We play the final 5-8 minutes with Davis, Trimble, Ryan, Ingram, Bacot we win this game.
Kentucky vs UNC game thread for Saturday 16 Dec 2024
- Thread starter IDUNK4HEELS
- Start date
I think maybe from some comments hub has made about withers he is far from objective in assessing him. Otherwise why would he get so much playing time even when there are plenty of dead ball opportunities for him to be subbed out for important defensive or especially offensive sets.
I just don’t think being down by 5+ in an important game is the right time to experiment, hope that somehow an average (7th or 8th in the lineup at best) player should be developed,
experimented. That should happen in practice or when up against and inferior opponent
Hoping today is the long shot day he plays like 50% above what he’s shown all year that he is - and isn’t.
So stupid and delusional IMO.
Gotta give some credit to UK long athletic front court players for why Bacot and Ingram didn't play " up to their averages "
yeah .. you have a great half with RJ actually attempting to do pg stuff and put a frosh in, after sitting the bigger part of the half? Okay .. you saw how that worked.
Yeah I am on Withers all the time, for the way he has played, but he was better today. Him and or Trimble both had to play over Cadeau today. Learning experience for Elliot for sure
I think at the end of the year, we have a team that can be a round of 32 team, or as high as the Elite 8. Lack of Athleticism at the highest level, keeps this team out of FF talk.
I think the addition of Jackson and Powell to Trimble, Cadeau and Ingram with put us at that level in 2025. I do think we MUST ADD a rim protector and another shooter to be in that Ultimate conversion next season
I think the addition of Jackson and Powell to Trimble, Cadeau and Ingram with put us at that level in 2025. I do think we MUST ADD a rim protector and another shooter to be in that Ultimate conversion next season
Not to mention Cadeau is an iffy FT shooter. UK could have simply fouled him to prevent a 3 from being taken.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't most of RJs makes tonight the result of him dribbling himself into the shot? Not sure if he even made a shot tonight off the pass.
Nothing about how this game unfolded tonight makes me want the ball in Cadeau's hands over RJ on that final possession.
I think the time and score is the factor there. 11 seconds down 3. They would certainly both just jump the ball screen on RJ at that point. Can't do it with Mando, as they had been doing for sure, he's not a pick and pop 3 threat, and they would gladly give the dive by him to the lane. So, very different scenario with time and score in my opinion.
Not going to get the same defensive reaction they had throughout the second half, knowing time and score.
Which is why you don't set a screen for RJ in that situation. You let him create space on his own. Or you run some screening action off the ball to get Ryan an open shot.
Cadeau was getting his pocket picked in base man D earlier in the game. He was throwing passes at the feet of open players. He's a mediocre FT shooter and poor 3pt shooter, and the situation was one where UK could have easily fouled him to prevent the 3 or focused on our shooters to crowd his passing lanes. He was having a bad game and the score/time was not a good situation to insert him back in.
I could see that, but they did not have heavy ball pressure on him at all I do not think they wanted to foul with more then 4 or 5 seconds. They were not asking him to create. His panic seeing the Carolina blue jersey and going way too quick throwing to the screener was a total freak out. So, maybe asking the point guy to throw a simple set up pass was asking too much.
I'm almost positive they jump RJ if on the ball with Ingram coming up to screen. Certainly would not have Mando screening as usual.
How Kentucky defended having RJ and Cormac in the mix where the two defenders on that side would have to react, off the ball I have no problem with. Your point guy can't panic and not make the simple initial set up pass when Kentucky was not heavily pressuring . He did, so not good. His Fred Brown moment, hope he learns to slow the game down in his head at this level. I think he will.
Maybe you put him back in cause he is the only legit PG & despite having a bad game you have confidence in him & putting him back in shows him that… besides if he didn’t go in & RJ forced a shot or turned it over we would be complaining EC should have been in
Well if he was he’d been in the league already… it’s just who he is
He'll be lucky to make the NBA .. great handle but there are times size really does matter.
Yah if EC is supposed to be all that, why does he seem the be a 50% FT shooter. Feels to me like it’s lack of focus and seriousness.
Absolutely need him to be 80%+ if he’s gone to have the ball in crunch time.
RJ was great. So was cormac overall. But I THOUGHT this year was supposed to be different with a true pg.
I get that ec had 4 fouls. But in last possession of first half and last 8 minutes of game, we are gong to just rely on iso hero ball from rj winning it for us? So stupid. He shot well but how many assists? He just isn’t good at getting the ball to others. So stupid to put all our eggs in rj plays lights out iso ball for the win - as our best / only chance.
This is a coaching strategy that should get hub fired and make recruits / transfers not want to come here
Could be, but I sense it is the opposite. He seems to be pressing too much, too eager, over focused. I think he needs to relax and let the game slow down in his head, and his natural feel will come from that. Certainly has some learning and adjusting at this level to do though, as most do.
Damnit! I kept hearing here that he was a generational PG!!!
It’s also difficult to make it as a regular rotational player in the NBA if you are not a threat to score.
Well last two games our opponents were bigger and more athletic at like 4 of 5 positions at any point in time. Then you have Heels players stand around flat footed even on some rebounds they get. Lose a ton of 50 50 balls. Recently Bacot gets so overwhelmed. It’s like in the game, he’ starts already having just finishing playing 35 minutes. So gassed. Not his fault but he is such a non factor against equal size and superior athleticism players.
At the very least, Bacot needs to be like Brian Zoubek was during his title year. At minimum, just worry about getting every rebound. Get 3+ offensive rebounds and don’t go for blocked shots because that takes you out of rebounding position.
It’s part of the danger of going with a small lineup. But do you start Withers or Washington just for rebounding? You sacrifice a ton offensively with Withers and a fair amount defensively with Washington.
Low key positive though… RJ was more active on the boards. He’s been an elite rebounding guard throughout his career. Not so much this year. We’ll need him to re-gain that elite level of rebounding for his position.
I never thought I'd say this but.... I'll be glad to see Bacot go. We need to get an athletic big man in there that can protect the rim and not be scared to go at anyone.
Idk man. Rj made some awesome passes all game that people messed up the finishes on. He isn't gonna get you 10 assists, but he does penetrate the defense and space it out with his threat of shooting that opens things up for others. Dude is playing like an all american and the team sinks or dies with him because we don't have any other dominant scoring threats besides him. Harrison and Cormac and bacot can have a game here or there, but generally it's all on rj.
Our starting lineup is short at every position except center. All the big men on our bench stink.
Well I hate those Kitty kats enough for the both of us! LOL
In that situation, I pull Bacot to the bench and put Jalen in with Ingram, roll Jalen out to trey on 1 wing and Ingram at the other wing, then Cadeau and RJ on opposite sides to look to attack the paint with Ryan in the Cadeau side corner. Pulling INgram and Jalen out to trey should open up the lane but if they don't get trailed kick it to the open 1 for a clean trey, I will take Ingram or Jalen taking a open look trey. Cadeau drives, if he is not picked up for a double then go to the rim and maybe get the and 1, if they double him off of RJ then RJ step back trey or hook pass back to RJ swing swing Ryan in the corner.
