Second half mirage

[HalHR2500]

I rewatched the second half and it was more Notre Dame going into a turtle shell than UK turning it around, it wasn’t phenomenal defense or offensive execution by UK

I saw Clark twice leave his feet for killer TO in crunch time, several players afraid to shoot the ball when open, Boston is weak and loses the ball, Jackson a ghost all day

So tap the breaks on the great comeback they had a willing partner in Notre Dame who is an average team at best

And getting down 48-26 to this Notre Dame team is just ridiculous

I’m not trying to burst any ray of sunshine bubble, but Notre Dame was pretty horrible offensively in second half on their own accord

 

[richbrookstomato]

Cal has brought in these so called "NBA talents", yet they can't score or defend against slow, unathletic, mediocre teams.

You are EXACTLY right!! ND went into PREVENT and slowed the pace down to ride it out. It almost backfired, but we are SOOOO WEAK offensively that we couldn't come back to win the game.

 

[HalHR2500]

Terrance Clark is NOT the answer at point guard, his handle and leaving his feet are not up to PG standards, out of control, Cal is grasping at straws, he is not Tyreke Evans.

Boston is physically weak, bobbles too many passes, and is loose with ball

Frankly those are suppose to be the 2 best players

The 10 million dollar coach recruited this bunch and now realized rut roh

 

[ADJOUK22]

I think a guy with the same first letter of his first and last name is pulling okie dokes with the S&C staff. That or his metabolism is that of Perry Stevenson. Is there a food shortage in KY?

 

[65pacecar]

 

[Baller Cal]

Mirage, possible.

But if we go on to get destroyed, I couldn't imagine the mood in the locker room after the game and for a whole week leading up to the next game.

Instead, they have something to use as motivation to get better.

 

[Catman100]

Had some ACC buddies texting me at halftime telling me that Brey would let UK get back in the game because he cant coach a lick. I agree with OP, seemed like ND was missing those open shots they were hitting in the first half. Did not look like some new and excellent defense was being played. Hope I am wrong, but yesterday did not give me any hope for a successful season.

 

[BigBlueTom1_rivals]

Cal himself knew he was in trouble with this team when he started whining about the schedule before the season even started. This is where our program is now under Cal. This revolving door has caught up with him. So Kentucky Basketball should be worried about playing a good Richmond team at home? We should be worried about playing a bad Georgia Tech team in Atlanta? We should be worried about playing a bad Notre Dame team at home? Well I guess we should, because we lost all three. This is where you brought us Cal, and if you refuse to change it's not going to get any better. Kentucky fans do not want to be a 7 month training program for players to get to the NBA. We want to be a College Basketball Program again, and we the fans deserve that!!

 

[TheDude73]

Mirage, possible.

But if we go on to get destroyed, I couldn't imagine the mood in the locker room after the game and for a whole week leading up to the next game.

Instead, they have something to use as motivation to get better.

3 straight losses (more like *** beatings) before wasn't enough motivation? Interesting viewpoint these kids have if so...

 

[fs-ripcord65]

The most distressing thing to me is the fact that a "bad start to the game" was allowed to deteriorate into a 48-26 deficit - not just to "this Notre Dame team" but to any team. There will never be a U.K. basketball team that takes the floor that should ever be down by 22 points to anybody !
But, as I have said and many others have inferred on this board in recent days ... in direct proportion to your leadership comes your results ! Alas. Here's lookin' at you, Cal !

 

[kybassfan]

I rewatched the second half and it was more Notre Dame going into a turtle shell than UK turning it around, it wasn’t phenomenal defense or offensive execution by UK

I saw Clark twice leave his feet for killer TO in crunch time, several players afraid to shoot the ball when open, Boston is weak and loses the ball, Jackson a ghost all day

So tap the breaks on the great comeback they had a willing partner in Notre Dame who is an average team at best

And getting down 48-26 to this Notre Dame team is just ridiculous

I’m not trying to burst any ray of sunshine bubble, but Notre Dame was pretty horrible offensively in second half on their own accord

The CLOD clings tightly to hopes of continued failure.

 

[The Real Hatfield]

We were supposed to separate ourselves from other blue bloods when he was hired. Point out to me where we really have?

The most distressing thing to me is the fact that a "bad start to the game" was allowed to deteriorate into a 48-26 deficit - not just to "this Notre Dame team" but to any team. There will never be a U.K. basketball team that takes the floor that should ever be down by 22 points to anybody !
But, as I have said and many others have inferred on this board in recent days ... in direct proportion to your leadership comes your results ! Alas. Here's lookin' at you, Cal !

Agreed. I just don't think that Cal has what it takes to change course. He rarely takes responsibility for the team's failures. It's always something or someone else who is to blame. And then, even if he did do the impossible and admit that change was needed, there probably isn't a coach in history with a more established track record of doing less with more. Anthony Davis aint walking through that door again.

 

[Burly]

Cal wants to play plow boy offense instead of picking up full court and trying to create turnovers and easy baskets

 

[BourbonBalz]

Cal wants to play plow boy offense instead of picking up full court and trying to create turnovers and easy baskets

100% correct. He’s still stuck in the 80’s as far as strategy goes, both offensively and defensively but especially offensively. We can’t just out-talent teams anymore like we did his first five or six years. Scheme matters.

 

[BlobUK]

Cal wants to play plow boy offense instead of picking up full court and trying to create turnovers and easy baskets

I agree with this. With our athleticism and length we should be pressing and trapping. We sound be a transition team.

 

[BourbonBalz]

A good analogy is the early to mid 90’s Dallas Cowboys. I’m the world’s biggest Cowboy fan (yes, I’m suffering greatly this year. LOL). Jimmy Johnson ran a very simple offense when the Cowboys dominated the NFL for several years. He ran lead draws and about 3 other rushing plays. The passing game was predicated on Aikman’s pinpoint accuracy and big receivers that could out muscle corners. They went to four straight NFC conference title games and won 3 Super Bowls running a very vanilla offense. Why did it work? They were bigger, stronger, and just more talented than every other team. Every defense they faced knew exactly what they were going to do, but they just weren’t good enough to stop it.

The same can be said with Cal’s teams here. When we were just better and more talented than every team we played, we could run simple offensive and defensive schemes. The talent, size, and strength could dominate. When you’re playing on an even playing field so to speak, you simply can’t operate that way. You’ve got to adjust to your talent and design an offense and defense that puts the players in the best position to succeed. The last few years we‘ve lost most of our games for two reasons, and that includes NCAA Tournament games. 1). We struggle to score for long stretches because our perimeter shooting is poor, so teams pack it in on us. We’re too easy to defend because we’re too one dimensional. 2). We can’t guard small quick guards that eat us alive repeatedly. But, we stick with man defense and get taken to the hole over and over. Yet we never make defensive adjustments to stop it.
Just my $.02.

 

[BourbonBalz]

I should add that Cal DID make these adjustments early on at UK. His second team, the Brandon Knight Final Four team, is a perfect example. That team was not full of athletic wonders like the team the year before. But, it had some really, really good shooters on it. So, Cal went away from the dribble drive to a pick and roll offense to utilize our strength, which at the time was perimeter shooting. It took us all the way to the Final Four. Why will he not make these types of adjustments today?

 

[serdi]

Terrance Clark is NOT the answer at point guard, his handle and leaving his feet are not up to PG standards, out of control, Cal is grasping at straws, he is not Tyreke Evans.

Boston is physically weak, bobbles too many passes, and is loose with ball

Frankly those are suppose to be the 2 best players

The 10 million dollar coach recruited this bunch and now realized rut roh

Tavion Hollingsworth, KyKy Tandy, Justin Powell

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I think a guy with the same first letter of his first and last name is pulling okie dokes with the S&C staff. That or his metabolism is that of Perry Stevenson. Is there a food shortage in KY?

The S&C staff was telling us how sneaky strong that BJ was. You know, the whole “stronger than he looks” stance. I just don’t see it. If he can’t use his length to score, it’s a miss or a TO. Again, don’t see this “strength” Boston possesses.

 

[SemperFiCat]

The CLOD clings tightly to hopes of continued failure.

You realize there's only about five posters here, like you, that are content with looking terrible and the overall current state of UK basketball? You don't have to call for Cal to be fired, but you might wanna get your head out of the sand and admit that changes need to happen.

 

[BourbonBalz]

You realize there's only about five posters here, like you, that are content with looking terrible and the overall current state of UK basketball? You don't have to call for Cal to be fired, but you might wanna get your head out of the sand and admit that changes need to happen.

You’re wasting your time. Lost cause.

 

[AllBall]

I should add that Cal DID make these adjustments early on at UK. His second team, the Brandon Knight Final Four team, is a perfect example. That team was not full of athletic wonders like the team the year before. But, it had some really, really good shooters on it. So, Cal went away from the dribble drive to a pick and roll offense to utilize our strength, which at the time was perimeter shooting. It took us all the way to the Final Four. Why will he not make these types of adjustments today?

Because he doesn't have the shooters or ball players. Just athletes with limited skill sets

 

[BourbonBalz]

Because he doesn't have the shooters or ball players. Just athletes with limited skill sets

Yes, I’m aware, but you missed the point of my post. I wasn’t saying he should do the same thing with this team. Only that he needs to make some adjustments.

 

[UKxWildcats]

We did tighten up on defense some in the second half, but I’m afraid we were given fools gold. ND completed imploded in the second half because they really aren’t a great team or even a good one.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

The S&C staff was telling us how sneaky strong that BJ was. You know, the whole “stronger than he looks” stance. I just don’t see it. If he can’t use his length to score, it’s a miss or a TO. Again, don’t see this “strength” Boston possesses.

He is very weak. I cringe when he drives because any contact eats him up. I still believe he will be a good player but he needs to develop over 2-3 years. Too bad that won’t happen. We could look at this season as a blessing to get a roster to stick but they actually have to stay.

 

[Littlefeller_rivals66952]

Just like our football offense-if we got down double digits we didn’t have enuff offense to get back and win. I like balance. A great offense will have off days and I’d like to have enuff defense to offset and vice versa

 

[HerrosHeroes]

We pressed them most of the 2nd half, causing turnovers, bad shots and misses while we were in their faces contesting shots.

Notre Dame was off and UKs D played a big part in that in the 2nd stanza.

 

[Trinity45]

I rewatched the second half and it was more Notre Dame going into a turtle shell than UK turning it around, it wasn’t phenomenal defense or offensive execution by UK

I saw Clark twice leave his feet for killer TO in crunch time, several players afraid to shoot the ball when open, Boston is weak and loses the ball, Jackson a ghost all day

So tap the breaks on the great comeback they had a willing partner in Notre Dame who is an average team at best

And getting down 48-26 to this Notre Dame team is just ridiculous

I’m not trying to burst any ray of sunshine bubble, but Notre Dame was pretty horrible offensively in second half on their own accord

I agree I did not see anything against ND that makes me think alright, we have turned a corner. Right now I am thinking NIT at best.

 

[uk78_rivals88018]

ND also had a shorter bench and so tired legs in the second half also contributed to outside shot misses.

I won't give up on this team but is a talented freshman really better than a more experienced Junior or Senior who is fudamentally muture? Unless you recruit a high school aged superstar like a Zion or Anthony Davis type, someone truly a top 5 can't miss, the top 50 High School recruits may ultimately be better but not necessarily as Freshman. Would a senior at ND or even Richmond if suddenly sent back to play High School ball be a much better high school player now?

Our inexperienced team gets schooled in back door cuts, passing, being moved defensively with ball screens, well obviously so much more. In the past there was balance with experienced Kentucky players supporting the blending in of talented Freshman. Now we have a total team of Diallo's, who may have athletic skills, but no one to rely on to cover the deficiencies of their learning curve. The only hope is if Brooks can return and be much improved given his year of experience. Funny that this one year now may be significant.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

The CLOD clings tightly to hopes of continued failure.

Get your head out of Cal’s ***, man.

 

[kybassfan]

Get your head out of Cal’s ***, man.

Sorry. Not going to savage my Wildcats like a mad rabid dog slavering to rip out its guts. Pretty pitiful you have to resort to a falsehood to cover your blind hatred for the program.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Sorry. Not going to savage my Wildcats like a mad rabid dog slavering to rip out its guts. Pretty pitiful you have to resort to a falsehood to cover your blind hatred for the program.

Blind hatred for the program? Because I refuse to put the coach and players before the program.

 

[kybassfan]

Blind hatred for the program? Because I refuse to put the coach and players before the program.

The coach and players are 95% of the program in a given year. Just who the hell else you think is playing?

 

[SandyBell'sFaxMachine]

Agreed. I just don't think that Cal has what it takes to change course. He rarely takes responsibility for the team's failures. It's always something or someone else who is to blame. And then, even if he did do the impossible and admit that change was needed, there probably isn't a coach in history with a more established track record of doing less with more. Anthony Davis aint walking through that door again.

He literally said just this season "put it on me, don't put it on these kids"