By LARRY VAUGHT
LOUISVILLE  Rick Pitino didn’t waste any time Friday making it perfectly clear to assess Kentucky’s 78-63 win over his Louisville Cardinals here.
“It doesn’t take any smart answers to figure out they were the better basketball team. They were better on the glass, better executing and played a terrific game,†said Pitino. “They have good speed in the open court and execute in the half-court well. They have a heck of a basketball team.â€Â
He says one reason is that UK can shoot outside so much better than last year’s 35-3 team can. That makes it more difficult to double team players inside.
“They shoot so well and they can dish to the opposite corner, where last year they couldn’t (make the shots). It makes them harder to guard than last year. Not that they are a better team, but a different team,†Pitino said.
He came away impressed with freshman point guard Brandon Knight, who had 12 points in the first half and 13 in the second half.
“I think he is very good because he is fast, he is under control, he makes it free throws and he shoots it,†Pitino said.
However, he was impressed with UK’s overall play.
“I don’t think they really have a weakness because (DeAndre) Liggins and (Josh) Harrelson are so smart. They don’t have to worry and they really play intelligent defense. They are not going to get in a whole lot of foul trouble,†Pitino said. “They are in great shape, they play smart and they play well.
“I don’t say this in a negative way, but they are going to get better and better in a (Southeastern) conference that is down this year. Next year they could be the best conference in basketball when schools like Auburn start building up. But we are not going to get a break. They are going to get a lot better, we are going to hopefully get better but we are going to face some teams that are going to overpower us a little bit.â€Â
27 Responses to Wildcats’ play impresses Pitino
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Impressive play starts with impressive recruiting and motivation. I get so tired of hearing Cal can’t coach(from opposing fans). Liggins and Harrelson are PROOF POSITVE Cal is a great coach and motivator.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GO BLUE OR STAY HOME
Give Props to Coach Cal for getting players to buy into his style of play. W/O this buy in, we would still be looking like lost balls in high weeds out there. RP may be on the opposite side of all things Big Blue an UK now, but he stills knows one thing and that is Bball. So, we in the BBN thank him for his kind words, try not to get big-headed and over confident about this praise and go back to work. The SEC is looming large and like Cal said, “When UK comes to town, it’s their Super Bowl”……
A couple of points about Calipari.
I think the job he did last year with Cousins was solid evidence of his player development and his coaching skills. However, the work he has done this season with Jones, Lamb, Harrellson, and Liggins is not simply a repeat of last season’s demonstration, but a increase in that performance by our Coach.
Second, look at the progress by Liggins and Harrellson and ask yourself why Hood, Poole, and Vargas are languishing? I am convinced that their problems are NOT related to any short coming or issue with Coach Calipari. Each of these guys has some serious mirror exams to do.
You could almost say Cal is a miracle worker with what he had done with some of the young men. It is very impressive, of course, the boys have to have the talent to begin with and then he works his magic. I believe the rest of the coaching staff also has something to do with it and I don’t think we should overlook them. I’m still wondering why Strickland is sitting on the bench when he is suppose to be in administration. I only went to one website yesterday where most of the haters post, did not read them all, but comments were favorable. They blame that ‘other’ coach for his recruiting, not keeping up with the times, not preparing the boys by playing a tougher schedule and playing too many games at home. I mentioned this before, but does anyone else think that ‘other’ coach had make-up on yesterday? He sure didn’t look right, he looks really bad. Someone said all the ‘illnesses’ are catching up with him.
Linda, I think Dick-y was probably just suffering from food poisoning. He probably had an early lunch at Porcini’s and I don’t think that place is very sanitary. I’ve heard they allow people to lay around on the tables. At least for a few seconds.
Now to our boys…They are a better TEAM than last year, with a much better urge to win. They are a blue-collar, work-a-day group with the heart and determination to do great things, especially when people doubt them. I could not be more impressed with how Cal has brought them along.
How about THIS for a stat: By playing UK yesterday, Ken Pomeroy has Loserville’s Strength Of Schedule (SOS) going from 204 up to 119. That just further shows how impressive our 11-2 record is.
And did anyone else hear Cal speak about how important the team’s 3 day break was? And how much of a boost it was to their performance? I believe that may have been one final little jab at Dick-y, who kept his kids under lock and key, toiling during the holidays.
GO CAL!!!
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
Jim mentions Pomeroy, and Pomeroy is the source for such things.
This morning, UK is #4, up from #6, and Louisville remains at #11, down one spot from #10. I believe those rankings are about right for both, but as pointed out before, Louisville’s loss of Buckles comes with a price, and it is too soon to know how far down his loss will send them.
Prior to the game yesterday, Pomeroy had 7 teams with top 20 offense and defense, and today, that is now 6 teams with Louisville dropping just out of that little club. However, there are only 4 teams with top 10 offense and defense, and UK is one of those 4.
Mr.boyers thats how slick (leg) Rick keep them out of jail.I just do,nt put much stock in Pomroy the ville finally played someone and what happened they got they butts kicked.This team is allot smarter than last years witch makes them coachable.There was problably A little more ME with the players last year,but I loved them.The Pide Is Back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErsNh_r57k8&feature=player_embedded
I wonder if this play impresses Pitino.
Agree with Professor on Hood, Poole and Vargas, turn up your hearing, understanding and effort, it’s a long season and we are going to need everyone.
Cal can flat-out coach, but seldom gets the credit he deserves
bluedavid, you are probably right about the jail thing, but it hasn’t worked very well for him in the past. And I still love every one of those guys from last year too. They were something very special and are the reason we are flying so high now. But THIS team is so good, it doesn’t give us much chance to miss them. They stand very well on their own merits.
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
CAL can truly coach, but I think the whole coaching staff and trainers also need some recognition.
Bringing in talent is still the best thing Cal does. And that IS good coaching. But he does much more. He has brought this team a long, long way from those games in Canada. They played excellent against Loserville yesterday.
What shocks me is that RP has finally admitted his team is second rate to Cal’s Cats. After the way he had his team go after Cuz last year I don’t trust a word he says about anything. Pumping up the egos of another team is an old coaching technique. He has no love for UK. I don’t think he ever did. Cal does and it shows. Cal is MUCH better fit for the Cats than RP was. He cares about the tradition while RP only cared about RP. Just making the team wear the wrong color blue was enough to show me he didn’t understand tradition. He could have been great at UK but he will never truly be great now. Cal can and will be great before all is said and done.
Linda S. I agree with you, and Larry I agree with so many of your opinions and articles, keep up the good work.
btw HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, what a way to end the old one!
Professor,
I saw that link and its a classless. Jennings should know better than to try and take a players legs out. I wonder why no official caught this. That is a flagrant foul, good thing Jones dunked it in so Liggins effort was not in vain. I say the league should suspend him for a game!!
oops classless move.
This is totally OFF TOPIC but I hadn’t seen the item anywhere else.
Last night, in Houston, an ex-’Cat scored 15 points and recorded 10 rebounds, 4 off the offensive board, in 25 minutes.
Pat Patterson returns from the D=League : )
I should have known RP’s team wouldn’t play decent basketball. I haven’t seen a player try to take out another players legs like that since the old days at Florida when they played in Alligator Alley and Norm “Sugarbone” Sloan was the coach. He was the dirtiest coach that ever walked the sidelines of any college sport. You didn’t dare jump in those days because they would take our your legs every time especially when the only tv coverage was the UK Network. TV has made teams clean up their play a lot but apparently RP figures he has nothing more to lose so he might as well play dirty and hope it works. I can’t imagine that junk affecting Liggins though. He’s way too tough for that.
Well, this fan was also SO impressed with our TEAM — and that includes our head coach’s performance. How Coach Calipari and his staff have, indeed, developed Josh Harrelson and DeAndre Liggins (and Brandon Knight at the point), in particular, and KUDOS to those players, along with the entire TEAM and coaching staff. I am VERY proud of all of them. GO CATS!!!
P.S. Yes, Gene, I was SO proud of Patrick Patterson’s double-double, too.
It was classless.
Did post a tweet about Patrick. Huge deal for him and with Chuck Hayes out two weeks, he may get a lot of playing time the next few weeks.
I often agree with you Tana, and do again. I didn’t know about this unfortunate act until today, dirty play by TJ and was so senseless at that point.
Good news on PPat too!
Larry are teams still using the medicine ball to improve a players strength in cathing the ball. I know this is little old fashioned but it sure did help kids who had weak hands. I think it would really help Eloy.
Gary I have not seen UK using the medicine ball and can’t find anyone today who has either. Sounds like a good idea to me
Hey Proffessor,
Thanks for posting the link to that video. I think every one of the posters and readers of this site should watch that video. I quit supporting rp long before he left UK, but when he was at our school, he did not coach his players this way. I watched several “pieces” of UL games last year, and every game I watched I saw numerous plays by the UL players where they just grabbed, pushed, etc… their opponents. That is not basketball, and that is not the way he coached the players at UK. I don’t know what has changed that he now coaches this way, but it now embarasses me that rp was ever our coach. It is shameful, and I think the conferences, if not the NCAA, should punish coaches who have players who routinely make those types of plays.
Go CATS!!!!
Larry I agree but it seems everyone today is interested in bulking players up. The hands are so important and this was the old way of developing a players weakness. I think it could really help a few of our players.
Congrats to all the players and coach’s for a great win over the ville. This TEAM continues to grow and get better even while losing possibly the best player in Kanter,truely impressive! Now for all the RP haters I loved when he coached at UK some of our greatest teams were in those years 3 final fours 96 champs 97 runner up and left Tubby with a championship team in 98. He left as coaches do and I hate that he went to Louisville,but nothing is better than killing two birds with one shot. GO BLUE and keep up the gr8t articles Larry.