I might like this team

[BluWildcatz]

No not really, because everyone is "anon" here. Monikers/names mean nothing to me.

The more you use the site, the less anonymous you are, and the more pseudonymous your identity on here becomes.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

No not really, because everyone is "anon" here. Monikers/names mean nothing to me.

We’re all anonymous when it comes to our real names (99% anyway). When it comes to not having a “handle”, you don’t know if it’s an anon genuinely wanting to talk basketball/football or an anon that creates multiple accounts on here just to come on here to be an a hole.

 

[theBlues]

No not really, because everyone is "anon" here. Monikers/names mean nothing to me.

That will change if you stay here; you remember user names and get to know their personalities and that can be very helpful in evaluating what they have to say. For instance, if you paid attention, you'd know I'm never wrong.

 

[TheDude73]

What's the big deal about "real handles"? TheDude73 is just as "anon" as someone whose "handle" is anon. So you STFU

I've been on this board and its many variations for 20 years there, clown. People know my persona. You anonymous idiots just flood the zone with bait to trigger people. You're all literally the same.

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

liking a team and winning/losing are two different things. just about all cal's teams the final few years were likable. but none of them got the job done. all they guys on this years team seem like really good dudes....but if lose to kansas next week not much of that stuff matters.

 

[mdluk1]

Top 4 players are really solid: Momcilovic, Moreno, Mason, Wilkins.

We are just missing a 6'9" PF with scoring ability. Stupid SEC rules.

Stupid SELECTIVE sec rules. No inter conference transfer except for Aberdeen, Garrison, MoD.

 

[BBUK]

Seems like we got some good dudes.....

So...

 

[RunninRichie]

Seems like we got some good dudes.....

Kepnang was such a good pickup, love his game.

 

[bbnkat02]

Kepnang was such a good pickup, love his game.

He's gonna contribute. I don't expect him to be a 20-10 type of guy, but he will have nights where he helps win games.

 

[Mike-D]

Seems like we got some good dudes.....

Matt Jones used to harp on letting the fans get to know the players before every season. UK has not a done good with the common fan in recent years. Putting it nicely.

 

[Cleatortoises]

Stupid SELECTIVE sec rules. No inter conference transfer except for Aberdeen, Garrison, MoD.

What do those players.have in common?

 

[RunninRichie]

Rebounding is still a concern.

 

[kyjeff1]

I do like that despite Zoom's slow start, there are clear roles in the starting 5, with a clear primary scorer, and a 2 with shooting/dribbling skills.

Zoom has been getting hammered on this site, but there will be some crow getting served up, because that guy is going to be really good. He has size, skill and strength, he is just trying to find his role.
The system they ran out at Wahington is much different than what Pope runs. Zoom will get it going.

 

[JwUKFan11]

Top 4 players are really solid: Momcilovic, Moreno, Mason, Wilkins.

We are just missing a 6'9" PF with scoring ability. Stupid SEC rules.

That, and we could really use another guard. I like the 3 we have, but 1 more guy who isn't super talented for depth would have been nice.

 

[davtay]

That, and we could really use another guard. I like the 3 we have, but 1 more guy who isn't super talented for depth would have been nice.

We have one. He is injured. Who knows when/if he will return. I haven't heard a timeline.

 

[JwUKFan11]

We have one. He is injured. Who knows when/if he will return. I haven't heard a timeline.

Seems he going to be out a long time, would have been nice to have one more since he has been injured for a good while.

 

[rivercatinfl]

Weakness through 3 exhibition and 1 real game :
1. Ball movement has been non-existent for stretches of each game. Dribble for 25 seconds then turn it over or take a bad shot
2. No cutting or screening, the sis seem to finally start about 10 minutes in the Manhattan game
3. Turn overs.

Strengths can be summed up in 3 words: shooting, rebounding, defense.

I think this team has potential to be good. Defense has chance to be elite. They just aren't there yet. Let's see if coach can coach. I've been supportive of pope from the beginning, but if he doesn't produce this year, then that will change.

I agree. I do think Ousame and Zoom will get more comfortable as time goes on.
Tuesday was their first game in Rupp for all the marbles. Let’s let them get the jitters gone.
If those 2 guys play to their potential, we are gonna be wayyyyy better than good imo.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

liking a team and winning/losing are two different things. just about all cal's teams the final few years were likable. but none of them got the job done. all they guys on this years team seem like really good dudes....but if lose to kansas next week not much of that stuff matters.

While I agree that Kansas is the measuring stick game early. Let's not forget that early season losses to solid opponents didn't foreshadow what was to come. We can lose (the right way) and still take a lot of positives away from it. We can also lose (the ugly way) and have reason to worry.

2010-2011: #8 Kentucky got blown out in Maui by then unranked UConn. UK made the Final Four, Uconn ended up winning the National Title.

2011-2012: #1 Kentucky lost to then unranked Indiana. UK went on to win the National Title and beat Indiana in a rematch in the Sweet 16.

2012-2013: #3 UK lost to #9 Duke, Unranked Notre Dame, unranked Baylor, and to U6 that non con and went to the NIT

2013-2014: #1 UK lost to #2 Michigan St, #20 Baylor, and #18 UNC in the non-con and were National Runners Up

2014-2015: Even the great 38-1 team lost an exhibition game to the Dominican Republic Team in the Bahamas. Obviously Final 4 team.

2015-2016: #1 UK lost to Unranked UCLA, and Unranked Ohio St in the non-con. (and Kansas in a January Non-Con game) Lost in the Round of 32.

2016-2017: #1 UK lost to #11 UCLA, #10 U6, and #2 Kansas in the non-con. Went to the Elite 8.

2017-2018: #7 UK lost to #4 Kansas, and Unranked UCLA in the non-con. Went to the Sweet 16.

2018-2019: #2 UK lost to #4 Duke, and Unranked Seton Hall in the non-con. Went to the Elite 8.

2019-2020: #1 UK lost to Unranked Evansville in Rupp... Unranked Utah and #5 Ohio State before the COVID... No post season

2020-2021: #10 UK lost to Unranked Richmond in Rupp, #7 Kansas, Unranked Georgia Tech, Unraked Notre Dame in Rupp, #22 UNC, and to U6 in the non-con. Did not make the NCAA tournament.

2021-2022: #10 UK lost to #9 Duke, and Unranked Notre Dame in the non-con. Lost first round of the NCAA to St Peters...

2022-2023: #4 UK lost to unranked Michigan St, #2 Gonzaga, #16 UCLA, and #9 Kansas in the non-con. Lost to Kansas State in the round of 32.

2023-2024: #17 UK lost to #1 Kansas, Unranked UNC Wilmington in Rupp... and Unranked Gonzaga in Rupp. Lost first round of the NCAA to Oakland...

2024-2025: #23 UK lost to Unranked Clemson, and unranked Ohio St in the non-con. Went to the Sweet 16.

2025-2026: #9 UK lost to #12 U6, #17 Michigan St (blown out), #16 UNC, and #11 Gonzaga (blown out). Lost in Round of 32.

I list those because for the last 15 plus years, non-con losses, for the most part, are not directly corelated to how the team will finish. Obviously bad teams (2020-2021) prove to be obviously bad. Obviously great teams usually prove to be great (2011-2012). But you have multiple instances where teams suffer some bad head scratching losses early in the non-con and end up with solid tournament runs.

I'm less concerned with the win/loss of an early November game than I am about the effort. If they play Kansas tight and show resilience and fight and lose, I'm much less concerned than if UK lays down and gets throttled (Gonzaga last year). Obviously want us to win every single game we play, but UK vs Kansas is a temperature check on the pulse of the team moving forward, not the end all be all for me personally.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

Seems he going to be out a long time, would have been nice to have one more since he has been injured for a good while.

Technically we have 5 (Zoom, Wilkins, Mason, Morton (hurt), and Zyon (near unplayable?) ). But currently only 3 you can trust to give any real minutes to. After the Mitchell thing fell through, it would have been nice to fill that 15th roster spot with something that could at least walk and chew gum at the same time given our injury history. Pre-Morton's injury I think they were more worried about the 4-5 spots. Hindsight says should have grabbed another guard.