK to give a lowly former walk-on the open shot so that a higher regarded player doesn't take it instead--fine, fair opinion--but don't pretend Willis was covering the guy when he clearly was not.

I'm trying to insert a screen shot here, and can't get it to work. If you look at the 3.5 second mark, it surely looks like Pinson has turned the corner on Fox, has a step on him and would proceed to the rim - likely to be fouled, but who can say - if not for Willis standing in his way. Viewed that way, Willis is doing what we were all taught from an early age: first order of importance is help defense and preventing a shot at the rim. Would anyone vote to give Pinson a lane to the rim rather than give Maye an 18 foot jumper? Of course not.

Now, I'm willing to consider that the reason Pinson appears to have turned Fox is because Willis is standing there - in effect, he's getting in Fox's way. If he wasn't there, Fox doesn't slow, and Pinson isn't able to get that step.

One other thing is worth noting, as I've seen it said repeatedly in this thread. It's the idea that is was sort of chaos, or helter skelter and people were running uncovered. I thought the same in real time - or better said, I assumed that was the case. I told my teenager you can't really fault the defense or any one player in that situation, it's chaotic, and everyone's first instinct is to protect the rim, and if someone gets loose on the perimeter and you get beat with a near-3 at the buzzer, so be it.

But that's not right. If you watch the full play again, we did a very good job of finding people and covering. Meeks took the ball out of bounds, and he's not in the frame. Everyone else is covered. Good job of transition defense. Willis is accounting for Maye, he's with him as we retreat. He didn't get lost. He made a conscious decision to leave Maye and help on Pinson. Was that the right call? I'm not going to fault a kid for a split second decision like that made in real time. Again, I think everyone would rather concede an 18 foot by a former walk-on than giving a layup or foul to a starter.....

 

[awf]

one of our players should have caught the ball from the net and slowed that inbounds play down.its done wuite often.

The way this game was called it would have been a Tech for interfering with the ball.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Did they add any time to the clock on that last play? I've never seen them look at a replay and not add at least a few tenths but don't think they did for us.

 

[wyldcatsfan]

The laettner shot was a return to glory for UK. Woods had put us up, if he misses we go to the FF. The Maye shot misses and we go to OT, in a pretty deep situation on fouls. Wisconsin is by far the worse, that team was loaded, and came up short!

 

[eku69]

I rarely post on here... medical school prohibits me from doing much. I've been a UK fan my entire life thanks to my dad. I graduated from Kentucky in 2014 and miss it everyday. I was wandering how this last second shot compared to the Laettner shot for those who were watching then. My dad said he teared up when that happened and I'm not afraid to admit that this shot had the same impact. I would almost take losing by 20 than losing by a last second (traveled) shot. Maybe it's just me ranting but I think this game is one I'll never get over. Last night was rough and today has been just as hard especially after an amazing run.

Not even comparable. This game was disappointing, but the Laettner shot was a crusher mainly because of who hit the shot.

 

[eku69]

Willis did come into play on it before he got behind Fox. Willis picked him up around the free throw line. At that point, and I have paused the video right here to be sure, Willis is the only player actually in front of Pinson and keeping him from the basket. Fox is on his right shoulder and maybe a half step behind him. Pinson then fades towards the elbow a bit and drops it off to Maye, and shield's Fox from getting to Maye while Willis fades back towards the basket. If Willis doesn't step in front of him then Pinson may go to the rack uncontested.

Here is the video. Pause it at about 9-10 seconds and you'll see that Fox is on Pinson's shoulder while Willis is getting square to the ball right at the free throw line, which forces Pinson to angle away from the basket. Willis helps to stop the drive, but unfortunately in doing so it takes him away from his own man and out of the play. Briscoe is a bit late helping, not that I am faulting him for it.

Again, this is a huge push up the court that happens quickly and sometimes in stopping the drive people get open. For UK, the second best possible shooter got the look. Would have liked it to have been more contested, but the person taking the shot was likely the one you wanted taking it. It just didn't work out for us.

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I see he made it again.

 

[sabian_uk24]

Not even comparable. This game was disappointing, but the Laettner shot was a crusher mainly because of who hit the shot.

That makes a lot of sense. I think UK fans have had more heartbreak than any other team. I think after digesting it more, the Wisconsin game still might be the hardest for me. I'll never get over that...

 

[JohnnyGentle]

Again, I think everyone would rather concede an 18 foot by a former walk-on than giving a layup or foul to a starter.....

maye is a better offensive player than pinson, who was going full speed on the left side of the floor with fox on his hip

willis wasn't in position to really do anything but jump into fox

 

[Hjack]

I see another nitwit has joined us.

I see that you continue with your infamous name-calling ignorance.

 

[Xception]

Briscoe was not lost on that play. WTF you watching.

I have whoever you're talking to on ignore but no doubt it's a Willis worshippers trying to cover for their favored local . Briscoe was trying to guard his man and had to switch to Willis' unguarded man , erek was boxing out oxygen under the basket . They'll even lie and blame Briscoe to shield the players they prefer .

 

[Comebakatz3]

I have whoever you're talking to on ignore but no doubt it's a Willis worshippers trying to cover for their favored local . Briscoe was trying to guard his man and had to switch to Willis' unguarded man , erek was boxing out oxygen under the basket . They'll even lie and blame Briscoe to shield the players they prefer .

I haven't really seen anyone blame Briscoe. I don't think that's what they mean when they say he's a bit late. He's stuck there and if he were lucky enough to be a bit faster, or Maye hadn't walked, then it's a contested jumper. Still, no one seems to be blaming him.

 

[Xception]

I haven't really seen anyone blame Briscoe. I don't think that's what they mean when they say he's a bit late. He's stuck there and if he were lucky enough to be a bit faster, or Maye hadn't walked, then it's a contested jumper. Still, no one seems to be blaming him.

Then you must have them on ignore too but Briscoe didn't get lost on the last play as show ignored content revealed someone posted . News flash , Willis man was open for the last shot and not Briscoes . It was definitely an attempt to blame Briscoe for ereks zero defense , as if nobody else had a tv or internet .

 

[Xception]

Hahaha Willis did not cut Pinson , what a joke interpretation that is . Willis didn't know what to do and in fact he said later that he got lost on the play in an interview , so that destroys any bs argument that he picked up Pinson , the video shows erek getting in Foxs way if anything .

Briscoe picked up Maye because Willis did absolutely nothing . Willis panicked in the moment and was unsure what to do , that's the simple truth . Stop trying to blame anybody but Willis just because you like local players .