We probably should have known struggles could come

[IL Wildcat]

It's always easier to look back than it is to look forward, and I'm sure some posters said these things, but it's becoming more clear as time passes. The troubles this team has had have come mostly from inexperience and lack of time playing together.

Consider:
1. Poythress started a bunch of games as a true freshman but obviously needed time to develop. As a sophomore, he lost his starting job to Young and Randle. As a junior, he was part of a platoon and out of position as a small forward, but got injured. This is really his best opportunity.
2. Ulis was never a starter last season. He was a key contributor, playing 24 minutes per gsme, but didn't carry the weight of leading the team. These 12 games are his first time to experience that.
3. Marcus Lee has never been a starter, either. He played very little as a true freshman. Last season he only played 10.9 minutes per game. This is his first chance to play significant minutes.
4. Hawkins and Willis have never played much more than mop-up minutes, especially Willis. This season is their first chance to see key minutes as juniors.
5. Mulder is a junior but hasn't played at this level.

Those are our experienced players.

6. Murray, Briscoe, Labissiere, Matthews, Humphries, and Wynyard are all true freshmen and they all have various issues to overcome that is taking time.

So, we're talking about a team whose only player with starting experience is Alex Poythress, a guy coming off an ACL injury.

So, it's no wonder this team has had a couple losses that were a bit unexpected. The thing we should be very pleased about is that they have won some big games too.

The good news here is that the talent is here. They just need starts and minutes and time together to really begin to meet their potential. So far, they've won 10 games are pure talent alone. The future is bright for this group.

 

[Chuckinden]

So, basically, you're saying Cal has slipped up on recruiting. Since when have we had to rely on experience to do what we want in the Cal era?

 

[IL Wildcat]

So, basically, you're saying Cal has slipped up on recruiting. Since when have we had to rely on experience to do what we want in the Cal era?

Haha! Maybe a little. But I would argue we've had some talented experience every season, except for 2012-13.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Haha! Maybe a little. But I would argue we've had some talented experience every season, except for 2012-13.

Exactly. We've always had a mix of experience to go along with the young talent. I also think Cal gets screwed when guys go pro that ignore his advice to stay (see Lamb and Teague in 2012, DJ for sure this year, and maybe others), so when you have that and only recruit one big man in Skal and he flops (so far) it can put you in a tougher spot than expected. This team could have really benefited from having Dakari back regardless.

Plus, despite what some people say, Coach Cal is entitled to down years just like any other coach. It is unrealistic to expect Final Four runs every season. That said, I expect this team will improve and compete for one by season's end regardless.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think we sometimes fail to remember that Cal's teams are rarely dominant from November to April. They experience growing pains early and then are usually really good by March (with the exception of 2013 where we lost our best player).

I think we just forget from year to year how things generally go. That and the fact that we had a veteran team last year that was good from start to finish clouds are judgement about this team. 2015 was not the norm for Cal teams. 2011 and 2014 are teams that are more comparable to this year's team. They struggled early and then came on strong in March. I expect a similar result this season.

 

[WildMoon]

i'm not sure i understand your definition of struggling.

Had Lee and Ulis been fully healthy, we won't lose to UCLA. Our only loss is against Ohio State.

Why do some of you make a big deal or make it worse than it actually is. We have 2 losses, and 2 wins against top 25, and couple more within top 50. I would hardly call it struggling.

 

[KY Long Rifle]

One thing people seem to forget is 2009-2010. Cal used Perry and Ramone quite a bit early on. As the season progressed they both saw fewer minutes. But, I think it helped the younger guys develop as the year went on without having to take a bunch of losses.

 

[Big Cat fan]

When you are losing 7 guys to the draft and return no leading scorers and miss on the main targets you will have a down year most of the time.

I think the staff has to coach this team up. The SEC fight is here.

 

[michaeluk26]

Exactly. We've always had a mix of experience to go along with the young talent. I also think Cal gets screwed when guys go pro that ignore his advice to stay (see Lamb and Teague in 2012, DJ for sure this year, and maybe others), so when you have that and only recruit one big man in Skal and he flops (so far) it can put you in a tougher spot than expected. This team could have really benefited from having Dakari back regardless.

Plus, despite what some people say, Coach Cal is entitled to down years just like any other coach. It is unrealistic to expect Final Four runs every season. That said, I expect this team will improve and compete for one by season's end regardless.

Agree about some leaving to early except for Lamb. He was coming off a great tournament run, scoring 22 in the title game, and his stock was never gonna be higher.

 

[Blue Decade]

It's always easier to look back than it is to look forward, and I'm sure some posters said these things, but it's becoming more clear as time passes. The troubles this team has had have come mostly from inexperience and lack of time playing together.

Consider:
1. Poythress started a bunch of games as a true freshman but obviously needed time to develop. As a sophomore, he lost his starting job to Young and Randle. As a junior, he was part of a platoon and out of position as a small forward, but got injured. This is really his best opportunity.
2. Ulis was never a starter last season. He was a key contributor, playing 24 minutes per gsme, but didn't carry the weight of leading the team. These 12 games are his first time to experience that.
3. Marcus Lee has never been a starter, either. He played very little as a true freshman. Last season he only played 10.9 minutes per game. This is his first chance to play significant minutes.
4. Hawkins and Willis have never played much more than mop-up minutes, especially Willis. This season is their first chance to see key minutes as juniors.
5. Mulder is a junior but hasn't played at this level.

Those are our experienced players.

6. Murray, Briscoe, Labissiere, Matthews, Humphries, and Wynyard are all true freshmen and they all have various issues to overcome that is taking time.

So, we're talking about a team whose only player with starting experience is Alex Poythress, a guy coming off an ACL injury.

So, it's no wonder this team has had a couple losses that were a bit unexpected. The thing we should be very pleased about is that they have won some big games too.

The good news here is that the talent is here. They just need starts and minutes and time together to really begin to meet their potential. So far, they've won 10 games are pure talent alone. The future is bright for this group.

In reality, Mulder, Lee, Willis, and Hawkins are more or less irrelevant to this discussion. That's no disrespect to Lee, a good college player whose weakness is that he has no offensive skills. No college team has gone undefeated since Indiana in the 70s. Calipari builds his team's around freshmen, so I always expect growing pains. Most Kentucky fans felt reassured this year because non-freshmen Ulis, Lee, Poythress, Willis, Hawkins are back. But it has always been obvious that Kentucky will struggle to score points against good teams until Labissiere develops a consistent low post game. This is taking longer than anyone expected because Labissiere was so highly rated coming in. If people really want to hammer Calipari because Labissiere needs more development, then go ahead but it makes them look like spoiled babies. This team will lose about 7-8 games by the end of the regular season, but nobody will want us in their bracket in March. We have already beaten Duke and Louisville, and they aren't the only good teams Kentucky will beat this year.

 

[shutzhund]

This team would be ok if Skal could play a lick. He can't and we're not.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

This team would be ok if Skal could play a lick. He can't and we're not.

This post is pretty much the truth. We can discuss anything else in a lot more words and paragraphs, but THIS is the key to why UK is not 12-0 going into the SEC IMO.

And to the one poster who says we beat UCLA if Ulis was 100% and Lee played the whole game....who you trying to convince? You are not convincing me of that. Those guys played against OSU (worse than UCLA and at a neutral site) and UK still lost, so I'm not buying it.

 

[Dakota25]

This team would be ok if Skal could play a lick. He can't and we're not.

This is still a solid basketball team. Lots of talent and good players.

 

[Blue Decade]

This team would be ok if Skal could play a lick. He can't and we're not.

I guess you don't believe Coach Calipari then. It's nuts to say Labissiere can't play a lick. If you saw the Nike Hoops Summit, you would know better. It's easy to throw a player under the bus when he is struggling, but all players struggle sooner or later. Labissiere is a highly skilled player who just isn't physically strong and durable enough yet to be consistent against good college teams over a 35-40 game schedule. Labissiere missed his junior season in high school due to an injury. Then he missed his senior season after being declared ineligible because of a move. He is an underdeveloped big who needs to bulk up. His defensive and rebounding fundamentals need a lot of work, but a lot of other college coaches would love to have him. I don't expect Labissiere to be a star this year, but he will get better.

 

[docholiday51]

If we were getting 10-12 ppg and 6 rpg out of Skal this would be a different team. I don't(at this point) think that is a reasonable expectation. We haven't gotten anything out of Mulder ( I expected minimal contribution) Humphries is a mystery, he gave us valuable minutes early on but now can't get to the floor? It can't be just a match-up issue as much as we are getting beat on the boards. Lee and Poy are probably at or above expectations, Ulis is what we thought he would be.Briscoe has been a bit different than I thought(in a positive way) his defense and team play have been above expectations while his shooting has not.Murray has been about what was expected and probably will continue to be that, he may improve the "team ball" part of his game as the year goes on

Willis is about as expected, while Hawkins (although struggling to find minutes in a crowded back court) has given more than expected thus far

How ever much better Skal gets is how much better the team will get, at the end of the day it comes down to that

 

[uky8unc5]

This team is an unpredictable, unsolvable mystery...and (I believe) will remain that way until Jan 31...when we have been on the SEC road and played Kansas.

 

[caneintally]

In reality, Mulder, Lee, Willis, and Hawkins are more or less irrelevant to this discussion. That's no disrespect to Lee, a good college player whose weakness is that he has no offensive skills. No college team has gone undefeated since Indiana in the 70s. Calipari builds his team's around freshmen, so I always expect growing pains. Most Kentucky fans felt reassured this year because non-freshmen Ulis, Lee, Poythress, Willis, Hawkins are back. But it has always been obvious that Kentucky will struggle to score points against good teams until Labissiere develops a consistent low post game. This is taking longer than anyone expected because Labissiere was so highly rated coming in. If people really want to hammer Calipari because Labissiere needs more development, then go ahead but it makes them look like spoiled babies. This team will lose about 7-8 games by the end of the regular season, but nobody will want us in their bracket in March. We have already beaten Duke and Louisville, and they aren't the only good teams Kentucky will beat this year.

Ummm Lee has been the most consistently good player on this entire team . He always will get you 6-14 pts and 5-10 rebounds and a few blocks . He , along with Ulis when healthy have been our anchors. People sleep on Lee so much because he isn't an offensive force but he has been a rock this season.

 

[shutzhund]

Just continuing the conversation, Decade. He's not playing in the Nike event, he has only played in twelve games and not thirty-five or forty, and the remainder of your post seems to support that right now he can't play at this level.

I hope someday he becomes a great player but evidently that's not today and that's what I'm posting about. Remarking that the weakness of this team lies in the middle and Skal was supposed to be a strength there and, instead, has turned out to be a weakness is not letting a secret out.

Evidently you didn't know that nearly everyone has noticed. Just kidding here.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

This team is an unpredictable, unsolvable mystery...and (I believe) will remain that way until Jan 31...when we have been on the SEC road and played Kansas.

KU game won't tell us anything. Anyone who judges this team by that irrelevant game is silly. I agree on the SEC though.

 

[IL Wildcat]

This team would be ok if Skal could play a lick. He can't and we're not.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I disagree.
#1 The team IS ok. I'm not sure how high a standard "ok" is, but I'd say this team, even without Skal Labissiere, is ok.
#2 Skal can play a lick. Here again, a lick isn't much in my book. Skal is not who we thought he'd be, but he's not just a scrub, either.

Here's the truth. Kentucky doesn't beat Duke and Louisville without being a good team. I can give you multiple reasons why UK lost to UCLA and Ohio State that have very little to do with Kentucky not being a good team. UCLA was seeking retribution from a 40-point annihilation last season at the hands of UK. They got the Cats in Pauley. UK didn't know what hit them. Ohio State just got hot shooting. If they could shoot 9-18 from 3pt range in every game, they'd win the Big10 outright. That's a fact. They didn't shoot that well before UK and they haven't shot that well since. They have excellent athletes and plenty of strength. But on the day UK played them, they also were hitting shots. Now, last year's team would have found a way to win that game, most likely, but this group isn't that good.

Bottom line. This UK team is pretty good today and they're getting better game by game.

 

[uky8unc5]

KU game won't tell us anything. Anyone who judges this team by that irrelevant game is silly. I agree on the SEC though.

Perhaps irrelevant. Or maybe it could be the moment that defines our season.

 

[armchairpg]

I normally err on the side of pessimism but I feel good about this team. I trust that skal is getting better everyday and that while he is doing that the rest of the team is solidifying roles. This team will not be some dominant juggernaut. So what.

They are good enough to have some great moments and to be in a position to make noise in the tournament. That is all I ever really want any way. Besides next year we will be all worked up about the class coming in and tallking 40-0. Let's enjoy the relative lack of pressure this year.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Perhaps irrelevant. Or maybe it could be the moment that defines our season.

My point is simply anyone deluding themselves that UK can win that game are just setting themselves up for disappointment. KU does not lose at home, they just don't. Kinda like UK under Cal. I'd say it would take a very good team to win at KU this year...and UK with no real contributions from Skal is not a very good team for sure.

 

[docholiday51]

OK, I'm going full BCG here, If Skal could just get 10% better we will be fine

 

[uky8unc5]

My point is simply anyone deluding themselves that UK can win that game are just setting themselves up for disappointment.

Winning isn't my concern. It's confidence. Win or lose, it could be a defining moment when our kids realize the BIG dream is very possible.