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Kentucky versus UCLA

MdWIldcat55

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,349
85,438
113
This game is officially on for December 19. I have a good friend from LA who is a UCLA grad and involved in high school coaching out there, so knows more about hoops than a typical Californian.

He's pretty high about UCLA. His reasoning: They return six guys who started at one time or another, and basically their entire rotation. They add Johnny Juzang who'll be really psyched to play Kentucky. And Cronin had the team playing much, much better defense in the last 12 games than during the first half, when they had very bad losses that made most people dismiss their teams. It'll be a VERY experienced team playing a Kentucky team where no two starters will have more than a month's experience playing together - if that.

Most preseason rankings have UCLA in the top 25, as high as 15 or so. Much of that is based on a strong experienced front court in 6'9' Chris Smith who flirted with entering the draft and 6'10' Jalen Hill. I note that their fan board pencils in Juzang as a starter.

This could be a tough test early in the year. I hate losing to UCLA, so I hope Sarr is a difficult match-up for them and that Boston and Clarke are too much talent on the wings.

Any thoughts?
 
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LineSkiCat14

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,031
61,281
113
MdWIldcat55 said:
This game is officially on for December 19. I have a good friend from LA who is a UCLA grad and involved in high school coaching out there, so knows more about hoops than a typical Californian.

He's pretty high about UCLA. His reasoning: They return six guys who started at one time or another, and basically their entire rotation. They add Johnny Juzang who'll be really psyched to play Kentucky. And Cronin had the team playing much, much better defense in the last 12 games than during the first half, when they had very bad losses that made most people dismiss their teams. It'll be a VERY experienced team playing a Kentucky team where no two starters will have more than a month's experience playing together - if that.

Most preseason rankings have UCLA in the top 25, as high as 15 or so. Much of that is based on a strong experienced front court in 6'9' Chris Smith who flirted with entering the draft and 6'10' Jalen Hill. I note that their fan board pencils in Juzang as a starter.

This could be a tough test early in the year. I hate losing to UCLA, so I hope Sarr is a difficult match-up for them and that Boston and Clarke are too much talent on the wings.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Seems like it might be our hardest OOC game. I rank this as a tougher matchup than Kansas, at least.

I think Juzang could be the x-factor. You know he's not happy with Kentucky.. things didn't go the way he imagined here, and he might not hate Kentucky, but he's going to want to prove himself. So he could either go lights out on us, drop 21. Or he could shoot his team out of the game and force mistakes.
 
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A

akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
81,181
124,585
93
MdWIldcat55 said:
This game is officially on for December 19. I have a good friend from LA who is a UCLA grad and involved in high school coaching out there, so knows more about hoops than a typical Californian.

He's pretty high about UCLA. His reasoning: They return six guys who started at one time or another, and basically their entire rotation. They add Johnny Juzang who'll be really psyched to play Kentucky. And Cronin had the team playing much, much better defense in the last 12 games than during the first half, when they had very bad losses that made most people dismiss their teams. It'll be a VERY experienced team playing a Kentucky team where no two starters will have more than a month's experience playing together - if that.

Most preseason rankings have UCLA in the top 25, as high as 15 or so. Much of that is based on a strong experienced front court in 6'9' Chris Smith who flirted with entering the draft and 6'10' Jalen Hill. I note that their fan board pencils in Juzang as a starter.

This could be a tough test early in the year. I hate losing to UCLA, so I hope Sarr is a difficult match-up for them and that Boston and Clarke are too much talent on the wings.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I think we would beat them in March but may be too inexperienced to do it December 19.
 
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MdWIldcat55

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,349
85,438
113
LineSkiCat14 said:
Seems like it might be our hardest OOC game. I rank this as a tougher matchup than Kansas, at least.

I think Juzang could be the x-factor. You know he's not happy with Kentucky.. things didn't go the way he imagined here, and he might not hate Kentucky, but he's going to want to prove himself. So he could either go lights out on us, drop 21. Or he could shoot his team out of the game and force mistakes.
Click to expand...
I agree on Juzang. He didn't warm to defense here, and so I'm hoping Boston or Clarke can exploit him all night. But maybe Cronin has some secert to motivate him.

It might be like 2017, when a talented Kentucky team lost to them early in Rupp with no business to, then handled them in March. I hope not, since, of course, a rematch isn't guaranteed. Of course, I'd take a 2014 outcome.
 
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M

MWes11

Heisman
Apr 22, 2012
12,025
10,106
0
Looks like the game is being played in Cleveland. Should be a nice early test for the Cats to see where they are and how far they have to go. Just excited games are coming back and I am hoping without any hiccups, but unfortunately, I doubt it.
 
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LineSkiCat14

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,031
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113
MdWIldcat55 said:
I agree on Juzang. He didn't warm to defense here, and so I'm hoping Boston or Clarke can exploit him all night. But maybe Cronin has some secert to motivate him.

It might be like 2017, when a talented Kentucky team lost to them early in Rupp with no business to, then handled them in March. I hope not, since, of course, a rematch isn't guaranteed. Of course, I'd take a 2014 outcome.
Click to expand...

I guess the one difference.. That UCLA team had some NBA talent on the roster (at least at the time). TJ Leaf, Lonzo Ball. I don't know much about this UCLA team other than that they are experienced. But I imagine their talent isn't the same as that 2017 UCLA team.

Just looked at the 2017 roster.. they had 6 players average double digit points.. and 4 of them averaged more than 13ppg! Forgot how good they were offensively.
 
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K

Kingslayer07

Heisman
Jan 23, 2020
8,578
10,474
113
LineSkiCat14 said:
I guess the one difference.. That UCLA team had some NBA talent on the roster (at least at the time). TJ Leaf, Lonzo Ball. I don't know much about this UCLA team other than that they are experienced. But I imagine their talent isn't the same as that 2017 UCLA team.

Just looked at the 2017 roster.. they had 6 players average double digit points.. and 4 of them averaged more than 13ppg! Forgot how good they were offensively.
Click to expand...
That was a really good team!! They beat us at Rupp also that year before Fox made Ball look like a fool in the tourey.
 
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MdWIldcat55

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,349
85,438
113
LineSkiCat14 said:
I guess the one difference.. That UCLA team had some NBA talent on the roster (at least at the time). TJ Leaf, Lonzo Ball. I don't know much about this UCLA team other than that they are experienced. But I imagine their talent isn't the same as that 2017 UCLA team.

Just looked at the 2017 roster.. they had 6 players average double digit points.. and 4 of them averaged more than 13ppg! Forgot how good they were offensively.
Click to expand...
All true - No way UCLA this year has the talent level of 2017. (Kentucky may not either, but too soon to say.)
What's different is that, whatever his faults, Cronin is historically a good defensive coach. Alford was terrible at that.

This UCLA team might be much more frustrating defensively for a young team. I hope this is a game where Sarr, used to tough defenses in the ACC with more talented players, takes over.
 
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D

dckala2_rivals16641

All-Conference
Aug 3, 2006
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As long as TJ Leaf and Thomas Welsh aren't out there, I'll take Kentucky. Outside of the tourney game where Fox smoked Ball, Alford coached circles around Cal.
 
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RunninRichie

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
28,858
69,306
113
dckala2 said:
As long as TJ Leaf and Thomas Welsh aren't out there, I'll take Kentucky. Outside of the tourney game where Fox smoked Ball, Alford coached circles around Cal.
Click to expand...
 
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C

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
17,371
21,082
113
UCLA is good. They completely turned around their team the last 10 games of last season. Tyger Campbell had a good freshman year at the point, as did Jaquez and Kyman the shooter. And they add the transfer and a good freshman 2 guard. Their top PG recruit chose the G league otherwise they'd be top 10. They also have Cody Reily another big man. They are deep. If Cronin can get them to play defense again they could make a deep run.
 
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kyjeff1

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,963
71,665
113
These games against UCLA/UNC/OSU are always played at a time when UK typically plays their worst. I don’t know what it is, but we are always on a downswing at that point in the season and it looks like our guys are playing with concrete shoes on.
However, there has been exceptions to this (2014/15 and 2011/12 teams), but those teams were stacked and had transcendent players. This could be one of those seasons.
As was said earlier, UCLA had Leaf and Welsh, who look like accountants for a local grocery store and those dudes would hit every shot they threw up on us. Head shaker.
 
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RunninRichie

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
28,858
69,306
113
kyjeff1 said:
These games against UCLA/UNC/OSU are always played at a time when UK typically plays their worst. I don’t know what it is, but we are always on a downswing at that point in the season and it looks like our guys are playing with concrete shoes on.
However, there has been exceptions to this (2014/15 and 2011/12 teams), but those teams were stacked and had transcendent players. This could be one of those seasons.
As was said earlier, UCLA had Leaf and Welsh, who look like accountants for a local grocery store and those dudes would hit every shot they threw up on us. Head shaker.
Click to expand...
Thomas Welshs midrange jumper still haunts me
 
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Cowtown Cat

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
24,164
54,926
100
EastCoastYoungCat said:
Their froncourt is tough and athletic. It’s be a good test. I think Sarr will handle his, I’m interested in seeing Jackson and maybe Ware against them. Also, the thought of Juzang guarding Clarke or Boston I’ll take every time.
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Yep. I’m giddy af at the thought of Boston and/or Clarke taking Juzang to the woodshed! That’ll be on both ends of the floor IMO.
 
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dckala2_rivals16641

All-Conference
Aug 3, 2006
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Yea, no doubt we dicked em down that one year. But that was his first win against ucla while at uk. Take that away and he’s 1-3.

it’s not a secret how to beat calipari teams. Ucla and Wisconsin both ran it well. High ball screens and then elbow jumpers for the big men.
 
K

kl40504_rivals

Heisman
Oct 5, 2018
15,258
11,184
0
dckala2 said:
Yea, no doubt we dicked em down that one year. But that was his first win against ucla while at uk. Take that away and he’s 1-3.

it’s not a secret how to beat calipari teams. Ucla and Wisconsin both ran it well. High ball screens and then elbow jumpers for the big men.
Click to expand...
Then why don't more teams do it?
 
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B

BourbonBalz

All-American
Mar 5, 2005
11,430
9,235
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dckala2 said:
Yea, no doubt we dicked em down that one year. But that was his first win against ucla while at uk. Take that away and he’s 1-3.

it’s not a secret how to beat calipari teams. Ucla and Wisconsin both ran it well. High ball screens and then elbow jumpers for the big men.
Click to expand...
So, the fact that it was Cal’s first win against UCLA somehow discounts it? What’s your point? It was a game just like all the others, except for the one where we sent them packing in the tournament. Now that one was different since it was way more important.
 
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revcort

revcort

Heisman
Feb 20, 2003
32,522
30,904
113
dckala2 said:
As long as TJ Leaf and Thomas Welsh aren't out there, I'll take Kentucky. Outside of the tourney game where Fox smoked Ball, Alford coached circles around Cal.
Click to expand...
Yep, it was Welsh who killed us in Rupp making that 10-12 footer from the high post. He did it all night. I think we expected scoring from Ball, Leaf, and even Alford and Holiday, but Welsh scoring 14 in a 5-pt loss was killer.
 
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revcort

revcort

Heisman
Feb 20, 2003
32,522
30,904
113
As for this game, I think UK's got a good chance in this one. I think we'll know by the time the game rolls around just how good these teams are. If this game were earlier in the season, it would be a bigger edge for UCLA, but we will have a few games under our belt by that time and I think the team will be starting to gel. As for UCLA, returnees don't necessarily equate to a great team.
 
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