UK Draft Round 2 - DraftCat vs. Cowtown Cat

[DraftCat]

Welcome to March Madness this is Round 2 of the 2024 UK Draft. (Click Here for Bracket).

Voters - Please vote for the team you believe would win in a 1 game elimination format. You will be able to change your vote and voting period is open for 48 hours. If a tie should occur I will extend the voting by another 2 hours until the tie is broken. Your vote will be visible.


@DraftCat - Antoine Walker, Kenny Sky Walker, Wayne Turner, Nerlens Noel, Gerald Fitch. Robert Dillingham, Ed Davender, Bill Spivey, Trey Lyles, James Young, Cameron Mills

vs.

@Cowtown Cat - Dan Issel, Keith Bogans, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Anthony Epps, Kevin Grevey, Nazr Mohammed, Frank Ramsey, Dwight Anderson, Bob Burrow, Aaron Harrison, Todd Svoboda

 

[DraftCat]

Starters

PG - Wayne Turner. 6'2
SG - Gerald Fitch 6'3
SF - Kenny Sky Walker 6'8
PF- Antoine Walker 6'9
C - Nerlens Noel 6'10

Super 6th man - Robert Dillingham. 6'3. (I'm sorry he still doesn't start)

Bench

PG - Ed Davender 6'2
SG - Robert Dillingham 6'3
SF - James Young 6'6
PF - Trey Lyles 6'9
C - Bill Spivey 7'0

(Walk on) - Cameron Mills 6'3


Quick synopsis of my team is I believe I put together a perfect mix of defensive and offensive players that can give any team a fit in March Madness. My team can run and gun but we likely thrive in a rock fight.

Great thing about my team is I feel like I can certainly play many different line up constructions. I have Wayne Turner and Noel as two of the best defensive players in Kentucky history but if I need offense I can sub them out for Dilly, Davender, Spivey and James Young

 

[Fox2monk]

These matchups are so tough. At first glance I fell like Draft Cats has the more balanced team and the best scoring punch off the bench.

But then I think about Issel, MKG, Bogans, Epps, and Grevey making this a rock fight and Issel dominating on the inside. In the end I believe Nerlens is good enough defensively to hold his own and the 2 walkers probably being the difference being one can go out and shoot 3’s.

It’s hard to figure how a player like Ramsey would do but he was an all American, a national champion, and a 7x NBA champion as well so dude could ball and is one of the best historical Cats ever. Assuming historical Cats are just as good and would play in this game I could argue Cowtown has a better back court overall.

 

[DraftCat]

These matchups are so tough. At first glance I fell like Draft Cats has the more balanced team and the best scoring punch off the bench.

But then I think about Issel, MKG, Bogans, Epps, and Grevey making this a rock fight and Issel dominating on the inside. In the end I believe Nerlens is good enough defensively to hold his own and the 2 walkers probably being the difference being one can go out and shoot 3’s.

It’s hard to figure how a player like Ramsey would do but he was an all American, a national champion, and a 7x NBA champion as well so dude could ball and is one of the best historical Cats ever. Assuming historical Cats are just as good and would play in this game I could argue Cowtown has a better back court overall.

Not to throw my opponent a bone but I drafted Grevey in my last draft. He didn't get as much love as I thought he should have.

I think my combination of Turner and Noel really throws a wrench into everyones teams. If I'm taking away their main scoring threats then you got to score elsewhere and is that enough? I personally do not think so.

Thanks for the opinion @Fox2monk

 

[Fox2monk]

Not to throw my opponent a bone but I drafted Grevey in my last draft. He didn't get as much love as I thought he should have.

I think my combination of Turner and Noel really throws a wrench into everyones teams. If I'm taking away their main scoring threats then you got to score elsewhere and is that enough? I personally do not think so.

Thanks for the opinion @Fox2monk

KG like many other old Cats will be heavily discounted and I’m trying not to do that when analyzing matchups.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Observations:

1. MKG and Bogans on the wing defensively for @Cowtown Cat . That's about as good as it gets defensively.

2. Noel and the Walkers are going to have to present havoc for Issel and Mohammed. Issel's going for 22 and 10 in this game. The only question is, can the mercurial forward, Antoine Walker, be consistent enough in this game to at least match Issel from a scoring component? Or will Walker get in early foul trouble?

3. I think @DraftCat would be best suited to limit his rotation in this one. Use Dillingham and Davender and Lyles off the bench. Give most of your minutes to the two Walkers and Noel. Let those guys bang down low and try to get Issel into foul trouble. Both Walkers are skilled enough to disrupt their opponents.

4. This is a matchup that will be fought and won in the trenches. It's too close for me to call. This one might be the best blood bath to date.

 

[drcats2013]

This one is impossible. I cannot vote yet, as bad as I want to see the results lol.

 

[JonathanW]

Cowtown:
Issel doesn't have much size to help on the inside, just Nazr. Burrow is a good rebounder at 6'7, and MKG a good defender at 6'7.
Not the best shooting team, Bogans just ok, Epps was up & down, MKG could not shoot, Grevey was good, and Ramsey was ok, and Aaron was good in the final 10 seconds but otherwise ehh.
I don't see a backup to Epps at PG. I guess Ramsey could do it.

DraftCat:
Noel & Spivey is a really nice 1-2 punch at C.
Sky and Antoine really good at the PF, and you could go small with one of them at the C, or big with one of them at SF, although the latter would hurt your outside shooting. Lyles a solid backup.
This team also struggles in shooting, Fitch is underrated but is one of our top 10 3pt shooters of all time, also have Rob D. Davendar and Young were ok (like Bogans or Aaron). Mills can shoot, but probably doesn't play any.

Cowtown only chance is if Issel goes off for 40, DraftCats win by 8.

 

[DraftCat]

Cowtown only chance is if Issel goes off for 40, DraftCats win by 8.

I like to think Noel would give Issel some fits or at the very minimum limit his scoring punch. I think that would be enough to win a grind it out game.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Welcome to March Madness this is Round 2 of the 2024 UK Draft. (Click Here for Bracket).

Voters - Please vote for the team you believe would win in a 1 game elimination format. You will be able to change your vote and voting period is open for 48 hours. If a tie should occur I will extend the voting by another 2 hours until the tie is broken. Your vote will be visible.


@DraftCat - Antoine Walker, Kenny Sky Walker, Wayne Turner, Nerlens Noel, Gerald Fitch. Robert Dillingham, Ed Davender, Bill Spivey, Trey Lyles, James Young, Cameron Mills

vs.

@Cowtown Cat - Dan Issel, Keith Bogans, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Anthony Epps, Kevin Grevey, Nazr Mohammed, Frank Ramsey, Dwight Anderson, Bob Burrow, Aaron Harrison, Todd Svoboda

I really wanted to go w/ cowtown here because he's got homeboy Epps and the Dwight Anderson steal; I just don't believe his frontline can compete w/ the two Walkers flanking Noel or Spivey.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I really wanted to go w/ cowtown here because he's got homeboy Epps and the Dwight Anderson steal; I just don't believe his frontline can compete w/ the two Walkers flanking Noel or Spivey.

I'm staying out of this vote due to being in the competition, but I've got to add something to your point.

Respectfully, Issel at the 4 is probably the best power forward of all time in UK history.

Nazr Mohammed was the starting center on two finals teams ('97 and '98). Those guys can compete with Noel and the Walkers.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

I'm staying out of this vote due to being in the competition, but I've got to add something to your point.

Respectfully, Issel at the 4 is probably the best power forward of all time in UK history.

Nazr Mohammed was the starting center on two finals teams ('97 and '98). Those guys can compete with Noel and the Walkers.

Issel and Nazr nullify Noel and Spivey...nobody I see is matching up well w/ either of the Walkers

 

[KAB Cats]

Im voting for the best shooting team who can guard the ball....every time

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Who's winning? I'm not voting until I'm eliminated.

 

[DraftCat]

Who's winning? I'm not voting until I'm eliminated.

I'm currently up 14-7

 

[Fox2monk]

This is why it sucks taking older player because Ramsey is arguably one of the best Cats ever, even in the pro game and people act like he’s some end of bench guy. I gave more weight to his greatness and that put Cowtown over the edge for me. It’s a razor thing edge as I believe both teams have limited shooting overall. I do think draft cats has a better overall roster because Mills is a legit player as a walk on too. I love the scoring punch of Cowtowns starters. Kevin Grevey averages over 20 a game here too.