This Houston/UT game just solidifies how good we were

[westerncat]

I think what the OP was saying is UK beat UT 2 out of 3 times.

 

[LmdCat]

Sweet 16 good. Nothing more, nothing less

It is a lot better than what we have been for years.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I think what the OP was saying is UK beat UT 2 out of 3 times.

Well that's all well and good but how does them getting curb stomped by Houston mean anything.

If anything, it looks bad lol.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

That is exactly the point. Why were we saying we won second half. That did not change a single thing. We still lost. I agree 100% with your "what's the point" statement.

Kind of like arguing about Tenn/Hou doesn’t change a single thing. This thread needs thrown in a barrel, doused in gasoline and lit aflame.

 

[crestcat]

Houston would have handled UK with ease. There is no way UK can match up the physicality of Houston. The Cats would have been handled underneath and they wouldn't have fared well with Houston's perimeter defense.

I’ve heard it said “That’s why they play the games.”

 

[GoNoles111]

OP is you drunk?

 

[UKFAN4L]

I'm unclear as to why this game is any indication on how good we were lol.

Just go with it. We were really, really good. If it was a two and out tournament, we would’ve won.

 

[bbncal02]

Well that's all well and good but how does them getting curb stomped by Houston mean anything.

If anything, it looks bad lol.

Yes and no. They beat the hell out of UCLA and then us. They then came back down to earth pretty quick. Happens.

 

[The_Answer1313]

If anything this is the numbers from the entire season just bearing itself out in front of us.

You had four clear cut teams ahead of the pack here.

 

[bowfreak]

Houston isn’t long. They start 6’8” at both frontcourt positions

They have 7’ wing spans.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

They have 7’ wing spans.

So do 7 footers lol. That doesn’t make them long

 

[Mash 2.4]

Nothings wrong with our system. We just need improved talent. I like Sampson and think he’s a great coach. But i wouldn’t enjoy watching them much game after game.

 

[crestcat]

It also solidifies how the league officials gave "protected player" status to the leagues short 5'-x guards, calling fouls on the defense every time they drove the lane. SEC teams have been beaten by teams with tall,long quick guards and our teams got nothing but a stripped ball when they drove the lane. They couldn't shoot 3's over the taller defenders that played them tight.

Not giving the midget all the calls was my favorite part.

 

[ala_kat2]

I'm unclear as to why this game is any indication on how good we were lol.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. To me, it solidifies how bad we were on defense compared to Houston and how bad we were on offense against UT in the last game.

 

[Wildskatfan]

Yeah, I’m not exactly sure I follow this logic either

It makes no sense. It actually shows how bad we were that we got ran out the gym by a Tennessee team that didn't look that great today

 

[ala_kat2]

The Huston vs Duke contest will be officiated totally differently. Huston will be in serious foul trouble before half-time.

Probably. Duke has vastly superior players than Tennessee. Duke will get inside and score with Flagg and Knoeppel and their big center. Duke by 8.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. To me, it solidifies how bad we were on defense compared to Houston and how bad we were on offense against UT in the last game.

That was my take away from this.

Like past two years what could have been if we just had a complete team that focused on being good on both sides of the ball.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Houston does foul a lot. They will be in foul trouble vs Duke.

But Houston been in foul trouble during the entire season and that hasn't seemed to affect them all that much.

I think that game will be close.

And if it's Auburn vs UF on the other side, I think same thing.

 

[Joerules19]

Call it the eye test. We were so much better offensively than either of these teams. We lacked defense but we had improved throughout the year. I think Kentucky beats both these teams completely healthy. It’s all conjecture, I get it, but just looking at what we were, looks better than these two.

Lmao. Houston would have annihilated UK

 

[NociHTTP]

Can we please put to bed something here?

Just because you play at a slow pace, doesn't mean you aren't a good offensive team.

Houston is a very good offensive team and pretty much scored the same points per possession that we did.

I feel like people see the low scores and it's clouding minds.

I'd venture to guess 69 points in this given the slow pace was a very good offensive performance.

I said this weeks ago. Houston is one of THE BEST at managing the clock, and getting the most out of it.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I said this weeks ago. Houston is one of THE BEST at managing the clock, and getting the most out of it.

I mean we could say playing at a slow pace makes them a bit susceptible to upsets given the low amount of possessions usually means their games will be closer...........

then again they just beat a good UT team by 19 lol.

But we can't say a team that shoots 40% from 3, only turns it over 14% of the time and rebounds 37% of their misses is a poor offensive team lol.

 

[NociHTTP]

I mean we could say playing at a slow pace makes them a bit susceptible to upsets given the low amount of possessions usually means their games will be closer...........

then again they just beat a good UT team by 19 lol.

But we can't say a team that shoots 40% from 3, only turns it over 14% of the time and rebounds 37% of their misses is a poor offensive team lol.

And I agree with you.

 

[LmdCat]

Well that's all well and good but how does them getting curb stomped by Houston mean anything.

If anything, it looks bad lol.

You are exactly right which is the reason I wanted UT to win. If they won, we would have done something that no other team had done which was beat 3 of the final 4 teams this season.

 

[TTTblue24]

Houston isn’t long. They start 6’8” at both frontcourt positions

Wing spans over 7’……..🤔……seems pretty long to me when the goal is at 10’ means you don’t have to jump out of the gym to block or effect shots. Regardless, id take them here along with their commitment to help side and defensive rotations.

 

[BlueSince92]

Was thinking the same thing.

I'm unclear as to why this game is any indication on how good we were lol.

Right? With the opposite outcome we could have at least appealed to transitive property of equality since we did two-for-three UT fwiw

 

[cats#1again]

I agree that injuries really capped our potential this season, but I am also eager to see what Pope can do with 2-3 years of player development and continuity. I hope he acquires both some experienced veterans but also some players that can grow in his system.

I don't think we will lose players to the portal
Maybe one here n there.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Call it the eye test. We were so much better offensively than either of these teams. We lacked defense but we had improved throughout the year. I think Kentucky beats both these teams completely healthy. It’s all conjecture, I get it, but just looking at what we were, looks better than these two.

Interesting take. We looked soft and unable to handle Tennessees physical defense Friday. That happened quite a few times this season. I’m not so sure we’d handle Houston any better than the Vols have.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Last night we had several posters saying we won second half. Does this mean TN is winning second half?

Well, a lot of posters here don’t know a whole lot about hoops. There’s a huge faction of BBN that’s pretty akin to the Cards BFIBs.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

When we were healthy, we were pretty good. I have a feeling pope knows exactly what he’s doing. He got robbed a little this year.

This comment is confusing to me. Wouldn't Tennessee beating Houston clarify this?

 

[Deli owl]

It is a lot better than what we have been for years.

That sounds even worse for the UK program.

 

[Deli owl]

A team that when healthy could score and keep up offensively with anyone in the country but a team for the second year in a row couldn't guard a lamppost which is what put us in the tier below contending teams.

Yup

 

[michaeluk26]

We did beat two final four teams this year like in 2022.

 

[ukcatz12]

I'd venture to guess 69 points in this given the slow pace was a very good offensive performance.

They scored 1.21 points per possession in this game, so yes it was.

 

[The_Answer1313]

They scored 1.21 points per possession in this game, so yes it was.

Against a very good UT defense too.