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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-28-2019, 03:31 PM:

Is this team rough enough?

“We got outrebounded,” pointed out UK Coach John Calipari, and in fact the taller Wildcats were beaten 45-39 on the boards by the NAIA national champions. Georgetown grabbed 16 offensive boards. Kentucky collected six. “Most of it was just scrappiness.”

“We missed a bunch of shots,” Georgetown Coach Chris Briggs said. “… I thought they played tough. I was impressed with their defensive intensity and toughness.”

Briggs meant Kentucky’s toughness, yet Calipari was not so sure.

“The physicalness and toughness we’re going to have to play with, Georgetown was physical,” Calipari said. “They were going to throw a body on you. They were not gonna just let you go get balls.”

“EJ’s a better player, but you’re going to have play rougher,” Calipari said. “I think Georgetown came in with one thing, rough him up. Be physical. Bang him. Push him. And you’ve got to know, that’s just about every game you’re going to play. So you’ve got to be able to play through and still make shots. And I think he will.”

It will surely be the way the first “real” game is played. That’s Nov. 5 in New York’s Madison Square Garden against No. 1-ranked Michigan State. The Spartans live to play physical basketball. Cal knows Tom Izzo. We all know Tom Izzo. And Michigan State will play a rough, tumble, defensive-minded game that night at MSG.

Can Kentucky match that toughness? We shall see. The Cats have a second exhibition game, Friday night against Kentucky State, to try and develop a more physical nature. That’s not much time, of course. Not only does the start of the college basketball exhibition season seem earlier every year, so does the real thing.

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Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 10-29-2019, 06:14 AM:

I guess we'll find out right out of the box!

Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 10-29-2019, 02:08 PM:

Rebounding is mental, you either have it or you don't. Guy's today want to do the flashy stuff, get their face on TV. You don't have to be seven foot tall to rebound, if you have the fundamentals to block out you can rebound. This is my one pet peeve every year, is I don't know if it's not being coached or they're just not doing it.

Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 10-29-2019, 09:17 PM:

I didn't get to see the game, but was curious as to why Richards only played 14 minutes. The least on the team. By box score numbers he e to be doing pretty well. 3-3, 5 rebounds, 1 block in 14 minutes. Meanwhile EJ was 2-7, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks in 23 minutes. I'm just hoping Richards gets a shot to show what he can do. Hope he's not in the doghouse already. I think we will need him, and I think he could be, a 10-14 ppg and 8-9 rebounds, 2 blocks per game; if he gets about 20-25 minutes per game. That would be a big help.

Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 10-29-2019, 09:53 PM:

Nick,has a ankle sprain.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-30-2019, 12:12 PM:

UKman, your Richards numbers look do-able.

Posted by GA Cat (Member # 642) on 11-01-2019, 11:13 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by ukman:
I didn't get to see the game, but was curious as to why Richards only played 14 minutes. The least on the team. By box score numbers he e to be doing pretty well. 3-3, 5 rebounds, 1 block in 14 minutes. Meanwhile EJ was 2-7, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks in 23 minutes. I'm just hoping Richards gets a shot to show what he can do. Hope he's not in the doghouse already. I think we will need him, and I think he could be, a 10-14 ppg and 8-9 rebounds, 2 blocks per game; if he gets about 20-25 minutes per game. That would be a big help.

Richards was injured or he would have played a lot more.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-02-2019, 06:21 AM:

I guess w're going to find out Tues. nite just how rough and tough these boys are.

MSU will push them around down low and they usually lead the country in rebounding. We're going to have to be on our game if we want to stay with them!