Dortch: Tennesse can ‘hang’ with Cal’s Cats
September 16th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Editor Chris Dortch thinks this could be a special year for John Calipari’s Wildcats.
Here are some of his thoughts on the Cats:
Question: When will the Blue Ribbon ratings be coming out and are UK fans going to like them a lot more this year?
Dortch: “I’m betting they will like them. Our rankings will come out sometime around Sept. 20. UK will be somewhere in our top 10. Not sure just where yet.”
Question: Can anyone in the SEC touch Kentucky?
Dortch: “I think Tennessee is a team that can hang with the Cats. Bruce Pearl is 2-2 against Calipari, with a huge win in Memphis two years ago, and the Vols could easily have won last year had they just made a few free throws (they shot 54.5 percent from the line in the second half, 60 percent for the game and lost 54-52). So Tennessee can defend the dribble-drive motion with its athletes. Mississippi State also has Jarvis Varnado and a few others who can make it tough to attack the basket. That will be an interesting game.
Question: Who do you think will be Kentucky’s best player?
Dortch: “I still think that honor goes to Patrick Patterson. He’ll get a chance to show what he can do with his face-up game this year.”
Question: What intrigues you the most about Kentucky’s team this year?
Dortch: “I’m eager to see how quickly coach Calipari blends so many newcomers with returning players who have never played his system. I think freshmen and/or newcomers can run the dribble-drive motion quickly and efficiently because it takes a major problem all freshmen have out of the equation—shot selection. Because in this offense you’re either attacking the rim or shooting wide-open jumpers. Decision making is much easier, and that’s they key to good shot selection. So many freshman take shots they shouldn’t and pass up others they should take.
“Cal should be able to take so much talent and get it playing together. He also stresses the defensive end, which was an under-reported factor in his success at Memphis.”
Posted in UK Basketball
[...] Posted in Kentucky Basketball | September 16th, 2009 Larry Vaught of VaughtsViews.com spoke with Chris Dortch, editor of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, recently. Read article. [...]
How can you say Tennessee can hang with Kentucky. We beat them easily by 18 and 17 points last year, and our team didn’t even make the tourney. Tennessee isn’t getting anybody new, and Kentucky’s talent level is heads and tails better than last year. Tennessee doesn’t stand a chance, they can’t play defense and we will embarrass them again.
UT can’t find a PG and Pearl’s teams are not very disciplined. No way they hang with the Cats and all of their talent.
Guys, I’m a huge UK fan, but he’s right. Pearl’s starting 5 has just as much talent-well, at least enough- to keep the game close.
SG Hopson
PG
SF Prince
PF Smith
C Chism
And yes, Pearl’s teams have been pretty good against Calipari’s DDM in the past. This isn’t last year’s UK team in terms of execution-we will get up and down the floor…. & Pearl’s teams LOVE a fast, up-tempo game. In fact, they THRIVE on it.
I know we have the chalk when it comes to talent, but to say they don’t hold a torch to us is ridiculous. Remember, they beat the Rose led, (shhh Final Four bound) Memphis Tigers of 2008 (grant it they had Lofton, but still). Don’t think they can’t make us sweat a little bit.
Justin could be right. Chris Dortch is someone I respect and he really knows his basketball. It does seem like based on last year that the game should be a mismatch, but then the Vols did hang with Memphis better than they did UK. Will be interesting to see what other SEC coaches think
I like UK’s chances
Most UK fans I know are feeling exactly the same way, too