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This is Cal’s last stand…

An Arkansas team that beat Duke earlier in the year. Despite their record they have some ballers on their team and we got their best shot yesterday. No reason for their record to be as bad as it is.
We get everybody’s best shot because our defense sucks. That one dude lived on the foul line because of our defense. Reach, slap and grab won’t do.
 
Definitely if he was eligible at the beginning of the year without Ugo or Bradshaw he would most certainly be light years ahead where he is now and possibly one of the best players in college basketball. He has that kind of potential. I’d love to get one more year of him, and if shep joined him not even sure cal could eff that up but he probably would.
Never underestimate his ability to do that
 
Offense wins Championships. This team can get enough stops to make a deep run but you have to rebound and catch some breaks along the way. Rebounding concerns me more then Defense with this bunch
 
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Our only hope for next season is getting some guys back, especially Sheppard.

A Sophomore Sheppard is a NPOY candidate and the type of player that could lead us to a title.

He’s good as a Freshman, but I don’t think he is transcendent like AD was.

But next year, he could be the best player in college.

If he decides to stay in school, we have a chance, especially if he can get a few more to stay with him.
 
For the second time in Cal’s UK career I believe he has caught lightning in a bottle. The first was obviously 2012 when he was lucky enough to combine a generational talent like Davis with the returnees due to the potential NBA lockout. That title doesn’t occur without those 2 exceptionally rare occurrences.

This season he finds himself in a spot where his two best players were his least heralded and a last second pickup in Z. No one (including Cal) thought those 3 would do what they’re doing. I believe Shep is also a generational type player with his extreme poise that I’ve never seen in a freshman or hardly any age player. He isn’t Davis from a talent standpoint, but very much the same level of impact.

Point being, Cal will almost certainly never hit the lottery like this again. It’s well known he needs extreme talent to win, and he’s got it. So it’s now or never. This is a special group and I hope it ends like it did in 2012.
I agree. Nobody thought Sheppard and Dillingham would be this good. And when the roster was first being developed, we all though Reeves would be gone. And the late addition was Ivisic, and none of us had much clue about how he would pan out. We also didn't know about Mitchell coming to the roster since he didn't become available until late.

So, lightning in a Bottle? Probably so, when you consider all of the pieces that either turned out to be better and those that weren't initially supposed to be on the team.

Look at the most offensively efficient group right now...
Sheppard
Dillingham
Reeves
Mitchell
Ivisic

None of those 5 were expected to be in this position last May/June. So, I agree, gotta make the best of this situation.
 
For the second time in Cal’s UK career I believe he has caught lightning in a bottle. The first was obviously 2012 when he was lucky enough to combine a generational talent like Davis with the returnees due to the potential NBA lockout. That title doesn’t occur without those 2 exceptionally rare occurrences.

This season he finds himself in a spot where his two best players were his least heralded and a last second pickup in Z. No one (including Cal) thought those 3 would do what they’re doing. I believe Shep is also a generational type player with his extreme poise that I’ve never seen in a freshman or hardly any age player. He isn’t Davis from a talent standpoint, but very much the same level of impact.

Point being, Cal will almost certainly never hit the lottery like this again. It’s well known he needs extreme talent to win, and he’s got it. So it’s now or never. This is a special group and I hope it ends like it did in 2012.
An astute observation, Mdnerd ! I'm glad to be your patient ! :cool: And I, too, hope this season ends with a National Championship. One can only hope !
 
For the second time in Cal’s UK career I believe he has caught lightning in a bottle. The first was obviously 2012 when he was lucky enough to combine a generational talent like Davis with the returnees due to the potential NBA lockout. That title doesn’t occur without those 2 exceptionally rare occurrences.

This season he finds himself in a spot where his two best players were his least heralded and a last second pickup in Z. No one (including Cal) thought those 3 would do what they’re doing. I believe Shep is also a generational type player with his extreme poise that I’ve never seen in a freshman or hardly any age player. He isn’t Davis from a talent standpoint, but very much the same level of impact.

Point being, Cal will almost certainly never hit the lottery like this again. It’s well known he needs extreme talent to win, and he’s got it. So it’s now or never. This is a special group and I hope it ends like it did in 2012.
I like your thinking here, the distinction I would make is that with the Davis team the seed, the draw and the opponent didn't matter AD was the X factor. This team must have a break or two in order to win it all.
 
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Offense wins Championships. This team can get enough stops to make a deep run but you have to rebound and catch some breaks along the way. Rebounding concerns me more then Defense with this bunch
Who told you offense wins championships? I have never heard those words out of a coach. I think UVA would disagree with you. UVA won its championship with defense.
 
Who told you offense wins championships? I have never heard those words out of a coach. I think UVA would disagree with you. UVA won its championship with defense.
I have eyes. And an understanding--
Wisconsin worked our historically good '15 "defensive" team over WITH OFFENSE.

players get drafted into the league almost exclusively for their offense. UVA had 3 players during their run that made big shot after big shot ...and were drafted for their OFFENSE.

It takes both truthfully, but more O then D imo
 
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I have eyes. And an understanding--
Wisconsin worked our historically good '15 "defensive" team over WITH OFFENSE.

players get drafted into the league almost exclusively for their offense. UVA had 3 players during their run that made big shot after big shot ...and were drafted for their OFFENSE.

It takes both truthfully, but more O then D imo
71 to 64 and they won on their offense?
 
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Point being, Cal will almost certainly never hit the lottery like this again. It’s well known he needs extreme talent to win, and he’s got it. So it’s now or never. This is a special group and I hope it ends like it did in 2012.
UK should have extreme talent again when the current high school gets to college.
 
Funny, I’d much rather play on a neutral court than Rupp. Rupp seems more inviting to the opposing team than it does intimidating. Neutral sites tend to get some real loud cat fans on our side in attendance.
I would rather play anywhere without SEC officials. Home, away, neutral or in a basement.

Worst officials in basketball.
 
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An astute observation, Mdnerd ! I'm glad to be your patient ! :cool: And I, too, hope this season ends with a National Championship. One can only hope !
Excited Crazy Ex Girlfriend GIF
 
71 to 64 and they won on their offense?
71 points is considered defense. Hmmm🤔
Wisconsin was ranked on pomeroy as the #1 offense in the country and like 36th on Defense. Duke was no defensive juggernaut either but had Okafor ,Tyus jones and Winslow.
None of which were noted for their Defense
 
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The problem with not having much of a defense is if some team gets you down by 10 or more your in big fking trouble because you don't probably have the defense to come back...
You gotta stop scoring possesions to come back .
Kinda like yesterday.....?
 
Disagree. No team scores 96 while also playing great D. If a team wants to get up and down like that, I’ll take UK all day.

Auburn is the example that sticks out where they worked hard to keep the score down and obviously didn’t come close to 96.

I don’t have time to look, but I’d love to see our record when we give up 90 plus, I bet it’s pretty good…
We about saw it yesterday. If we had lost that game scoring over 100 I would’ve really lost it.
 
For the second time in Cal’s UK career I believe he has caught lightning in a bottle. The first was obviously 2012 when he was lucky enough to combine a generational talent like Davis with the returnees due to the potential NBA lockout. That title doesn’t occur without those 2 exceptionally rare occurrences.

This season he finds himself in a spot where his two best players were his least heralded and a last second pickup in Z. No one (including Cal) thought those 3 would do what they’re doing. I believe Shep is also a generational type player with his extreme poise that I’ve never seen in a freshman or hardly any age player. He isn’t Davis from a talent standpoint, but very much the same level of impact.

Point being, Cal will almost certainly never hit the lottery like this again. It’s well known he needs extreme talent to win, and he’s got it. So it’s now or never. This is a special group and I hope it ends like it did in 2012.
How confident are you this defense will hold up for six games against winning basketball teams, or be good enough when we have a mediocre offensive night?
 
How confident are you this defense will hold up for six games against winning basketball teams, or be good enough when we have a mediocre offensive night?
We might lose, but we aren’t going to have a mediocre offensive night unless the refs allow us to get mugged, or Cal completely chokes and reverts to a “defensive” lineup in an effort to win a rock fight.
 
71 points is considered defense. Hmmm🤔
Wisconsin was ranked on pomeroy as the #1 offense in the country and like 36th on Defense. Duke was no defensive juggernaut either but had Okafor ,Tyus jones and Winslow.
None of which were noted for their Defense
Duke cranked the defense in the tournament with Winslow as a small ball 4.

We can do the same thing with Edwards at the 4 beside Reed/Rob/Reeves (or DJ).
 
We might lose, but we aren’t going to have a mediocre offensive night unless the refs allow us to get mugged, or Cal completely chokes and reverts to a “defensive” lineup in an effort to win a rock fight.
So you are you saying we aren't capable of having a mediocre offensive night?
 
I think with a decent coach this team would cruise into the FF.
I think with Cal they’re sweet 16 at best but more than like a first weekend out team.
Hardly any team ever "cruises" to a final four. I could let you pick your favorite team this year or coach and I'll take the field.
 
I have eyes. And an understanding--
Wisconsin worked our historically good '15 "defensive" team over WITH OFFENSE.

players get drafted into the league almost exclusively for their offense. UVA had 3 players during their run that made big shot after big shot ...and were drafted for their OFFENSE.

It takes both truthfully, but more O then D imo
Your eyes have lied to you if you think offense wins championships. You show me a team that relies exclusively on its offense to win games and I will show you a team that isn't getting close to making an appearance in the final four. A good defense is always far more reliable than a team's offense.

As for the NBA drafting exclusively on offense, I have no idea which NBA you are referring to because it isn't the National Basketball Association.
 
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So you are you saying we aren't capable of having a mediocre offensive night?
I have no idea why the poster thinks this team isn't capable of having a bad offensive game. It is called pressure which is what happens when you know you are playing in a one loss and done tourney. It is also what can happen when you are playing a great defensive team.
 
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So you are you saying we aren't capable of having a mediocre offensive night?
I’m saying it’s unlikely if we play our key guys. Anything is possible, and it’s hard to win six games. Only one team does it.

What’s clear is this team is an offensive juggernaut, and it would be a shame not to lean into that based on some misguided notion that rock fights are better for tournament success.
 
The problem with not having much of a defense is if some team gets you down by 10 or more your in big fking trouble because you don't probably have the defense to come back...
You gotta stop scoring possesions to come back .
Well. We did that exact thing yesterday. So the defense did get stops when we were down 9 in second half.
 
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I have no idea why the poster thinks this team isn't capable of having a bad offensive game. It is called pressure which is what happens when you know you are playing in a one loss and done tourney. It is also what can happen when you are playing a great defensive team.
Let these guys do what they do and it is unlikely. We finally have a team that will play to win and go for the jugular on offense - as long as the right guys are playing.

Sure, if you play Houston and the refs let them mug you all night it can be tough. But I haven’t seen the team who can guard us if we play to our strengths.
 
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Duke cranked the defense in the tournament with Winslow as a small ball 4.

We can do the same thing with Edwards at the 4 beside Reed/Rob/Reeves (or DJ).
This team doesn't play good defense because half the time they are completely lost on the court. If they are lost defensively at this point in the season, I don't see it just magically changing just because we are about to start tourney play.
 
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Let these guys do what they do and it is unlikely. We finally have a team that will play to win and go for the jugular on offense - as long as the right guys are playing.

Sure, if you play Houston and the refs let them mug you all night it can be tough. But I haven’t seen the team who can guard us if we play to our strengths.
If there is no team that can guard us, why do we have 8 losses?
 
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