The morning after...

[SmyrnaCatFan]

I can't quite put my finger on it but I just feel so flat after that game. I never doubted because I felt we were in the driver's seat but something seems off. Some of the late whistles seemed like spread manipulation but I don't buy into that. (The thought did pass through my mind.) Anyway, I'm missing the crisp passing and high assist stats we were accumulating. I guess other teams are defending our passing lanes better. I was pretty disgusted watching Mizzou 3's ripping the net too often.

I really like our team winning but what makes it sweeter is to see consistently good basketball in pursuit of the win.

Sincerely,

Flat Sam

 

[bbncal02]

Offense was fine. Defense is awful.

 

[STL_Cat]

Felt a little flat last night after the W myself, always happy with the W but that wasn't a great feeling game. I really want to see us play better defense. I don't think it can be overstated how badly we need Thiero back for toughness, energy, and defense.

 

[WeWant9]

I think this is how sec play is going be for the Cats. There’s a lot more film out on the team now, and opposing coaches are going gameplan. The sec is also filled with older, bigger, and stronger players that will give some fits to our younger guys.

At the end of the day, we still dropped 90 points and won by 13 (I think the spread was like 11.5). We are out of playing cupcakes, and the sec is going be a meat grinder as teams look for a marquee victory vs UK.

 

[ukfan117]

Calipari's teams except the 2012 and 2015 struggled with defense. But, you can't put blame on the defense when they're hitting 3's from the parking lot. Most of the three's Mizzou hit was luck.

 

[STL_Cat]

Calipari's teams except the 2012 and 2015 struggled with defense. But, you can't put blame on the defense when they're hitting 3's from the parking lot. Most of the three's Mizzou hit was luck.

I've heard this before, but I disagree with it. It starts with giving them open jumpers and letting them get into a rhythm and build their confidence. Once they've seen a few go through the nets and start feeling it a little, good players will get hot. It happens all the time. Once they get going it's hard to stop them and that's when they "start hitting 3's from the parking lot."

 

[CUJO_1970]

Everyone's flat - it was a typical SEC clunker controlled by the officials.

 

[ukfan117]

I've heard this before, but I disagree with it. It starts with giving them open jumpers and letting them get into a rhythm and build their confidence. Once they've seen a few go through the nets and start feeling it a little, good players will get hot. It happens all the time. Once they get going it's hard to stop them and that's when they "start hitting 3's from the parking lot."

Good point, but I didn't watch the 2nd half since I had to get up early today. In that first half, I was pulling my hair out because Edwards allowed 2 of Mizzou's three's to be wide open.

I hope they fix this come March because little teams in the tourney know they have nothing to lose, this they jack up 3's all game.

 

[westerncat]

It was not a great exciting game but we did put up 90 points. Edwards and Bradshaw still need to up their game. I know that Bradshaw is behind but he missed a lot of passes that he should have caught last night. Right now I biggest weakness is our bigs not counting Mitchell who is playing great ball.

Edwards you can see he is a good player but it is just taking him longer to adjust to College ball. Hopefully soon he will turn it on .

 

[Cayts69]

It was not a great exciting game but we did put up 90 points. Edwards and Bradshaw still need to up their game. I know that Bradshaw is behind but he missed a lot of passes that he should have caught last night. Right now I biggest weakness is our bigs not counting Mitchell who is playing great ball.

Edwards you can see he is a good player but it is just taking him longer to adjust to College ball. Hopefully soon he will turn it on .

Serious question on Edwards - what have you seen there other than a top 3 recruiting ranking?

I want him to succeed here, but I’m not sure what he’s good at? It’s not shooting, dribbling, or finishing at the rim.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Yeah and the thing about the defense is it's not as if Missouri just went nuts from 3. They finished the game 8 for 28 for 28.6%. Sometimes teams just go nuts from 3 and you have to tip your cap. That didn't happen last night tho.

That's obviously fine. The bigger problem was the 54.5% from 2.

It's been an issue for years. Interior defense. We block a ton of shots but still give up too high of a FG% to opponents.

 

[BelfryKYCatFanatic]

Can we just enjoy being 12-2 and being ranked in the Top 6 again?

Such buzzkills...

#1 Purdue and #2 Houston has a legit chance to complain today

 

[Lempface]

Felt a little flat last night after the W myself, always happy with the W but that wasn't a great feeling game. I really want to see us play better defense. I don't think it can be overstated how badly we need Thiero back for toughness, energy, and defense.

Same here, but thinking at it logically… we won by 13, against a 12.5 spread and to my eye played pretty terribly. So terribly we still put up 90 freaking points.

What other teams in recent memory can put up 90 and win by 13 with their C- game? I had to slap myself into smiling.

 

[SmyrnaCatFan]

Same here, but thinking at it logically… we won by 13, against a 12.5 spread and to my eye played pretty terribly. So terribly we still put up 90 freaking points.

What other teams in recent memory can put up 90 and win by 13 with their C- game? I had to slap myself into smiling.

I'm very happy we are 2-0 in SEC just don't have that long-lasting high energy itch like I did following Florida. I'm sure I'll be fine when we play the Aggies.

 

[GoBigBlue30]

It feels that the Cats are much better on the road than they are at home. So weird.

 

[TankedCat]

its nice to be rising in the polls instead of falling out of them, which has been far too common for teams of late.

 

[WeWant9]

Same here, but thinking at it logically… we won by 13, against a 12.5 spread and to my eye played pretty terribly. So terribly we still put up 90 freaking points.

What other teams in recent memory can put up 90 and win by 13 with their C- game? I had to slap myself into smiling.

I know it doesn’t mean anything at this point, but I was thinking last year’s team is probably starting 0-2 in league play if they played the last two games.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

I go back to something I said yesterday. In 2015 the UK team that had obliterated Kansas, UCLA, UNC and Louisville started SEC play with a Double-OT win over a TAMU team that didn't make the tourney that year as I recall. That team then came home and had to pull a Houdini escape to beat Ole Miss in OT -- and would have lost if the kid who was killing Kentucky hadn't gone down with an injury.

It is not uncommon to look fairly ordinary early on in the SEC given the decent level of talent even among middlin' teams, the officiating and so on. But winning as the team did in Florida and by 13 last night should not be taken for granted.

 

[STL_Cat]

Same here, but thinking at it logically… we won by 13, against a 12.5 spread and to my eye played pretty terribly. So terribly we still put up 90 freaking points.

What other teams in recent memory can put up 90 and win by 13 with their C- game? I had to slap myself into smiling.

I’m happy with the 90 points, but we still need to play better defense.

 

[Bkocats]

Can we just enjoy being 12-2 and being ranked in the Top 6 again?

Such buzzkills...

#1 Purdue and #2 Houston has a legit chance to complain today

I would agree to a point
But if you’re looking long term this team needs to make some major defensive improvements in order to go deep in the tourney

It did feel like Calipari’s game plan was to get our 7 footers more looks, and get them integrated into the team concept
I think that’s why our assist ratio was down and the guards seemed more discombobulated

 

[westerncat]

Serious question on Edwards - what have you seen there other than a top 3 recruiting ranking?

I want him to succeed here, but I’m not sure what he’s good at? It’s not shooting, dribbling, or finishing at the rim.

i have been wondering if he was overrated coming out of HS ? I think these ratings are somewhat not correct. Edwards is a decent shooter but I think he would be better attacking the basket more than trying to hit a 3 point shot. It just takes some kids longer to adjust to college ball because of the speed of the game. I hope the light comes on for him soon. I think he might be better coming off the bench than starting.

 

[ukjenning44]

After A&M lost to Auburn last night we are a must win for them. I’m dreading that game. We better be ready to play.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Can we just enjoy being 12-2 and being ranked in the Top 6 again?

Such buzzkills...

#1 Purdue and #2 Houston has a legit chance to complain today

I think we can do both tho right.

I mean it's perfectly fine to be happy and excited about what this team has done up to this point and also realize that if we want to reach our ultimate goal, the defense will need to be better.

I think that's where most people are at right now.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Many of us are old enough to remember the post Notre Dame January Slump. Any win is good.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

It’s about match ups too.

Missouri is not a good matchup for how we play vs how they play.

They are perfectly suited for SEC officials. We are not.

 

[bigbluelou]

Many of us are old enough to remember the post Notre Dame January Slump. Any win is good.

Came to say this. Yeah, didn't feel giddy after last night's game, but the reality is it's Jan, it's the SEC, we have a young team, and it's hard to get up for every team. We seem to sort of play to the level of our competition (excluding UNCW).

 

[Aike]

Cal messed with the rotations. Played the starters 6 minutes at the beginning. He has typically been subbing in Reed and Rob after 3 minutes.

He also put them in with Onyenso, so I don’t think you get the same bang for your buck. Before it was “seven starters,” but Onyenso isn’t starter quality.

Even pulled Reed for DJ with 2 minutes left. Reeves couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn - thought if anything he’d sub him out.

Cal really wants things to be a certain way.

 

[thedahc]

I can't quite put my finger on it but I just feel so flat after that game. I never doubted because I felt we were in the driver's seat but something seems off. Some of the late whistles seemed like spread manipulation but I don't buy into that. (The thought did pass through my mind.) Anyway, I'm missing the crisp passing and high assist stats we were accumulating. I guess other teams are defending our passing lanes better. I was pretty disgusted watching Mizzou 3's ripping the net too often.

I really like our team winning but what makes it sweeter is to see consistently good basketball in pursuit of the win.

Sincerely,

Flat Sam

90 points
SEC win
In control the whole time
Top 10 ranking
12-2
A roster full of exciting, fun, likable players

I'm loving every minute of it! Can't wait for the next game