This team has no clue right now.

[Lra1]

A tough game. A lot of fouls and we missed the free throws. Illinois State impressed me with their tough play and execution. I give them some of the credit for us looking bad. We had to earn everything and did show some toughness. Lab'e will learn from this. The whole team will.

 

[UKKAZ#1]

How many times does Cal have to say "Tyler's the best player on our team, not the best pro prospect but best player and without him we're not very good" before you believe him? I swear I've heard him say it atleast a dozen times the last month or so..

We'll be ok but it's going to take the new guy's some time to learn

 

[ThroughBlue]

So can we ban the troll yet?

We have no good shooters other than Ulis. 16 missed free throws tonight. No excuse for that whatsoever. Skal is nowhere to be found tonight.

 

[deplion]

Some of you really don't understand how Cal's teams work. EVERY year (except last year) we look ragged against a few cupcackes, show up under the bright lights against "name" schools and reveal our true identity about midway through the SEC slate..

I am surprised how many are panicking. You are right, outside of last season, we have seen this every single year Cal has been here.

We don't have nearly as much room for error as we did last year, and we aren't the prohibitive favorites to win it all like last year, but I feel extremely competent we will be right in the mix of things for the title once again come March.

 

[kyjeff1]

So can we ban the troll yet?

Nahhh, he's not a troll, he's just venting. I've seen this before. He'll be okay after a good night's sleep.

 

[CloverforkCat]

I'll say this; If this is all it takes for anyone to start ripping the players-They are NOT UK fans. They are pretenders OR TROLLS.

Pulease....nothing wrong with telling it like it is. This team will get better, but they are not hitting on all cylinders yet. Don't need to peak in Nov-Dec. They have work to do, a LOT of work !

 

[catillac32]

We just won by 12 vs a team that Maryland beat by 11 after trailing at the 5 minute mark. We are fine. SMH

 

[ukfan79]

I am surprised how many are panicking. You are right, outside of last season, we have seen this every single year Cal has been here.

We don't have nearly as much room for error as we did last year, and we aren't the prohibitive favorites to win it all like last year, but I feel extremely competent we will be right in the mix of things for the title once again come March.

Actually this same stuff happened last year. How quickly we forget!

Down at half by 5 to Buffalo
Only leading Boston U by 2 into the second half before winning by 24....alot like Boston U this year except we led by double digits pretty much the whole second half.
Trailing Columbia 10-0 to start the game and 25-23 at half before winning UGLY 56-46

Also, last year through 7 games we were 65.2% from the foul line. This year through the same number of games we are 66.3%. We finished 72.6% last year BTW.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Guys remind how the UK vs Miami Ohio game went down with John Wall and company.

 

[kyjeff1]

Actually this same stuff happened last year. How quickly we forget!

Down at half by 5 to Buffalo
Only leading Boston U by 2 into the second half before winning by 24....alot like Boston U this year except we led by double digits pretty much the whole second half.
Trailing Columbia 10-0 to start the game and 25-23 at half before winning UGLY 56-46

Also, last year through 7 games we were 65.2% from the foul line. This year through the same number of games we are 66.3%. We finished 72.6% last year BTW.

I feel better now.
Seriously I do.

 

[nerdcat]

I like the makeup of this team.. Good opportunity to have others run the point some because Ulis will have to be spelled some this year.

 

[sound defect]

A bunch of guards who can't hit free throws or shoot. Geez, if Tyler Ulis makes that much of a difference to us then we aren't going anywhere. No wonder Cal plays him 40 minutes a game. They all look disinterested right now and they have no confidence in what they are doing.

Wow Negative Nancy, calm down. We started 4 freshmen tonight. We'll be ok.

 

[deplion]

Actually this same stuff happened last year. How quickly we forget!

Down at half by 5 to Buffalo
Only leading Boston U by 2 into the second half before winning by 24....alot like Boston U this year except we led by double digits pretty much the whole second half.
Trailing Columbia 10-0 to start the game and 25-23 at half before winning UGLY 56-46

Also, last year through 7 games we were 65.2% from the foul line. This year through the same number of games we are 66.3%. We finished 72.6% last year BTW.

I'm kind of embarrassed because I was actually at that Columbia game. I remember it now that I think about it, but I guess I had kind of blocked it out of my mind.

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

It seems like a lot of our guys are just pushing to do too much. As a result they don't do a lot right. I'm convinced that some of the pressure to do too much comes from Cal and a fear of being yanked off the court if they mess up.
Briscoe started the game looking like he was trying to do everything by himself. Murray is very inconsistent and does some very questionable things. Skal definitely has the talent but, sometimes disappears.
All these guys need to relax and enjoy the game but, so does Cal. He screams at somebody all the time. As a result our guys appear to play scared. Just an observation.

 

[SmyrnaCatFan]

I think people got used to last year's much more experienced team right out of the gate.

We didn't even get an opportunity to play pro teams during the summer like last year. That team's freshmen had tremendous experience before their first game and had veteran players to take the pressure off. These "studs" are young and they are learning to play real basketball under the pressure of unreasonable expectations. They will learn, but they must learn fast or the pressure becomes greater.

 

[Big Cat fan]

Cal knows it will take a little longer with this team. They will learn, they will make those FT's go down, they will hit the big shoot when they matter.

Lets not forget once they wanna turn it on, ask Duke how good Kentucky is.

 

[GonzoCat90]

Seven years in and some of you still don't get it.

 

[Bkocats]

Offensive offense.....geez people....this will teach these kids what they've yet to learn...relax...

thought this was pretty important game for learning purposes. Guys settled down 2nd half, mostly and went up 16 in almost an eyeblink. Also shot free throws very well. Sure, towards the endPoint is, team got a win without Ulis - and once the early season teaching is done, they'll relax more, I think we're ok.

 

[Jkwo]

A bunch of guards who can't hit free throws or shoot. Geez, if Tyler Ulis makes that much of a difference to us then we aren't going anywhere. No wonder Cal plays him 40 minutes a game. They all look disinterested right now and they have no confidence in what they are doing.

Do you want to ship back the '12 trophy just because we wouldn't have won it without Davis?

 

[DAM]

A bunch of guards who can't hit free throws or shoot. Geez, if Tyler Ulis makes that much of a difference to us then we aren't going anywhere. No wonder Cal plays him 40 minutes a game. They all look disinterested right now and they have no confidence in what they are doing.

op...deep breaths. have a drink. get a life. stop posting. please...

 

[BBUK]

Pulease....nothing wrong with telling it like it is. This team will get better, but they are not hitting on all cylinders yet. Don't need to peak in Nov-Dec. They have work to do, a LOT of work !

Comprehend dude, comprehend...

 

[mj2k10]

Aside for being being complete idiot trolls (like the OP), 100% spoiled beyond belief, or just generally Chicken Little types, people also tend to have very, very short memories.

Even last year, UK had games against Buffalo and Columbia in which they struggled, and also a really bad first half against Boston U. Not one season, ever (at least in modern times), has UK blown through November and December without some kind of learning curve. This was true before Cal got here, and it's most especially true now, given that he's creating a brand new team every single year, playing a lot of guys who've never played D1 basketball before.

That's the price you pay for recruiting elite players. The upside is that you have a chance to do things like win 41 regular season games in a row. And counting. If you really find that hard to deal with, I suggest you stop following the team, or at least stop posting, so that rational people can have rational conversations, as opposed to being confronted with your moronic panic attack.

 

[BBUK]

Aside for being being complete idiot trolls (like the OP), 100% spoiled beyond belief, or just generally Chicken Little types, people also tend to have very, very short memories.

Even last year, UK had games against Buffalo and Columbia in which they struggled, and also a really bad first half against Boston U. Not one season, ever (at least in modern times), has UK blown through November and December without some kind of learning curve. This was true before Cal got here, and it's most especially true now, given that he's creating a brand new team every single year, playing a lot of guys who've never played D1 basketball before.

That's the price you pay for recruiting elite players. The upside is that you have a chance to do things like win 41 regular season games in a row. And counting. If you really find that hard to deal with, I suggest you stop following the team, or at least stop posting, so that rational people can have rational conversations, as opposed to being confronted with your moronic panic attack.

Here, here! Bravo!!! Encore!!!

 

[BBUK]

Aside for being being complete idiot trolls (like the OP), 100% spoiled beyond belief, or just generally Chicken Little types, people also tend to have very, very short memories.

Even last year, UK had games against Buffalo and Columbia in which they struggled, and also a really bad first half against Boston U. Not one season, ever (at least in modern times), has UK blown through November and December without some kind of learning curve. This was true before Cal got here, and it's most especially true now, given that he's creating a brand new team every single year, playing a lot of guys who've never played D1 basketball before.

That's the price you pay for recruiting elite players. The upside is that you have a chance to do things like win 41 regular season games in a row. And counting. If you really find that hard to deal with, I suggest you stop following the team, or at least stop posting, so that rational people can have rational conversations, as opposed to being confronted with your moronic panic attack.

Just want to know if he was skeert and afraid......sigh... (Very good post)

 

[Jkwo]

Actually this same stuff happened last year. How quickly we forget!

Down at half by 5 to Buffalo
Only leading Boston U by 2 into the second half before winning by 24....alot like Boston U this year except we led by double digits pretty much the whole second half.
Trailing Columbia 10-0 to start the game and 25-23 at half before winning UGLY 56-46

Also, last year through 7 games we were 65.2% from the foul line. This year through the same number of games we are 66.3%. We finished 72.6% last year BTW.

This is all true, but last year's team also sported a 21+ point avg win margin and absolutely eviscerated ranked teams that they played - the wins that weren't blowouts were few and far between.

I don't say that to bump up expectations for this year at all - you guys are absolutely right to state that what we're seeing now is normal.

But last year wasn't normal. There were like 5 games the entire regular season where there was a reasonable fight - the other games were more like a predator and prey. But teams like that are incredibly rare, and most championship squads struggle way more than they did.

We're hardly struggling at all this year, in fact - we're just spoiled. The Wall team, the Knight team, the Randle team all struggled more up to this point. Not to mention the Noel team.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

We just won by 12 vs a team that Maryland beat by 11 after trailing at the 5 minute mark. We are fine. SMH

You just nailed it. Perspective. Kentucky is fine because there are zero mega teams this season. Last year, there were three of them. I'm afraid some of our fans are still operating from that standard.

 

[BBUK]

You just nailed it. Perspective. Kentucky is fine because there are zero mega teams this season. Last year, there were three of them. I'm afraid some of our fans are still operating from that standard.

I'd settle for some sort of standard from them. They seem to be pushed by the wind quite easily...

 

[Teachable Moe]

The game last night reminded me of how much composure matters in athletics. It isn't all jumping and running or brute strength. We're all familiar with the line "The meek shall inherit the earth." but a teacher once told me that "meek" was just a stab at an unusual word in the original. It might mean something like patient or even cool. The meek were those who didn't get flustered. Hawkins and Lee provided a core of cool.

 

[WhiskeyCat]

Definitely not ready to play......maybe we get some coaching at half-time
Briscoe looking a lot like Archie Goodwin

Perfect, I was looking for a comparison. He is very similar to Archie. Love the energy and effort but man, at some point you are going to have to make some jumpers. He just can't keep putting his head down and forcing his way into the paint.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

A bunch of guards who can't hit free throws or shoot. Geez, if Tyler Ulis makes that much of a difference to us then we aren't going anywhere. No wonder Cal plays him 40 minutes a game. They all look disinterested right now and they have no confidence in what they are doing.

First season watching UK early in the year?

 

[Icecoldbrewdoggy]

A tough game. A lot of fouls and we missed the free throws. Illinois State impressed me with their tough play and execution. I give them some of the credit for us looking bad. We had to earn everything and did show some toughness. Lab'e will learn from this. The whole team will.

Titles of threads such as this one are incredibly tiresome.

 

[JeffGoodmansVestigialTwin]

We're 7-0, not against scrubs either. All double digit wins. It could be worse, Remember Johnny Jones ain't coaching this talent

 

[StubbornPenny]

We better improve fast, march madness is being held in mid December this year... Oh wait...

But really, it's too bad we don't have a hall of fame coach that has a decade long track record of making freshmen into stars by tournament time... Oh wait...

But seriously, no other group of freshmen has ever struggled like this... Oh wait...

/sarcasm.
This team will grow. They will hit free throws in March that they don't hit on a dreary Monday in November. The freshmen will get better. They will also *GASP* lose games!!!! Yeah, plural! More than one! Maybe ever FOUR!! Like normal really good teams do all the time!!! Take advice from Aaron Rodgers and r e l a x...

I honestly believe this team has the best chance to bring home the title. A trap game in December has zero bearing on that opinion.

 

[FiveStarCat]

Tyler Ulis is a top 2 or 3 point guard in college basketball, arguably the most important player to his team in the entire country. His absence isn't just a loss, it's a HUGE loss. UNC lost to Northern Iowa and should have lost to Kansas State without their most important player (Marcus Paige) and they aren't relying on a million new players like we are.

 

[Jkwo]

Perfect, I was looking for a comparison. He is very similar to Archie. Love the energy and effort but man, at some point you are going to have to make some jumpers. He just can't keep putting his head down and forcing his way into the paint.

Big difference is that Briscoe's defense is substantially better than Archie's was.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Yeah we are way too 'slow paste'
...

 

[KentuckyRLD]

A bunch of guards who can't hit free throws or shoot. Geez, if Tyler Ulis makes that much of a difference to us then we aren't going anywhere. No wonder Cal plays him 40 minutes a game. They all look disinterested right now and they have no confidence in what they are doing.

I would say it is the OP who does not have a clue. Right now we have a bunch of really good guards who have led this team to be ranked number one in the country. The whole team is only going to get better.

 

[BucN1Cat]

Comprehend dude, comprehend...

op...deep breaths. have a drink. get a life. stop posting. please...

Just stating facts. How on earth can you have so many guards who can't hit free throws? Just hoping they grow as the season progresses and FT shooting gets a whole lot better. If it doesn't, we won't make it past the sweet 16.

 

[BBUK]

Just stating facts. How on earth can you have so many guards who can't hit free throws? Just hoping they grow as the season progresses and FT shooting gets a whole lot better. If it doesn't, we won't make it past the sweet 16.

Not facts---your perception or maybe anticipation. Facts are they shot 63% as a team.(Nearing the great 70% as a team that MOST strive for nearer the END of the season...) Another poster gave you comparable percentages of past seasons. If a Debbie-downer is how you want to feel go ahead, don't blame or resent others for having a happier outlook. (Debbie-downers may even call it pumping sunshine..that's okay. This team is worth being happy about along with the school and the Coach...) Be Good

 

[Xception]

This same scenario happens every year and every year I post that it happens every year and why are some still not getting it ? We need fans that improve as time goes on , I'm crazy relaxed about this team . Things need to be worked on but who didn't expect that given that IT HAPPENS EVERY TOUCHING YEAR AND IT WILL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR TOO . The overreaction will happen next year too so I guess it's when will I learn .