***** OFFICIAL Little Rock vs UK GAME THREAD*****

[kyjeff1]

The problem is, he “developed” him into a PG on a 14 loss team. DA wasn’t the problem. Popes inability to build a competent roster is the problem.

That's two different things. We aren't talking about the team. The team was better with Lowe and JQ. The Saint Johns game proved that.

But we are talking about DA. Did he improve, or not? Yes, he improved at a crazy fast rate, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that Zoom and Wkins can do the same. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Seth_C]

Wilkins is unplayable.

By conference play Williams is probably PG1. He's green but he looks the most natural at PG. Just a guess.

If that happens Wilkins will sulk on the bench and become a cancer.

 

[FLBBNFAN]

Wilkins is unplayable.

If that happens Wilkins will sulk on the bench and become a cancer.

He would just slide to the 2 like he started tonight.

 

[kyjeff1]

So a player is forced to play a completely new position and gets better as the season goes on...that's called Pope developing?? Hell naww

I wouldn't expect a Pope hater to be fair.

 

[FLBBNFAN]

If he is, and I’m not saying he won’t be, that’s a REAL EFFING PROBLEM. But probably says a lot about where this backcourt is. Btw, how you think a kid like Diallo will handle that? This backcourt will be Popes undoing. They just don’t look very good. 3-5 could be serviceable. But you’re not going to win squat with this backcourt.

That certainly would derail Pope's initial plan for sure. If it becomes obvious Williams is better suited to start what does Pope do with his job on the line? Its only one game but Diallo gave me Aberdeen vibes with the dribbling down the shot clock.

I think Wilkins has potential but he has a ways to go in my opinion.

 

[kyjeff1]

Dude just be real. And yes I hate Pope

I am being real, you're the dude that ceeated a profile just to come on here and act like a dumba$$.

 

[BookofMormon]

Ndiaye, Wilkins, Diallo need to get better. Point blank.

I don't go too crazy with these exhibition games, but 19 turnovers shows a lack of discipline/focus. If Pope can't do that.....

Donovan will not be a upgrade man. Yall want washed up old Donavan that won a title twenty years ago. Just keep Pope....

Get somebody young. Like stein. Is that not easy to see?

This isnt 1996..its thirty years later. Have to have a cool coach.. look at the last five years of champions.

0% chance Donovan is coming.

 

[Zannman]

I didn’t even watch tonight. Just came here to read the comments. Bring on Oklahoma.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

That's two different things. We aren't talking about the team. The team was better with Lowe and JQ. The Saint Johns game proved that.

But we are talking about DA. Did he improve, or not? Yes, he improved at a crazy fast rate, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that Zoom and Wkins can do the same. That's all I'm saying.

No, it’s not two different things. The St Johns game proved nothing. If you haven’t noticed, Popes two year tenure has proven his teams are bipolar. It’s his job to build a roster that’s deep and capable of sustaining success. He hasn’t done that with one of the biggest payrolls in the game. That’s on him.

DA looked worse early on than he did at Florida. He simply became the player he was previously thrust into a much bigger, and different, role. Lowe would likely have given no more than DA did. Maybe more offensively, significantly less defensively.

That certainly would derail Pope's initial plan for sure. If it becomes obvious Williams is better suited to start what does Pope do with his job on the line? Its only one game but Diallo gave me Aberdeen vibes with the dribbling down the shot clock.

I think Wilkins has potential but he has a ways to go in my opinion.

Agree on all fronts. And given last season, I have serious doubts on Popes ability to navigate touchy situations like that. He’s far too emotional.

 

[kyjeff1]

No, it’s not two different things.

It actually is two different things. DA's development is a totally different topic than how good, or bad the team was.

The St Johns game proved nothing. If you haven’t noticed, Popes two year tenure has proven his teams are bipolar.

Agreed. 100%

It’s his job to build a roster that’s deep and capable of sustaining success. He hasn’t done that with one of the biggest payrolls in the game. That’s on him.

His 24/25 roster was well constructed, if it stayed healthy, it was FF caliber. It literally beat the eventual national title winner and the most talented team in the country on a neutral court.

DA looked worse early on than he did at Florida.

I disagree. He wasn't the primary pg at Florida. When he was in the game, there were 2 other NBA caliber guards and a massive front court out there with him. Ladt year, he had to be the primary pg on a terribly constructed team.

He simply became the player he was previously thrust into a much bigger, and different, role. Lowe would likely have given no more than DA did. Maybe more offensively, significantly less defensively.

He was ten times better at the 1 in January than he was in November. All he did was dribble in November and got owned by anyone with a pulse. He was awful and if he had 2 other NBA caliber guards out there with him and 2 Guys like Cheyelu and Haugh in the paint, his flaws would have been hidden, just like they were at Florida.

 

[ftp000]

At least it’s a dub.

Final from Rupp

Cats 69
LR 49.

Defense A-
Offense C+

The last time we played them we thrashed them 73-51! All we did that year was win a National Championship.

 

[mash_24]

Not encouraging that the starting backcourt had 7 or 8 turnovers. Think one of the Little Rock players had 7 steals? That’s absurd to allow to happen. We did apparently look a little better in the second half. Getting some guys back healthy may help some. If you’re not elite talent wise, you better have great chemistry. That’s the area Pope really needs to show me something or this year is it.

 

[TarHeelInCharlotte]

How did the game turnout?

I'm in town but I was at a high school football game.

 

[Ash Williams]

His 24/25 roster was well constructed, if it stayed healthy, it was FF caliber. It literally beat the eventual national title winner and the most talented team in the country on a neutral court.

Eventually even you will admit that year 1 was the outlier. Keep living in the past though.

 

[Cleatortoises]

Hes cool to boomers. Hes not cool to the 20 year olds that will be playing.

He's not cool. He's old and washed.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

The last time we played them we thrashed them 73-51! All we did that year was win a National Championship.

That team also had 3 guys coming back from a final four team and added the number 1 and 2 players n the NBA draft to its roster.

I miss having players like that here.

 

[chroix]

The last time we played them we thrashed them 73-51! All we did that year was win a National Championship.

You're ******* high af if you think that is relevant here.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

At least it’s a dub.

Final from Rupp

Cats 69
LR 49.

Defense A-
Offense C+

Offense is like a D- for real.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

I see a team full of role players. Just like the last two years. Gotta have star playmakers to win at a high level. When pope was hired I said we’d see three years of mediocre basketball and he’d be gone. I’m looking forward to that being true. Let’s give our new AD a chance to bring in his guy.

The problem is he is letting guys act like Stars and run no offense. I don’t know what we were running last night but it appeared to be YMCA run across half court and fire away after one pass. That won’t work.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

If things go sideways, Donovan will be our coach next season. You can bet your house on that one

Donovan is not coming here. It’s like 15 years too late for that one anyway. Go get Oats or someone that is actually a good college coach at the moment in this environment. I have a feeling Texas Tech’s coach is about to make us wish we had him soon.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Wilkins is unplayable.

If that happens Wilkins will sulk on the bench and become a cancer.

Wilkins is not a bad player but he can’t be allowed to play like he did last night. He doesn’t help anything forcing everything like he’s the only guy.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

That certainly would derail Pope's initial plan for sure. If it becomes obvious Williams is better suited to start what does Pope do with his job on the line? Its only one game but Diallo gave me Aberdeen vibes with the dribbling down the shot clock.

I think Wilkins has potential but he has a ways to go in my opinion.

Which is why I didn’t want him in the first place. He led terrible teams both his years in college. Nothing he does is at an elite level other than getting to the goal, where he bricks a layup. If he’s not dishing assists and finishing at the goal, we are in trouble.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

The last time we played them we thrashed them 73-51! All we did that year was win a National Championship.

This team is nowhere near the same. Teams have bad games but you can tell this group is severely flawed and Pope doesn’t even look like he has them playing his first year offense. That is scary. This team was supposed to be built to score. They played better defense than expected, but that offense was bad.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

12 threes. Not horrid.

Imagine how many we would hit and score if we made layups and dunks, plus passed the ball to open guys. Every make almost was off a drive and kick outside a couple miraculous Mom 3’s and one Wilkins transition 3.

 

[DelkBowl]

Who gets the credit for what DA did last year then? Mark Fox?
DA was worse that Diallo us right now, by SEC play, he was a savior without a true pg.
Against SJ, he couldn’t get the vall to half court. He list the uNC game all by himself, but, like I said, by January, he was pretty good.

DA gets the credit

 

[kyjeff1]

Eventually even you will admit that year 1 was the outlier. Keep living in the past though.

Living in the past? It was 2 years ago and just because it was in the past, doesn't make what I said, a false statement.

The ones living in the past are the ones that think Cal is still what he was from 2010-2015.