This year Kensucky teams = last years Kensucky team.
- Thread starter 3skinny
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There is no one even close to Jamal Murray on this team. and it is not debatable. They are slightly better in some spots, but they lack a star like murray.
100% disagree: Bam is better than anyone on that team last year right now when it comes to post game.
And I'll take Monk over Murray at this point in the season.
Just watched the ucla-uk game. Second time watching the bruins and 3rd watching the kats. UCLA was very careless with the ball and made some bone-headed plays with the lead but they made some big shots when it counted. I really like the Leaf kid. And even though UCLA isn't nearly as physical underneath as say Indiana, they held their own down there with uk.
Both of the frosh PGs in the game are very talented but both had several freshman moments. uk doesn't seem to have a viable option there behind Fox though.
As for uk, it's pretty much the same as I saw previously. Bam is a specimen but he needs help to get his shot and is most dangerous cleaning up misses. Have to block him out always. The other inside guys are just so-so in the paint. If we get any kind of fair whistle they should find themselves in foul trouble down there.
Briscoe is aggressive and dangerous as a slasher but still a brick-layer from outside. The key with Fox --- and I thought (coach) Alford made a good adjustment there --- is telling your guys not to bite on his outside jukes and make him pull up. Their only legit 3-point threats are the Stretch-4 kid Willis and of course Monk. Speaking of which Monk IMO is the biggest talent on that team --- prototype 2 Guard. KW needs to get in his jock from the opening tip.
edit: one other thing I noticed is that UCLA did a good job scouting their backside lob game and got some interceptions. A lot of those you can see coming down I-75 from what they do up front to set them up and UCLA was ready. We need to be as well.
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I have to agree with you Gary. Ucla is a well coached team that made Ky. play a style they wasn`t used to. They`re not flashy but if you don`t play solid d on them they will make you pay. I think we had a little too much one one playing today. Defiantly got took to the woodshed. The one thing about Freshmen is every once in awhile they play like it. Should learn from it and get better. It won`t be their last loss. Can`t wait till the 15th. It should be a good one.
Yessir.
I think that's where you miss Ulis' experience. Fox is a big talent but he doesn't threaten you from outside yet. He and Ball will both end up in the NBA but against good-on-good competition now the things you can get away against lesser teams won't always hunt.
UCLA was good with the 3-ball today and the pick-and-pops from their stretch guys were deadly in crunch time.
I didn't see that game but I said all summer that KY was over hyped, having watched them a couple times this season I do think they are better than they were last season but still over estimated. I love Bam as a player and wish we had him but the kid is not ready to carry a team offensively, he is very raw in that aspect. What did gary say, ya got to block him out EVERYTIME, easier said than done but I agree.
The guy I did underestimate is Fox, he has a lil bit of Rondo in how he plays, not really a shooter but he finds spaces to slither in to and uses his length really well to go along with being surprisingly quick. He and Joel going at each other should be a war. And yes, Kenny needs to stay on Monk, can not let him get off, make every look hard for him, he will take bad shots, he is a streaky gunner, Kenny has the length to drive him nutzs and kenny moves his feet really well.
The guy I did underestimate is Fox, he has a lil bit of Rondo in how he plays, not really a shooter but he finds spaces to slither in to and uses his length really well to go along with being surprisingly quick. He and Joel going at each other should be a war. And yes, Kenny needs to stay on Monk, can not let him get off, make every look hard for him, he will take bad shots, he is a streaky gunner, Kenny has the length to drive him nutzs and kenny moves his feet really well.
Dave that might be the key match-up of the game... that and our 4-men not letting Willis sneak open at the arc.
Yeah, this is one that kenny can be a key to our winning and not score a single point. ya know, watching the IU game again, I really enjoyed watching kenny off the ball as a defender, I love he and Joel as a defensive back court to me they play together better than Joel does with nate, just seems like they are on the same page more that Joel seems to be with nate, not sure how to say it cleaner than that.
In a strange way, I see kenny differently than I did over the summer, I honestly felt he would be a better shooter than what he is because he does have a solid stroke and tends to take good shots. But I have to say, at this point in the season I see him much more as a defender than I do an offensive weapon. That strikes me as odd now because I did think he would be more offensive minded while others believed he was offensively limited and now I get the sense that folks are more surprised with him offensively and I see him more as a really good defender. It is a bit of a role reversal. LOL Note, his offense is not as big as I expected for IMO 2 things I notice. First, he does look for really good shots and passes on a lot of looks Nate or definitely Joel would be more inclined to take and his release is a little bit on the slower side, like to see him quicken that up a lil bit. Big point to work on in the off season IMO is ball handles, specifically putting the ball on the floor and driving the paint.
UCLA did well creating mismatches, Cal likes to switch on defense and several times UK had guards trying to guard their bigs and bigs guarding people they couldn't keep up with
I feel UK has an advantage, it for no reason other than Berry's recent injury and missed practice and PT. I will be most pleased if we get the win, not so much if we lose - but stuff happens. I hope all players are 100% and none get injured.
Are you saying UNC isn't one of the best teams in the country because they're ranked one spot behind UK?Guess that's why coaches say they are one spot better than us?6-7
Dial up your sarcasm meter, no, we are one of the best in the country, period. If one looks at the numbers we're actually better than UK in a number of very meaningful stats.
To hear some folks, one spot better in a poll does not automatically mean a 20 pt beat down.
Week of a game and kids show up with very few posts from all over, Dakota and area code kid...gee whiz.
And we're #6 they are #7, if you're paying attention.
To hear some folks, one spot better in a poll does not automatically mean a 20 pt beat down.
Week of a game and kids show up with very few posts from all over, Dakota and area code kid...gee whiz.
And we're #6 they are #7, if you're paying attention.
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I may have missed it but the only person I saw predicting a 20 pt beat down was a UNC fan and that was IF Pinson was back. I think this will be a good game but if Berry isn't playing I don't think UNC has a chance.
If Berry doesn't play I'll be fairly disappointed I made the trip out to Vegas for the game, as I don't think we'd be in it for very long. If he does play, and isn't rusty, I think this is a game we'll win.
Of course, Roy/Berry shouldn't give two craps how disappointed I'd be, but just figured I'd throw that out there.
Of course, Roy/Berry shouldn't give two craps how disappointed I'd be, but just figured I'd throw that out there.
JB is too important. He should only play if he is 100% and isn't in danger of re-injury! UK is a fun game for fans, but not important enough in the long run to risk our Nasty Dog! We could win by 20+ OR 1+ OR lose depending on which versions of the teams show up and this is why I find it exciting!
I have hundreds and hundreds of posts on the UK board and the national boards. I am a UK fan. My posts count is two because it resets to zero on a new board.
You guys will be hard for us to beat.Ky has had a hard time stopping big guys taking the ball down the lane in the last 2 or 3 games. They got dunked on numerous times. And from what i`ve seen of the Heels they drive the ball well. It will be 2 pretty evenly matched teams that could go either way. Ky has got to the boards better or we could be in trouble.
Our inside play has got to get better, be it with Joel or not, it was not good when we played IU with Joel, it has gone down hill without him. If we have Joell, it wil be a hard matchup for us, Fox is long and quick, hard for Joel to drive around and long enough to effect his jump shooting. Fox uses his length really effectively, kinda finds a way to slither thou defenses, really want him to not be able to penetrate with the dribble, who ever guards him has got to stay in front of him, deny him the ball if can, just don't let him drive.
Bam is a load, not a big time scorer but he is the most physical big man we will have faced, have to make sure you have a rock solid block out on him, we have to find him and make sure he is blocked on on every shot miss. And we need to take it right in to his chest on offense, got to challenge him physically, meeks has to step up and force Bam to foul or back off.
I like kenny on Monk, can not help off that dude, can not let him shoot himself in to a zone, make him force his shots quicker than he wants, stay in his face, face guard him off the ball, frustrate him.
Bam is a load, not a big time scorer but he is the most physical big man we will have faced, have to make sure you have a rock solid block out on him, we have to find him and make sure he is blocked on on every shot miss. And we need to take it right in to his chest on offense, got to challenge him physically, meeks has to step up and force Bam to foul or back off.
I like kenny on Monk, can not help off that dude, can not let him shoot himself in to a zone, make him force his shots quicker than he wants, stay in his face, face guard him off the ball, frustrate him.
