TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Cal may have gotten "Dream Team" that Knight wanted

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-21-2014, 10:42 AM:

Alford was impressed with Cats to say the least.

UCLA coach Steve Alford played for Bobby Knight at Indiana and said Knight always had his dream team that basically would be able to do what UK can do defensively.

“I’ve been around a long time as a player and as a coach, and I played for the best in coach Knight. When you talk about a Dream Team, the starting five that they have, they can basically switch five ways, and coach Knight, I think that was always his dream, that he could get five guys 6-7 and 6-8″ and just switch everything,” Alford said.

“That’s hard to score on. That’s why if you look at their numbers — they’ve played 12 games now. Look at their numbers. They’re holding teams — we scored 42, we came into this game, they were holding teams to 48. We’re not the only team that they’ve really pounded that way from that standpoint.

“They’re really good defensively. They can switch on you, they guard the pick-and-rolls well, and then when you beat them — and I thought we did, we got some angles, we beat them, but then you’ve got two guys 6’10”, 6’11”, 7-foot, one of them jumps, if he misses it, the other one gets it. You don’t see that kind of size, and I think that affects you, and that’s hard to prepare for.”

While Alford said most teams have what he called “over-hyped sizes” that Kentucky might be even be bigger than scouting reports indicated. ” What they are size-wise is legit, and when you have that kind of size, you can do so many different things defensively,” Alford said. “Give Cal credit, give his staff credit. They’ve really got this team playing hard at the defensive end. They continue to play at that level defensively, I’m a firm believer they’ve got a chance to run this thing out. They’re that good, they’re that talented.”

UCLA freshman Kevon Looney said it was so hard to score against Kentucky, which has now blocked 104 shots in 12 games after adding 13 Saturday and also has 102 steals. Opponents have blocked only 25 UK shots and made 58 steals.

“It was pretty difficult, hard to get scoring angles on your layups and try to finish over the top, the real long, great shot blockers,” Looney said. “We couldn’t get to the basket how we wanted. When we did get there it wasn’t easy to finish. When we was driving we wanted to kick it out and we didn’t get movement in the first half, so their shot blocking really made a difference.”

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-21-2014, 09:31 PM:

You have to give Alford credit he took it like a man and I hope his season gets a lot better for him. I guess it couldn't get any worse than Saturday's game.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-21-2014, 10:04 PM:

I don't know why, but I can't pull for Alford or UCLA!
I guess with Steve, it's because he was a disciple under RMK. As far as UCLA goes. I don't think I need to say anything else there!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-21-2014, 10:33 PM:

I might have agreed with you years ago but Alford has come a long way as a coach and admire the way he handles his players and is a gentleman win or lose. I hope he does well except when he plays our Cats.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-21-2014, 11:09 PM:

I just don't think the nut falls far from the tree. Krymeariverski was a disciple of RMK Too!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-22-2014, 11:30 AM:

I think you have to realize just because Alford played under Knight that he a clone of him. He is his own man however I'm sure he did take a lot of Knights's good points as Knight was a very good coach and certainly can't blame him for that.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 12-22-2014, 11:35 AM:

I have to give Steve credit. He is one win away from 500 victories. HE must know what he's doing!

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 12-22-2014, 11:45 AM:

Steve Alford was our guest speaker this year at our Chamber of Commerce dinner. I got a chance to talk basketball with him for 15 or 20 minutes. Spoke about old high school rivalries and discussed UCLA and UK.

So I have a picture with him and a signed "IU Basketball" that I keep hidden. It will never be displayed in my home. LOL. I'm actually going to give to a friend who is building an "IU" bar in his basement.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-23-2014, 12:18 AM:

I have always thought highly of Alford as he always was and still is a class guy. I admire that no matter who someone plays for. I think sometimes we forget basketball is a game but in Kentucky it's a special game. [Wink]