TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Some things never change

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Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-18-2019, 09:28 PM:

How is it that every time some little known team takes the Rupp floor we have a player step out on our floor and have a career night when they normally couldn't buy a basket.

Washington had hit 3-12 from 3 point land in their previous 3 games. Tonight he goes 5-12 in a single game! SOme of those three's were from 30+ feet!

Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 11-18-2019, 10:12 PM:

It's the switching defense, cal refuses to play a zone, therefore the other team is aalways going to have player's wide open. No hand in their face, just like shooting in pre game warmups, absolutely no pressure on them.

Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 11-19-2019, 06:24 AM:

A zone defense is not to stop outside shooting. It’s to prevent drives to the basket. Let’s be honest, 30 footers are hard to guard. Some of those threes were 4 steps behind the three point line. There aren’t too many defenses that can stop that. I just don’t understand why our shooters can’t hit a three.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-19-2019, 07:17 AM:

I said last week that loss was just a bump in the road. I have fears now that may have been a pot hole and will require more extensive repairs.

[ 11-19-2019, 07:17 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 11-19-2019, 08:56 AM:

I agree it's going to require a larger effort both on the coaches and the players. As you know I've said "good shooting in high school don't always relate to good shooting in college". I hope they will get settled in soon and play like they are expected to. Right now it's the returnees that are carrying us. All of the freshmen are like deer in the headlights.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-19-2019, 09:28 AM:

Rarely do the TV announcers give any real insight, but last night one of them kept saying things that made sense. In order of signficance:

1> The post player (Nick) and point guard (Ashton) must consistently finish at the rim to have a great offensive team. Big Problem

2> Kentucky makes way too many turnovers, especially for games with relatively low scores Big Problem

3> Kentucky has no offensive identity. They look like a bunch of individuals Problem

4> Kentucky's defense should be at the elite level, but they are making too many mistakes Problem

Last night's game showed how short our bench is. With both Quickly and EJ out, we had no help at guard or forward. We brought in our wings (who played well enough), but they are neither great at being guards nor effective at being post players.

But all four comments above rang true. The "big problems" are going to be hard to fix...they involve intrinsic issues with our skills (or lack thereof). Nick and Ashton have been missing bunny shots for as long as they have been players. Turnovers might improve, since Ashton usually has a great assist/TO ratio; Maxey, however, seems to be a turnover machine.

The "problems" should work themselves out as the team matures under Cal's coaching.

We will be up and down through early January, with some big victories (see "Michigan State") and some painful losses (see "Evansville"). I hate to say it, but this team might be one of those that gets up for big games, but takes other games off.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 11-19-2019, 02:46 PM:

Just my opinion, but I think UK gave effort on both ends of the court last night. The facts are this is just not a very talented roster and it is a roster full of players that are not great shooters.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-19-2019, 02:49 PM:

Fully agree. It was a solid effort, but this team is very, very raw and not yet playing as a unit. I am still not convinced we lack talent, but we sure need to figure out how to play together better.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 11-19-2019, 05:13 PM:

This is just a typical freshman-heavy Calipari team. When you rely so much on freshman, mediocrity is bound to happen. I just find it hard to get too excited about Kentucky basketball anymore.

Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 11-19-2019, 08:28 PM:

But this is not a freshmen heavy team. We have sophomores, junior, and a senior that all have experience. Based on that I expected alot better showing in these last two games. We definitely are not playing together at all. It will take some time for them to come together, but they have a long way to go. Hopefully they can get there sooner than later.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 11-19-2019, 11:38 PM:

True, we do have five non-freshman who will get a lot of minutes, and right now they're playing like freshman. But our freshman are seeing a lot of minutes, especially during the last game with Quickley and Montgomery being out.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-20-2019, 09:30 AM:

Another factor is that Sestina, our graduate transfer, is a 'stretch 4'. Travis was a pure post player, whose primary attributes were his broad shoulders and interior presence. His role was easier to adapt to. But Sestina has to learn more of the nuances of the offense, setting perimeter screens, cutting and setting up for shots, and then crashing the boards or hustling back on defense. More to learn, more to fail at. Travis didn't look consistently good until February last year, at which time he became a key to our success. I suspect Sestina will have a similar journey.