I'd start Matthews, Poy, Skal, Ulis and Murray. Matthews hasn't shot that well from the line either, but he has decent form and hasn't taken enough yet to form a judgment. He keeps the ball alive on the offensive side and is a terrific athlete, finisher and transition player. He plays solid D too. I'd give him a shot because Willis isn't getting it done on either end. I'd use Briscoe a lot, but he cannot be in near the end of games with his atrocious FT shooting. The same is true of Lee. He and Briscoe are at best 1 for 2 at the line and often 0 for 2. That's going to get us beat in the NCAA tourney if it isn't addressed. I'd go with a 8 man rotation with Lee, Humphries and Briscoe coming off the bench. Your thoughts anyone?
We cannot play with 2 players who cannot make FT's
- Thread starter arenk
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Briscoe's defense and decision making have been so good though. I just don't think you can take him off the floor. Maybe sub offense for defense in tight games but for now you gotta try and let him play through the struggles and hope he turns it around.
He was an outstanding free throw shooter in high school. Not sure why he's struggling so bad now.
He was an outstanding free throw shooter in high school. Not sure why he's struggling so bad now.
That's why you aren't the coach of a Div I school
Briscoe is playing his butt off. He was known for not playing defense and now he is taking pride in it. He hustles every play.
Our lineup will eventually morph to:
Ulis
Murray
Briscoe
Poy
Skal
Or we are not winning #9.
Ulis
Murray
Briscoe
Poy
Skal
Or we are not winning #9.
Some of these guys are playing defense hard for the first time. FT shooting will suffer. Not even December yet. Lets worry about FT shooting in February is it's not better.
Can't disagree. And Lee coming off the bench as the energizer bunny would help in that quest.
Briscoe will and should play all but the final mins of a close game. However, he should fix his FT form, which is fixable IMO.
UK also cannot play with two of their better players sitting the majority of the end game on the bench in fear of free throws (especially Briscoe); otherwise, the game might not be close enough for free throws to matter.
Lol. Go look at first ten games or so from our championship team in 2011-12. With the same theory would you sit Anthony Davis and Teague???? The didn't start the season scorching the nets at the line Give the kids some time.
The difference is that AD and Teague had good technique on their shots and it was only a question of time until their FT's began to fall. AD's biggest contribution in college was his shot blocking presence and rebounding. If you recall, he was our 5th option on offence, even at the end of the year. Teague was great with the ball, played just as well on D as Briscoe, but as I said, his form was good at the line. Lee and Briscoe are throwing up bricks. Lee hasn't improved at the line in 3 years, and Briscoe has terrible spin n the ball.
You also need to read what I said carefully. I said that Briscoe should play 'a lot'. I think he brings great skills to the table, but Cal just said that Matthews played very well and just needs to prove he can make FT's and he'll be in the rotation. Matthews has great athleticism and time will bear that out. Wait and see. But I never implied that Briscoe or Lee should lose all their minutes. What I said is that we can't afford to go 6-18 from the line between them or we are going to lose in the tournament. Remember the semis against Uconn in 2011 when we went 11-27 from the line and lost by 1 point? I don't want to live through that again.
Turner, yes, you have a point there. But that was the only starter on that team who was a below average FT shooter. I believe that even he was around 60%. Lee and Briscoe are around 20% or even below that. Gilchrist, as I recall, wasn't that bad either. I think he was in the mid 60% range as was Jones. You can win with a couple guys who are in the low to mid 60's, but try 20% or below. Even Cal has said time and again that Briscoe won't be in at the end of games going 1-5 or 1-7, and the same is obviously true with Lee. Those are Cal's comments. If you want to argue, talk to him. He said tonight that Matthews plays in the rotation IF he can make FT's.
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Good technique? Damn..somebody should tell Reggie miller he'll never make it as a shooter.
No,and I'm not 2nd guessing John Calipari who gets paid more than both of us combined many times over to be one.
If Calipari listened to every arm chair critic this team would be a mess,Isiah Briscoe was told to change his Free Throw shot and is having trouble with the change right now,but he is a sparkplug of a player,a great defender,and great ball handler that kills in transition.
He reminds me so much of Michael Kidd-Gilchrest.
As far as Lee,our Front Court Depth is slim to begin with,but Lee is an excellent Offensive rebounder,has put in Double Doubles most games even if he is foul prone and a poor FT shooter that seemed to make two at a critical Technical time.
Poythress is not 100% yet and will eventually start again,Matthews is still missing Defensive jobs and making poor decisions at times.These guys are for the most part totally new playing together ,but will fine tune over the next couple months.
Knee Jerk reactions and making radical changes over a 20 point win against an experienced ,gritty BU team are not the answer.
Yes,I don't stay up all night worrying about only having a 20 point win over Boston U and trying to 2nd guess a Hall of Fame Coach,I Love Kentucky Basketball,but I have a life and don't go up and down like a psycho roller coaster over a game
Eventually Cal will see that Johnny David HAS to be in at the end of the game. His free throw form is impeccable
Briscoe needs to be shooting 1000 FT's a day. His driving ability and craftiness to take contact is going to mean he's one of, if not the leaders in FT attempts. He can't be shooting 40-50% from the line. If he can shoot 65-70%, it will be a big difference.
Marcus Lee...well, his FT attempts are going to be hit or miss. They don't run offensive plays to him and the times he gets fouled are usually off lobs or offensive rebounds. Lee needs to focus on finishing more around the hoop, that way the fouls on him don't end up as empty trips.
Everyone else, I'm not worried. Matthews, like Lee, isn't going to shoot a ton of FT's.
Marcus Lee...well, his FT attempts are going to be hit or miss. They don't run offensive plays to him and the times he gets fouled are usually off lobs or offensive rebounds. Lee needs to focus on finishing more around the hoop, that way the fouls on him don't end up as empty trips.
Everyone else, I'm not worried. Matthews, like Lee, isn't going to shoot a ton of FT's.
Briscoe and Mathews are excellent defenders. Their FT shooting will improve. Lee 's FT shooting is better than it was but still woeful. The rotation will be Ulis, Murray, Skal, Briscoe and Poythress with Lee, Mathews,Humphries and Willis rotating in based on situation. Mathews and Lee will play because they can guard people and rebound. Mathews especially is a great rebounder.
Willis is more than serviceable. He would start on75% of D-1 schools. He is big and skilled. Humphries will come fast. He is skilled (and he CAN shoot FT's) He also can pass and rebound and provide a rim presence (see Duke)
Everyone is adjusting to the new "no contact" rules interpretation which will put our guards at the line continuously. Wait until we play the Ville. Their guards will be in trouble by the 10 minute mark of the first half.
Willis is more than serviceable. He would start on75% of D-1 schools. He is big and skilled. Humphries will come fast. He is skilled (and he CAN shoot FT's) He also can pass and rebound and provide a rim presence (see Duke)
Everyone is adjusting to the new "no contact" rules interpretation which will put our guards at the line continuously. Wait until we play the Ville. Their guards will be in trouble by the 10 minute mark of the first half.
1000?
5 hours a day shooting free throws?
This isnt UNC our players have to go to class
Have any of you guys ever tried to bank a free throw with backspin on it? I always wondered why free throw gurus don't advocate this for guys who just don't have the touch to make free throws consistently. Try it some time and you'll see what I mean. It's much easier to get that down than it is to softly float a shot straight into the rim. I learned it doing Pop-a-Shot.
Math for the FT obsessives.
In 5 games, UK has taken 129 FT's, which equals 25.8 per game. UK has hit them at 65.1%.
In the last 40 years, UK has had 6 teams hit at least 75% of their FT's (and the 2 best of those ended up in the NIT). If UK was hitting 75% for this season, then UK would be scoring an extra 2.4 ppg. Less than 1 three pointer.
It does get irritating watching guys brick free throws, and I don't get how Isaiah Briscoe could hit a documented 75% in the Nike EYBL, and over 70% for his HS team, then show up at UK and seem like he's just praying they go in, but there are far, far, far, far, far, far more important elements to the game.
In 5 games, UK has taken 129 FT's, which equals 25.8 per game. UK has hit them at 65.1%.
In the last 40 years, UK has had 6 teams hit at least 75% of their FT's (and the 2 best of those ended up in the NIT). If UK was hitting 75% for this season, then UK would be scoring an extra 2.4 ppg. Less than 1 three pointer.
It does get irritating watching guys brick free throws, and I don't get how Isaiah Briscoe could hit a documented 75% in the Nike EYBL, and over 70% for his HS team, then show up at UK and seem like he's just praying they go in, but there are far, far, far, far, far, far more important elements to the game.
It's as if some of these guys do the opposite of proper free throw form. I just don't get it. Briscoe prisses his freakin shoulders, looks down, feet angled, and just misses, misses, misses. Can cal not fix that? It's ridiculous.
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