Teams will not run with Kentucky
February 10th, 2010 | 
Author: |
after UK’s win over Alabama. |
By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com
LEXINGTON — If a team wanted to run with Kentucky, that would tell freshman guard John Wall one thing.
“That would be great, but it would also tell me that is a team to watch out for,” said the UK freshman. “If a team is good enough to play us that way, that’s a team that could make noise in March. But I don’t think teams will play us that way.”
Alabama certainly didn’t here Tuesday night before it lost 66-55 to the Wildcats.
Instead, Alabama followed a blueprint the Cats have seen and certainly will see more this season.
“The game plan was to keep Kentucky out of transition as much as we could,” Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. “Try to eliminate their opportunities near the basket and try to compete on the backboard. On the offensive end, make sure we took care of the basketball, and not allow our offense to create opportunities for them going the other way.
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after UK’s win over Alabama. |
“I thought we were effective early, but Kentucky is a great defensive team. I thought for the most part our first-shot defense was pretty good, it was our second-shot defense in the first half that hurt us. Being as good a team as Kentucky is, they were able to find some gaps in our zone the second half and get a comfortable lead there, which forced us to change defense.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari says his team better get used to teams sagging inside, stopping UK from running and forcing the Cats to take outside shots. Kentucky was only 3-for-16 from 3-point range against Alabama.
“That is how everybody played us. If we made shots, we win by 20,” he said. “We weren’t throwing the ball enough to DeMarcus (Cousins) in the first half and I was going nuts. And when he got it, he was too quick to throw it out.
“But we had eight wide-open 3’s. We had some one-footers and missed two or three of those. I understand that is how teams will play us, but I have a lot of faith in my team. I think that gives us an advantage if we just hit shots.”
Grant was impressed with how Kentucky played.
“Kentucky is an extremely talented, extremely tough basketball team. The thing that is difficult when you try to prepare for Kentucky is you can’t get a feel for the size and speed. I thought those two things caused us problems,” the Alabama coach said. “In the first half, it was in transition and on the backboards. In the second, their ability to get the free throw line was a little bit more than we could handle today.”
Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe says the Cats have to accept that they won’t see many true man-to-man defenses or many more fast-paced games.
“It would be fun to see a man-to-man, but you would see DeMarcus do really good and take the pressure off the guards,” Bledsoe said. “I just don’t think anybody will do it. We have to be ready for that and take and hit the open shots we have. Nobody is going to let DeMarcus just go inside and as much as we would like to just run up and down the court and play, it’s not going to happen.”
Posted in UK Basketball
whats happening with miller? he has been scoreless last couple of games and his minutes dwindling…we need him to step up
Amen to that, but he seems to have lost all confidence
ANY win is a good win, but one thing really bothered me last night: The team just didn’t look like it was having fun. Maybe I’m wrong, but they just didn’t seem to have any bounce in their step (With the exception of a few stretches of play). It just didn’t look like the same team we have seen since the South Carolina loss. The most marked decline was in their passing. They were trying to pass the ball through 2 or 3 defenders, just like they were doing at the start of the season.
I’ll chalk their lack of excitement up to the weather and possibly looking ahead to Saturday. And they still played a pretty solid game.
One final thought: I would like to nominate DeAndre for the most beautiful 3 point shots this season. Almost every time he has made one, they wouldn’t even have touched the net, if the net was a couple of inches wider at the bottom. SPLASH!!
BRING ON THE ORANGE!!
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
I would have thought this team would realize that every team would play a zone against them. I saw more frustration on the team as it tried to up tempo at times. Alabama was just as quick and they were getting back on defense for the most part.
Liggins is playing like we thought he could. His energy picks up the team. UK won ugly last night – at least we can say that. I will take an ugly win anytime over a loss at home. Take away the turnovers and they win by 20.
Let’s have fewer TO’s and an orange crush Sat. nite! GO CATS!!
Team did look tired and unfocused. I am hoping they were just looking ahead to the next three games. If not, I don’t know how to explain it
I think being tired has to be part of it. So many freshmen playing that aren’t used to the long season against college level players that force the effort from them. Plus, they may be mentally tired with school, travel, and all the added expectations. It has to wear on them.
I would like to see them embrace the slow-it-down games they are seeing from opponents. First, they should see it as a compliment. Second, it’s an opportunity to make teams pay for playing that style. There should be no second chance shots for the opponent if they are getting back on defense to keep UK from running. A zone defense should allow UK to offensive rebound as it’s more difficult to box out in a zone. The slower game will be more like a tournament game and they should find ways to execute the DDM offense against it.
If they will show everyone that a zone is not a good way to beat UK, they will stop playing it.
Terrific points Mark, especially about hitting shots so teams will not play that zone
And I am not sure tired is right. I think they will suddenly be re-energized Saturday. I think they were just lethargic myself and made it look like they played tired
I think their lack of intensity had more to do with the way Alabama played than anything else. The Tide played very physical against the Cats especially against Cousins. They know the refs have their eye on Cuz and he really can’t be as physical as they can. He gets even by getting double doubles but this is a constant tactic used against DeMarcus. It takes it’s toll after a while. He’s been limping a lot in games lately. He’s a bear in there and no one player I’ve seen can contend with him. But they hack and they hack and they hack. The other teams also play Wall very phystical and they have for a long time. They know he has a limit on his endurance and they know they can wear him down by leaning on him a lot. IMO that’s why his point production has been down but his assists have been very high. He can’t get off his own shots because he gets double and triple teamed when he drives and he gets pushed around a lot. He handles it well by kicking the ball to the open players because there has to be open players when there are 3 guys guarding him.
If the Cats can get a wing player in gear it would help both Wall and Cousins a lot. Wall penetrates and needs someone to kick the ball out to that’s going to hit the jumper. Cousins gets a pass inside and he needs a wing player to hit the jumper when he’s doubled and he kicks it out. That’s why he kicked the ball out a lot about the Tide. They were all over him.
If someone can step up and just hit a 12 foot jumper on a regular basis it would be a big improvement for this team. They have lots of talent but there’s only so many shots in the game and it’s hard to get in the groove when your position is the 4th option and there are 3 or 4 guys who are playing your position in almost every game. I think that’s why Patterson hasn’t been the scorer he was. He doesn’t get the shots to keep him in rhythm.
This team is supremely talented but it’s very hard to get that much talent playing at their top level. Cal is doing a fabulous job with this team. I just hope they can find a wing man or a swing man (Patterson) to step up more. I know they have the talent. They just might have too much talent in fact. Coming down the stretch I hope Cal goes with one player more at the wing so he can get his game legs going. I just think that’s the best way to give a player the confidence he needs to maximize his talent.
Great post and that’s why Miller could still be so important because he has — or could have — the best overall game of the three small forwards. I think we will see a much better effort Saturday and then the real tests come at Mississippi State and Vandy.
Cousins’ life is not going to change. It’s obvious the officials are going to let teams beat on him, so rest of Cats just have to hit shots to make teams pay
I’ve noticed that Patrick Patterson stated that he doesn’t mind that Orton gets more of his minutes. A lot of people are wondering what is going on with Pat and his dropping stats. I heard that Pat is carrying 18 hours this semester. Is that true? I can’t imagine carrying that many hours and playing basketball. That would cause me to have a burnout.
I will try to check with him or Tywanna and see. I know he is carrying a big load to graduate