Thoughts on WVU-UK Matchup

[jedwar]

Lot's of media hyping this. Reason? It's the first viable chance for someone to knock us off. The very thought of that makes them happy.

For us UK fans, this is the first real test to win or go home. It makes many uneasy. It does me.

Now to WVU. They lost to Baylor 3 times. They shoot about 41% on average. They press, which to me will be playing into our strengths. If they zone any, I think we will handle that too.

Booker has not played that well and we are still beating teams by double figures. When he returns to form.....lookout.

Need Dakari to step up.

Bottom line, I don't see WVU beating us unless we are stone cold and they knock down 10-13 3s, which I really doubt they can. If they shoot on average 41%, I'd look for them to be quite a bit lower than that against us.

Also keep this in mind, all this season, the brighter the lights and the bigger the stage, the better we have played. I expect that to continue.

 

[STEVEGRO50]

Originally posted by Jerry.Edwards:
Lot's of media hyping this. Reason? It's the first viable chance for someone to knock us off. The very thought of that makes them happy.

For us UK fans, this is the first real test to win or go home. It makes many uneasy. It does me.

Now to WVU. They lost to Baylor 3 times. They shoot about 41% on average. They press, which to me will be playing into our strengths. If they zone any, I think we will handle that too.

Booker has not played that well and we are still beating teams by double figures. When he returns to form.....lookout.

Need Dakari to step up.

Bottom line, I don't see WVU beating us unless we are stone cold and they knock down 10-13 3s, which I really doubt they can. If they shoot on average 41%, I'd look for them to be quite a bit lower than that against us.

Also keep this in mind, all this season, the brighter the lights and the bigger the stage, the better we have played. I expect that to continue.

I see your ponit but after listening to Coach Robic last night he said something that makes me think they may be able to shoot better than 41%. He said they play 5 out. Which means they pull everyone away from the basket and constantly drive to the basket. We have trouble stopping the drive. Thats why our size is so important. When someone gets through they clean it up. If we give up excessive amount of lay ups then their % rises. I just don't feel good about this game. This IS a dangerous team.

 

[uk78_rivals88018]

We would have been playing Maryland if Trimble didn't get injured in their game. So, we actually are playing the lesser team. I don't think this game is going to be that close.

 

[Kats23]

Originally posted by uk78:
We would have been playing Maryland if Trimble didn't get injured in their game. So, we actually are playing the lesser team. I don't think this game is going to be that close.

I don't buy this is the lesser team at least matchup wise when it comes to this UK team. I think UK would of fairly handled Maryland pretty easily. I expect this to be a battle unless Booker returns from the abyss. WVU has already said they are going to make this a war. This game is going to be chippy and probably have a ton of fouls called.

 

[barryn2000]

Said this in another thread yesterday....WVU is just the next David to our Goliath. Of course the sports talking heads are going to hype it...it's called hedging your bet. If they didn't predict or suggest it, they couldn't say "I told you so".

Unlike 99% of the sports reporters, I've watched every UK game, many of them twice and some three times. These people are mostly going by what others are saying.

 

[Anon1712931820]

The only reason that anyone is nervous about the game Thursday is that the memory of 010 is still fresh in everyone's mind. We were the favorite....we were suppose to dominate and then West Virginia had the lead at half time without even making a 2 point basket and we started 0-20 shooting 3 pointers. Crap happens and more often than not for Cal it happens against Bob Huggins lol.

I think we will win big because this year is different, but to say no one should worry or be nervous is ridiculous.

 

[sefus12]

Vegas doesn't miss on too many double-digit favorites this time of year. That alone should give you plenty to ease your mind.

On top of that we are the hands-down betting favorite for a reason. We, when playing our best, are simply on a different level from any other team in the field. Our average game is better than most teams' good games. Our good game is nearly unbeatable. Our great game is unbeatable. WVU will try and turn this team over. That's their go-to offense.... create havoc with the press and get easy points. Our team doesn't turn it over much. If we get it past mid-court then WVU has a very pedestrian half-court defense. On top of all that, they have to score against us. Great offenses have a hard time doing that. Average offenses, such as WVU, REALLY struggle. I know they beat us in 2010 and that terrifies many in the BBN, but this team has nothing to do with 2010 and is much better equipped to handle a poor shooting night. Relax a bit. We're the favorite for a reason.

 

[irishcatdaddy]

I agree 2010 creeps into the thoughts of many fans. Yes, UK was the favorite... Yes it was a very talented team but what was the achilles heel of that team? Outside shooting (at times anything that wasn't a layup)... WVU packed the paint got hot early from outside and hung on. THIS WILL NOT WORK ON THIS TEAM.

Huggybears gimmick this year is try to wear out the other team with presser and numbers and foul at all cost....can't be done against a team with athletic superiority at the 7...8..9...10 that hits foul shots. It WILL be ugly... For them.

 

[DSmith21]

I think that we will be fine against their press. Once the press is beaten, their defense is awful. However, I do worry about WVU being one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country. We give up too many 2nd chance baskets as it is. I just don't think that is nearly enough to beat us though.

 

[Owen68_rivals]

The only way WVU stays within 20 pts. is if Cal lets off the gas which he will. Cal doesn't like to embarrass anyone plus we play again Saturday.

 

[YouKay]

Really doesn't matter what the opponent does, IMO. Doesn't matter how many turnovers UK has either. They won't have 23 like Maryland did, that's for sure. Everyone says "UK will lose if somebody makes a dozen threes against them" and you just know that WVU will have guys hit them that haven't all year. But I am confident UK's defense just won't allow that. As Cal says, it is designed to sucker guys in to driving to the basket into our shot blockers. Cal will rotate WCS outside from time to time to throw off their shooters.

There are only two things this WVU team does well that make it competitive in any game - force turnovers and rebound. I think UK takes both of those away and WVU struggles to score.

Really think Trey Lyles will have a breakout game here. WVU has nobody that even comes close to matching up with him and if they play a zone he can catch a high pass and score from anywhere.

 

[slam212121]

Cough. Trey Lyles has already had several breakout games. Define breakout. 30 points and 10 boards?

 

[Random UK Fan]

Originally posted by UPSCat4080:

The only reason that anyone is nervous about the game Thursday is that the memory of 010 is still fresh in everyone's mind. We were the favorite....we were suppose to dominate and then West Virginia had the lead at half time without even making a 2 point basket and we started 0-20 shooting 3 pointers. Crap happens and more often than not for Cal it happens against Bob Huggins lol.

I think we will win big because this year is different, but to say no one should worry or be nervous is ridiculous.

Agreed.

 

[downw/ball-lineD]

Originally posted by Jerry.Edwards:
Lot's of media hyping this. Reason? It's the first viable chance for someone to knock us off. The very thought of that makes them happy.

For us UK fans, this is the first real test to win or go home. It makes many uneasy. It does me.

Now to WVU. They lost to Baylor 3 times. They shoot about 41% on average. They press, which to me will be playing into our strengths. If they zone any, I think we will handle that too.

Booker has not played that well and we are still beating teams by double figures. When he returns to form.....lookout.

Need Dakari to step up.

Bottom line, I don't see WVU beating us unless we are stone cold and they knock down 10-13 3s, which I really doubt they can. If they shoot on average 41%, I'd look for them to be quite a bit lower than that against us.

Also keep this in mind, all this season, the brighter the lights and the bigger the stage, the better we have played. I expect that to continue.

Someone previously posted the stat that WVU was 0-3 against Baylor. Baylor plays almost exclusively zone--perhaps to slow the pace of play and force WVU to run a half court offense. Is this the game Cal goes to a zone? My thoughts--and I hate zones--would be Cal tries to play WVU straight up but do you break out a zone if things are not going well?

 

[ukalum_rivals311718]

Originally posted by uk78:
We would have been playing Maryland if Trimble didn't get injured in their game. So, we actually are playing the lesser team. I don't think this game is going to be that close.

WVU was winning even with Trimble in the game.

 

[jes95407]

The only thing that makes me nervous about this game is the officiating. I'm so sick of seeing officials allowing this butchery of the game of basketball to continue by the likes of some of our more recent opponents.

 

[TransyCat09]

Why does everyone forget/ignore that WVU was the strongest 2 seed in the tournament in 2010 and should have been a 1 seed? Yes, that game was an upset, but it wasn't Nova over Georgetown or NC State over Houston. It was a top 5 team that had a strength that played into our biggest weakness.

This game is NOTHING like that one. That doesn't mean we can't lose this game, but the set up and execution will be nothing like 2010

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

Originally posted by TransyCat09:
Why does everyone forget/ignore that WVU was the strongest 2 seed in the tournament in 2010 and should have been a 1 seed? Yes, that game was an upset, but it wasn't Nova over Georgetown or NC State over Houston. It was a top 5 team that had a strength that played into our biggest weakness.

Yep. Yet I heard Kenny Smith allegedly called that 2010 game one of the biggest upsets in Tournament history. I think he, and others, are thinking of Wall and Cousins being NBA All-stars, remembering no real names on that WVa team, and in their minds it becomes a 9 seed over a 1 or something. In that same tournament, 9 seed Northern Iowa beat overall 1 seed Kansas, and yet 2 WVa over 1 UK is one of the biggest upsets ever.

Love to know the line on that game, can't imagine it was more than 3 or so.....

 

[1war_rivals62997]

Originally posted by Mojocat:

Originally posted by TransyCat09:
Why does everyone forget/ignore that WVU was the strongest 2 seed in the tournament in 2010 and should have been a 1 seed? Yes, that game was an upset, but it wasn't Nova over Georgetown or NC State over Houston. It was a top 5 team that had a strength that played into our biggest weakness.

Yep. Yet I heard Kenny Smith allegedly called that 2010 game one of the biggest upsets in Tournament history. I think he, and others, are thinking of Wall and Cousins being NBA All-stars, remembering no real names on that WVa team, and in their minds it becomes a 9 seed over a 1 or something. In that same tournament, 9 seed Northern Iowa beat overall 1 seed Kansas, and yet 2 WVa over 1 UK is one of the biggest upsets ever.

Love to know the line on that game, can't imagine it was more than 3 or so.....

This ,and there was one day to prepare for there zone,this time we have four days. John Wall ,for as talented as he was, was still a frosh, Andrew, while not as talented as Wall, has been there, done that. The experience from last years run is not being talked about by the media but it is a HUGE advantage for us, this team has a high IQ and would never fall into shooting 32 three pointers. If 2010 doesnt fall for the bait and think playing against a zone means you have to shoot three pointers they would have won.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

Although just a tad anxious about this game (owing at least as much to UofL's surprise appearance in the Sweet 16 as anything having to do with WVa, probably), I do think we win this game, and probably pretty handily. Unless we completely fall apart.

Having said that, think about the conventional thinking on how to beat this UK team:



turn us over and limit our offensive rebounding. Check - this is WVa bread and butterspread the floor and draw our bigs away from the basket. Check.make multiple 3s. ?????
At least with this opponent, you can conjure a way for UK to lose that's not based on wishful thinking......

 

[irishcatdaddy]

Originally posted by TransyCat09:
Why does everyone forget/ignore that WVU was the strongest 2 seed in the tournament in 2010 and should have been a 1 seed? Yes, that game was an upset, but it wasn't Nova over Georgetown or NC State over Houston. It was a top 5 team that had a strength that played into our biggest weakness.

This game is NOTHING like that one. That doesn't mean we can't lose this game, but the set up and execution will be nothing like 2010

Add the fact that UK team was 227th... I repeat 227th in the nation at 3pt % and....243rd in FT%. Makes the picture a little more clear on what happened.

Yes that UK team was very talented athletically but it was team of bruisers and slashers that needed to get to the rim to score. How many games were just frustrating to watch that year where we just couldn't hit jump shots?.... I can remember several. There were games late in the year that Darius Miller saved our butts hitting a clutch three or jumper near the foul line. When we met WVU a very athletic top 10 team they packed it in and dared us to shoot outside which we stupidly accepted...end of story.

 

[UKjanitor]

Originally posted by sefus12:
Vegas doesn't miss on too many double-digit favorites this time of year. That alone should give you plenty to ease your mind.

On top of that we are the hands-down betting favorite for a reason. We, when playing our best, are simply on a different level from any other team in the field. Our average game is better than most teams' good games. Our good game is nearly unbeatable. Our great game is unbeatable. WVU will try and turn this team over. That's their go-to offense.... create havoc with the press and get easy points. Our team doesn't turn it over much. If we get it past mid-court then WVU has a very pedestrian half-court defense. On top of all that, they have to score against us. Great offenses have a hard time doing that. Average offenses, such as WVU, REALLY struggle. I know they beat us in 2010 and that terrifies many in the BBN, but this team has nothing to do with 2010 and is much better equipped to handle a poor shooting night. Relax a bit. We're the favorite for a reason.

Vegas doesn't set the spread to be right. Vegas sets the spread to balance the bets.

 

[downw/ball-lineD]

Originally posted by irishcatdaddy:

Originally posted by TransyCat09:
Why does everyone forget/ignore that WVU was the strongest 2 seed in the tournament in 2010 and should have been a 1 seed? Yes, that game was an upset, but it wasn't Nova over Georgetown or NC State over Houston. It was a top 5 team that had a strength that played into our biggest weakness.

This game is NOTHING like that one. That doesn't mean we can't lose this game, but the set up and execution will be nothing like 2010

Add the fact that UK team was 227th... I repeat 227th in the nation at 3pt % and....243rd in FT%. Makes the picture a little more clear on what happened.

Yes that UK team was very talented athletically but it was team of bruisers and slashers that needed to get to the rim to score. How many games were just frustrating to watch that year where we just couldn't hit jump shots?.... I can remember several. There were games late in the year that Darius Miller saved our butts hitting a clutch three or jumper near the foul line. When we met WVU a very athletic top 10 team they packed it in and dared us to shoot outside which we stupidly accepted...end of story.

One thing that sticks out to me about that 2010 game was the Mazulla guy scoring 17pts off of the same move--repeatedly drove left----when he averaged like 3points a game. Sadly, most of these points were scored on Wall. Additionally, I remember them bringing in a guy---Flowers I think----that had made like 3 3's in his entire career and he was a senior. He made 3 in the first half against UK I think. Aberration IMO

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I guess we will find out in less than 48 hours if UK is worthy of being on the same court as the reincarnation of the 92 Dream Team. Oh my.

 

[RKulmer]

We are due for a hot start, blow your doors off out of the fate. Could happen Thursday.