Zags game is huge for a # of reasons.

[Fox2monk]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history books.

 

[HenryMuto]

I went back and looked at that horrible 9-16 season to see how Kentucky didn't lose 3 straight home games that year. They were on a 2 game losing streak and beat Auburn 82-80 otherwise it would been that year.
Game was tied with 46 seconds left when Mintz hit a 3 ball with 33 seconds left for the lead.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

If they play like they did last night against Vandy they will beat the Zags by 10 or more.
No I'm not comparing Vandy to the Zags. Vandy is awful. But UK played well against them. Play the same Saturday and the Zags will lose.
Play defense like they did against UT the Zags will win by 10 or more. Simple as that.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Zags aren't nearly what they used to be in previous seasons.....

that being said they still are pretty good. They shoot the ball well so that will be something given our lack on the defensive end.

 

[dlh331]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history books.

UK actually lost 3 straight home games in December, 1966.

 

[CincyUKFan]

If they play like they did last night against Vandy they will beat the Zags by 10 or more.
No I'm not comparing Vandy to the Zags. Vandy is awful. But UK played well against them. Play the same Saturday and the Zags will lose.
Play defense like they did against UT the Zags will win by 10 or more. Simple as that.

I'm pretty sure playing well against Vandy has a lot to do with the fact that Vandy is awful. For example, if I play against young men on a good varsity team - I'm going to struggle. But if I play against a group of 12-year-olds, I'm going to play well.

Vandy had no desire to defend, no low post presence, and gave up on the season a long time ago. So you might not want to compare Vandy to the Zags - and that's good - but you also can't look at how UK performed against Vandy and think that UK can replicate that against a much better team. It's nonsensical.

 

[Fox2monk]

UK actually lost 3 straight home games in December, 1966.

I’m thinking that the stat only included Rupp Arena.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history books.

Plus we really only have the 1 quality win against UNCHEATS. The Zags aren't even that good and if we beat them they are likely to fall just a bit and could drop to a Quad 2 win. It's a must win, period.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

Critical for the season, the seed, the fans, the players' mindsets, the national narrative, UK's brand, and so on ...

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I went back and looked at that horrible 9-16 season to see how Kentucky didn't lose 3 straight home games that year. They were on a 2 game losing streak and beat Auburn 82-80 otherwise it would been that year.
Game was tied with 46 seconds left when Mintz hit a 3 ball with 33 seconds left for the lead.

Mintz had more desire to actually win games than Askew, Boston, Sarr, Fletcher, and Brooks combined.

 

[KMKAT]

Plus we really only have the 1 quality win against UNCHEATS. The Zags aren't even that good and if we beat them they are likely to fall just a bit and could drop to a Quad 2 win. It's a must win, period.

Not that the Portland team was a threat to them, but Zaga handled them with ease. Midway through the game, they were 12-26 from the 3 pt line and up 24.
Zaga had no problem getting guys open.
After how they handled us last year, we have to be at our best to win Saturday.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

I'm pretty sure playing well against Vandy has a lot to do with the fact that Vandy is awful. For example, if I play against young men on a good varsity team - I'm going to struggle. But if I play against a group of 12-year-olds, I'm going to play well.

Vandy had no desire to defend, no low post presence, and gave up on the season a long time ago. So you might not want to compare Vandy to the Zags - and that's good - but you also can't look at how UK performed against Vandy and think that UK can replicate that against a much better team. It's nonsensical.

Zags aren't world beaters. At least a half a dozen SEC teams are better than they are. Maybe as many a 8 or 9.
They aren't as good as they were and we both know they play nobody in their
conference .

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Gonzaga is as good as Florida,it will be a close game plus they are better coached. I bet Few will try to exploit our weaknesses. I think we will win but it will not be as easy as many think.

 

[Smashcat]

Zags aren't world beaters. At least a half a dozen SEC teams are better than they are. Maybe as many a 8 or 9.
They aren't as good as they were and we both know they play nobody in their
conference .

Yup. Need to put a beating on 'em to repay them for last year.

 

[saxonburgcat]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history book

Another biggie: We have only played them 2 times in history. We beat them in Maui in 2002. They best us last season. We would be up 2 to 1 if we beat them this year!!! Head to head is also important!

 

[JimboBBN]

I haven't been confident we win a game in a while but I think we take this one.

 

[dl51344]

Looking at a site for the Zags yesterday,they see us as a must win. Their last chance to get a quad 1 win. Will be a hard fought game.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I was kind of hoping the two home games against Florida and Tenn would be wins, and really vault us into the top10 with a solid week. It didn't.

So now we really need to make this week 2-0 and get back on track with the polls and such.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

I think we will have to beat Alabama Auburn or TN to make a significant move in polls at this point

 

[TriCountyCat]

Washington beat Gonzaga and they are 12 and 10. Sahvir Wheeler ate them up on dribble penetration. Had 16 points. Keion had 17. If we hit shots we should cruise.

 

[Fox2monk]

Mintz had more desire to actually win games than Askew, Boston, Sarr, Fletcher, and Brooks combined.

That he did, I liked Mintz a lot. He was a solid player, only problem was he had to be our main scorer. He would have been a great off the bench price for 20-25 minutes a game.

 

[Fox2monk]

I think we will have to beat Alabama Auburn or TN to make a significant move in polls at this point

We will move up due to other losing anyway as long as we win, we have some really tough games. Win the majority and we will move into the top 10 again.

 

[Jazzycat]

I hope that Calipari shows the film from last year and gives the guys an opportunity to break it down and have THEM exploit Gonzaga’s weaknesses….but, I am not holding my breath on it🙁…

 

[MidseasonTweak]

If we can't beat the Zags at home, this season is done. I will not have any sort of optimism that this team will be able to go on a run in March.

 

[EliteBlue]

Zags aren't nearly what they used to be in previous seasons.....

that being said they still are pretty good. They shoot the ball well so that will be something given our lack on the defensive end.

Yep. If ever there was a game to over emphasize limiting help defense, denying anything 1 pass away, and guarding the 3 point line….its this one. Let them have 1v1 challenged shots at the rim but take away the 3 completely and they can’t win. 99% of teams can’t beat us if they don’t hit 10+ 3s

 

[The_Answer1313]

Yep. If ever there was a game to over emphasize limiting help defense, denying anything 1 pass away, and guarding the 3 point line….its this one. Let them have 1v1 challenged shots at the rim but take away the 3 completely and they can’t win. 99% of teams can’t beat us if they don’t hit 10+ 3s

I guess the positive thing is that doesn't seem to be something they do an often lot this year. Don't take too many 3s and they are average at hitting them 34%.

However they shoot nearly 58% from 2 this season. And that kind of alarms me a bit.

I think this is gonna be a good game tho to watch. Both teams love to run. Could be in the 90s for both teams.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Lol this is another one of those balanced vs imbalanced teams

They are 28th/35th we are 5th/101st. Overall on Kenpom efficiency margins essentially the same and this would probably be a toss up on a neutral court.

I'm interested in seeing how this plays out.

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history books.

Also, Jasper Johnson will be here.

 

[bigbluedon]

If it’s close and comes down to coaching moves, we are doomed.

 

[ukfan1622]

So far this season has been a disaster compared to our expectations but compared to other teams not so much.
The #3 ranked team this week only has one less loss than UK and UK beat them this year. Other than UCONN and Houston there does not to appear to be a single team worthy of a #1 seed. I predict at least one of the #1 seeds to have 6 losses going into the big tourney, the same number UK has now. I'm not saying UK has a chance to win out and be that team; just saying there isn't a hell of a lot of difference between the #3 team and the #30 team this year. If the best team wins it will be either UCONN or Houston but the best team probably doesn't win over half the time, meaning there's a 50% chance of the winner being completely unpredictable.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I don't know I think you have to put a 21-2 Purdue up there as well.

I think there's three clear cut teams above everyone else.

 

[ukfan1622]

I don't know I think you have to put a 21-2 Purdue up there as well.

I think there's three clear cut teams above everyone else.

Yes, thank you, I forgot them. That's the only 3 teams I see maybe winding up with less than 6 losses.
Unless you want to count somebody from a minor conference like Dayton(and I don't). And it wouldn't shock me if Purdue or Houston wound up with 6 losses. Well probably not Purdue but I could easily see Houston losing two more in the regular season and not winning their tournament as they will have a lot of tough games left. There are just not that many tough games in Purdue's and UCONN's conferences.

 

[$Z71$]

Zags aren't world beaters. At least a half a dozen SEC teams are better than they are. Maybe as many a 8 or 9.
They aren't as good as they were and we both know they play nobody in their
conference .

When they are 22nd in Kenpom and 26th in the NET beating them will carry more Clout than any SEC team not named Tennesee, Alabama or Auburn. It will be a good win for us regardless if we believe Gonzaga is good this year or not. Theyvplaye UCONN and Purdue the current 1 and 2 this year. Lead Purdue by 5 at the half and led majority of the first 30 minutes of the game. UCONN handled business throughout but Gonzaga isn't on the same level as LSU who is 9th in the SEC.

 

[DreadLox]

UK actually lost 3 straight home games in December, 1966.

Yeah. Rupp went 13-13 that year. Kron and Conley were missed.

 

[The_Answer1313]

When they are 22nd in Kenpom and 26th in the NET beating them will carry more Clout than any SEC team not named Tennesee, Alabama or Auburn. It will be a good win for us regardless if we believe Gonzaga is good this year or not. Theyvplaye UCONN and Purdue the current 1 and 2 this year. Lead Purdue by 5 at the half and led majority of the first 30 minutes of the game. UCONN handled business throughout but Gonzaga isn't on the same level as LSU who is 9th in the SEC.

Yep. This would be a good win to have on the resume.

Also considering what's coming up this is huge IMO. The other marquee games we have the majority are on the road and unlikely to win those games.

I think home vs Zags, home vs Bama is huge for the resume.

 

[ukfan1622]

The other marquee games we have the majority are on the road and unlikely to win those games.

I don't think being at home is that big a deal for UK anymore. My house is usually louder. But also more profanity.

 

[rivercatinfl]

Gonzaga has size and quick guards. If we allow them to wall off the lane with their bigs and get straight line drives to the rack by their guards it's gonna be a long night.
Hopefully we have learned that lesson from what UGA and USC did to us.

Also, If we keep them off the offense boards to a reasonable rate we should win. We cannot afford for them to get 25 offense rebounds and get the victory imo.


Go Cats!

 

[sluggercatfan]

1.) We need a quad 1 win
2.) We are the better team and owe them for last years embarrassing loss.
3.) UK has never lost 3 home games in a row.

I don’t want Cal adding another terrible record to our history books.

Gonzaga wouldn't be a quad 1 win.

 

[RMorris33]

Nice

 

[The_Answer1313]

Nice

I want to say that's a bit high but maybe not.

Kenpom currently has us 85-82............60% chance of winning. So basically in that system they are saying on a neutral court it would be even which makes sense given our ranking and their ranking in that system.

I guess BPI likes us a bit more or dislikes the Zags more.

IMO it's probably 65/35 we win this game.