A Sea Of Blue

UK Basketball: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

2009-11-20T19:00:15Z

John Calipari imploring his team to defend ... at least that's what I hope he's doing.

Nobody ever said defense optional basketball isn't fun to watch. Well, wait, allow me to amend that statement -- UK does play pretty good post defense, allowing opponents to make only 19 of 61 two-point shots (31.3%) through their first three games. But when opponents make a combined 33 of 69 three-point attempts (47.8%), as did Miami and Sam Houston State, their abysmal two-point average is rendered a little less meaningful.

As the numbers shout to us, the perimeter "defense" ain't pretty, but isn't it good enough (for now) that these 'Cats are capable of illuminating the scoreboard at a blissful rate, especially if teams choose to run and gun. Of course, some of UK's future opponents will opt for the Morehead blueprint of slowing the game down by using up as much of the 35-second shot clock as possible. What's encouraging, though, is that these youthful 'Cats have been tested by both offensive philosophies, and have thrice come out the winner. But, as sure as Nicholas Cage will drop a cool two-million on a Cessna, UK's competition level will be increasing in the very near future. For a look at where the 'Cats need to improve, and where they are thriving, follow me after the jump.

Let's begin with the ugliness:

The Bad

UK's opponents are shooting a combined 37-88 from beyond the arc (42.0%), and averaging 73.7 points per game -- With Miami's Nick Winbush, and Sam Houston State's Corey Allmond setting new Rupp Arena opponent three-point shooting records in back-to-back games, it's quite obvious to all, that Kentucky's perimeter defense is laughable. Now, while many of the interminable three-pointers were well-guarded, the object of the game is to deny the ball to the guy doing the Tony Delk impersonation -- Sorry, Tony. It was your Rupp record of nine made threes that was also shattered Thursday night.

One of the strengths of John Calipari is his ability to teach defense. I'm confident he will now crawl into the ear of his charges and aggravatingly stay there until the perimeter defense is immensely improved.

UK has committed 62 turnovers (20.7 per game) to only 44 assists (14.7 pg), while their opponents have committed only 40 turnovers (13.3 pg) to 47 assists (15.7 pg) -- Freshmen guards, folks. John Wall and Eric Bledsoe have committed 28 turnovers between them, to go along with 24 assists. I expect the current ratio will improve with time, and with the understanding that not every pass has to be made to look more difficult than it is.

That is all.

UK is shooting 64.2% from the free throw line -- At the current (unacceptable) pace, this UK team will have the second worst free throw percentage of any Wildcat team since 1989-1990 -- Surprisingly, the '98-'99 'Cats posted a 63.9% free throw mark for that 28-9 team -- On the plus side of the equation, UK has made more free throws (52), than their opponents have taken (43).

No player for UK, though, other than Eric Bledsoe (84.6%), is making their free throws at an acceptable rate -- Wall is at 68.2% (15-22), and DeMarcus Cousins has made only eight of 15 (53.3%), even Patrick Patterson at 63.6% (8-15) is well below his career average of 75.3%.

I have to believe time is a factor in these stats. Or more pointedly, practice time. Afterall, Calipari is busy coaching his offense, and hopefully soon, his defense, and the time spent on free throw shooting is diminished. But, Cal did note during his Sam Houston State post-game show with Tom Leach, that Friday's practice would be spent on the free throw line -- Even if he didn't mean it, those were wise words to impart on the impatient masses.

Fellas, you all have the code to Craft. Use it.

DeAndre Liggins and Darnell Dodson in the doghouse -- Gentlemen, wake up and realize both of you are in a position to be a part of something special. Take a cue from Cousins, and come to the realization that it's either Cal's way, or the highway.

The Good

DeMarcus Cousins (14.7 points per game), John Wall (20.0 ppg), and Eric Bledsoe (15.0 ppg) are averaging a combined 49.7 points per game -- I didn't think they would be this good, this soon. All three players are shooting the ball very well, with Cousins making 52.9% of his shots, Wall an even 50.0%, and Bledsoe 48.3%. Wall and Bledsoe have also put to rest (for now) the concerns many fans had about their outside shooting -- Wall has made 3-6 three-point tries, and Bledsoe 6-12 (50.0%). I realize three games for Bledsoe, and two for Wall, isn't a test sample vast enough to gauge future results, but the beginning is sure encouraging. As for Cousins -- Just, wow! He's not only shooting the ball well (for the most part), but more importantly, he's been beastly on the boards, corralling 32 total rebounds (10.6 per game), 15 of those of the offensive variety. One of the by-products of Cousins' domination of the low post is that, finally, Patrick Patterson has been liberated from the shackles of the double and triple-teams he's faced over the last two seasons, which might be one small reason why Patterson is 23-29 from the floor (79.3%) this year.

All Calipari needs these three to do is to mentally mature at a rate standard for 18-19 year old athletes, and he'll eventually have something very special on his hands.

As a team UK is shooting 53.3% from the floor, and 40.4% from beyond the arc -- Darius Miller is the only 'Cat shooting less than 46.0% from the floor -- Miller is 9-20 (45.0%) on the season, but, over the last two games Miller has become more confident in his shot, resulting in him making 9-16 from the field (56.3%), and 4-8 from the three-point line (more on Miller later).

The rest of the 'Cats look like this -- The above-mentioned Patterson - 23-29 (79.3%), 3-6 from the three-point line (50.0%), Cousins - 18-34 (52.9%), Wall - 11-22 (50.0%), 3-6 from the three-point line (50.0%), and Bledsoe - 14-29 (48.3%), 6-12 from the three-point line (50.0%). Two other newcomers are also shooting the rock with aplomb -- Darnell Dodson - 9-18 (50.0%) and 5-12 from the three-pont line, and Daniel Orton - 3-6 (50.0%).

The surprisingly high three-point percentage UK is shooting surely soothes the tensions (among the fans) built up over the summer concerning UK's long-range threat possibilities. If UK's perimeter shooters are able to keep their cumulative percentage at or over the 33-35% range, the big fellas in the paint, and the penetrators should continue to have room to work.

It's all about taking good shots -- With the fast break points UK wil be scoring off the primary and secondary breaks, the team's shooting percentage should remain high, but if they regress ... well, let's not think about that.

UK's interior defense is allowing opponents to make only 39.2% of their two-point shots (while the 'Cats are making two-pointers at a 57.3% rate) -- Driving the lane against this group of killer 'Cats has thus far proved to be less than wise thinking. Compelling evidence is the fact that Patterson, Cousins, Orton (who has six blocks in 35 minutes of play), and company are averaging 9.0 blocks per game, which, as we've seen, forces teams to shoot from the perimeter. Simply and bluntly put, if the 'Cats desire to take full advantage of their exceptional post defense, it is Kentucky's perimeter defenders' responsibility to deny and pressure just as vigorously as the post players.

Interior defense was thought to be a team strength coming into the season. So far, so good.

UK has out-rebounded their opponents 128-82 on the season -- Once again, the low post performers are doing as they should -- Dominating the boards. And unlike the previous few years, the 'Cats are crashing the offensive glass with gusto, snagging 47 offensive boards in only three games (15.6 pg).

Here's a number to crunch -- Patrick Patterson, who we all know is a rebounding machine, has 31 rebounds in 100 minutes of play. DeMarcus Cousins has grabbed 32 rebounds in only 64 minutes of play. Yikes!

Will UK post such strong rebounding numbers against the likes of North Carolina, Connecticut, Louisville and the teams of the SEC? I don't know, but I know this: In order for UK to overcome some of the freshman-type mistakes they are likely to make throughout the year, offensive rebounding in particular, and rebounding in general, has to be areas possessions are gained for this UK squad.

But once again, so far, so good.

Darius Miller the last two games -- In Kentucky's first game against Morehead, Miller was 0-4 from the field (0-3 from the three-point line), with five turnovers. A collective, "What's up with Miller?" could be heard throughout the Commonwealth. But the man from Maysville has responded in UK's last two games with 9-16 shooting (56.3%), and 4-8 three-point shooting, to go along with zero turnovers.

With Miller, it's all about confidence, and not pulling his shoulders back on his shot (per coach Cal). If the young man is feeling good about himself, and if he starts the game with a basket or two, he fulfills his potential, but if not, he struggles. He needs to just r-e-l-a-x, and allow himself to get into the rhythm of the game. With all of the talent surrounding him, he shouldn't have to worry about doing too much. Do that, and he'll continue to shine.

The Hilarious

The John Calipari/Tom Leach post-game interview -- I've been listening to the Kentucky coach's post-game interview for decades, and never have I heard a coach so willing to talk. I promise the Leach family, Tom will have ample time for Christmas shopping and the like, because now all he has to do is ask one question per segment ... Cal will do the rest. In these interviews, Calipari reminds me of Ross Perot, minus the Texas twang. His stream of consciousness analysis is both highly entertaining, and I feel, genuine.

Of course, coaches tend to lecture in "coach-speak" when doing these types of interviews, but Calipari doesn't seem to have designs on misleading anybody, or hiding anything. And it doesn't hurt that Cal likes to hear himself talk nearly as much as Rick Pitino.

If you have an opportunity, catch the show. It's worth the 20 minutes.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky 102, Sam Houston 92 -- Postmortem

2009-11-20T05:10:43Z

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Corey Allmond set a new record for 3's in Rupp Arena. Sounds like a broken record, n'est pas?

Browse more photos »

Well, that was all kinds of fun.

Great game by the Sam Houston State Bearkats. They really came in and gave it all they had, and it was almost enough. This team can really shoot when they want to. If they could bottle tonight and dole it out in doses throughout the year, they might win their league and make the NCAA tournament easily.

I have been watching college basketball a very long time, more years than some members of this blog have been drawing breath. But I am sure that I have never seen two opposing teams back to back hit so many three point shots. For both Miami and Sam Houston, they made the three look like a layup, or a free-throw. In fact, I've seen lots of teams shoot a worse percentage from the free throw line than Sam Houston did from 20'9" -- 18-38.

I really don't know what to make of it, this amazing three-point shooting. It's as if teams come into Rupp Arena, look at the basket, decide that it looks as big around as Jared Fogle before his Subway diet, and start filling it up like it fire hydrant unleashed on a blow-up backyard pool.

Kentucky's perimeter defense was pretty weak, okay? I get that. But I don't know very many people who could stand at 25 feet and shoot 50% unopposed, let alone with other players running at them. At least half of those threes were two to four feet behind the line. Amazing.

Perhaps it's all the pre-season publicity that is driving this ridiculous opposition shooting. Perhaps they just hate Kentucky. Who knows? Whatever it its, UK needs an antidote, and that antidote is better and sharper defense. A big part of SHS' outstanding night was confusion and failure to communicate. That has to get better. But even all that does not explain the otherworldly, Hand of God shooting that UK has faced in the last two games.

But there is one really big positive -- both games were victories, and even historic three-point shooting was not enough to upset Kentucky. I think that's important, don't you? Can you imagine what would have happened last year?

More after the jump.

Here are my observations:

This is an approximate quote from John Calipari after the game: "Daniel Orton was having a great game. People ask why I didn't play him more. You know why I didn't play him more? Because the other kid [Cousins] was a beast!" Cousins was a beast.
He may have been a beast, but Cousins has got to become stronger with the ball. He was very weak with it tonight.
Darius Miller had a very nice game offensively but only one rebound. Yes, I know Cousins soaked up most of the rebounds, but Miller has got to do more on the glass.
What a 3-point shooting outburst from Bledsoe. I really don't know what to say, except, "Well done!"
John Wall and Eric Bledsoe combined for 12 of Kentucky's 23 turnovers. That's much too high a number.
John Wall played pretty well, but he seemed out of control and unfocused to me. He is much better than he played tonight. He played hard, but not smart.
Ramon Harris gave us five rebounds in 12 minutes, and a huge play that led to a Cousins dunk that stopped a run. Calipari truly loved what Harris brought tonight, and said so.
Daniel Orton payed well, with four blocks, two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 10 minutes.
UK dominated SHS on the boards, 48-33. That was a big difference.
Patrick Patterson did what he always does -- play great. 8-9 from the field, 1-2 from the arc, 9 rebs, 1 block and 2 assists. That may not seem spectacular to you, but it does to me.
Calipari is not at all happy with this team. But he will be.
SHS shot 38% overall, and UK shot 60%. And the margin was 10. The three is a great equalizer.
19-29 from the free throw line is not good.
No Darnell Dodson. No Josh Harrellson. No DeAndre Liggins.
The team was gassed after this game. But the Bearkats were almost falling down from fatigue.
DeMarcus Cousins was asked after the game if he had ever seen three-point shooting that good in high school, and he said (paraphrase) "Yes, once. John Jenkins. He plays for Vanderbilt." Fair warning from the Big Cuz.

This was yet another strange game in a series of strange games. I sure do hope we can get our minds right by the time we face Rider on Saturday afternoon. UK has terrific talent, and they are winning almost exclusively on talent and not on execution, either defensively or offensively.

If Kentucky is going to live up to their potential, they must do better.

Sam Houston St. Bearkats @ Kentucky Wildcats -- Pre-Game and Open Game Thread

2009-11-19T23:15:11Z

This is the official A Sea of Blue Open Game Thread for the Sam Houston St. Bearkats @ Kentucky Wildcats in this first round game of the Cancun Challenge tournament.

I have decided to merge the pre-game and Open Game Threads into one for this game, because there is so little real data available on the Bearkats. First, the game particulars, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:

Date & Time Thursday, Nov. 19 7:00 p.m
Coverage TV: Live on FS South; delayed BBSN (coverage details) Radio: BBSN
GameTracker
Online Audio
Online Video via ESPN360
Location Rupp Arena Lexington, Ky.

More after the jump.

Here is a statistical comparison of what the Bearkats and Wildcats have done so far:

2009 Team Stats	UK	SHSU
Scoring Offense	73.5	82.0
Scoring Defense	64.5	49.5
FG Percentage	49.5%	51.5%
3-point FG Percentage	33.3%	28.6%
FT Percentage	63.5%	60.0%
Rebound Margin	+15.5	+12.5
Assists	11.5	29.5
Turnovers	19.5	14.0

Stat	2009 Stat Leaders
Scoring	UK: John Wall (19.0)
	SHSU: Gilberto Clavell (15.0)
Rebounding	UK Patrick Patterson (11.0)
	SHSU: Josten Crow (6.5)
Assists	UK: John Wall (5.0)
	SHSU: Drae Murray (6.5)
3-point FG Percentage	UK: John Wall and Patrick Patterson (50.0%)
	SHSU: Josten Crow (50.0%)
Blocks	UK: DeMarcus Cousins (2.0)
	SHSU: Three with (1.5)
Steals	UK: John Wall (3.0)
	SHSU: Josten Crow (2.5)

Bearkat fact sheet:

Head Coach Bob Marlin
Record at School 202-123 (12th season)
2009 Record 2-0, 0-0 Southland Conference
Ranking Not ranked
Series Record First meeting
Returning starters: 3
Returning players: 8

Analysis:

Primary orientation: Perimeter -- The Bearkats are a good perimeter shooting team, shooting 35% as a team against Texas College. Against LeTourneu, they didn't shoot it well, managing only 22.5%, but don't let that fool you. Corey Allmond, Lance Pevehouse, and Drae Murray will all put it up, and can make them. Pevehouse has shot the ball poorly from three this year, but it isn't from a lack of trying
Defensive orientation: Primarily zone/matchup zone -- You know the zone will give the DDM at this early juncture fits. We can expect more of that frustration tonight. They will pressure our perimeter players at first but may start sagging if UK gets to the rim a lot.
Tempo: Medium -- Sam Houston State is not a slow-it-down team. They like to run, as evidenced by their 82 points per game average, but they don't run constantly.

Sam Houston State's biggest starter is 6'7", and their biggest reserve is 6'9", so they are giving up considerable size to the Wildcats. Their back court is small, but very quick, and UK will have some difficulty with SHS's quickness in this game.

I expect to see Calipari try hard to put this team away early, but you never know for sure. I expect SHS to hang in with Kentucky a while, as UK has yet to show the team cohesiveness and chemistry to get up big early. Coach Marlin will be encouraging his team to run back on defense, and UK will probably not be able to get too much off the break, much as we saw against Miami. What that will mean, though, is the combination of zone and protecting against the break will allow UK many offensive rebounding opportunities in this game, much as in the last game.

Will we have another Nick Winbush-like performance tonight? I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Predicted score: Kentucky 78, Sam Houston State, 60.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Sam Houston State Edition

2009-11-19T13:15:05Z

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Charlie Coles is da man! What a great performance the Miami RedHawks gave in the post-game interview the other day.

Browse more photos »

Tonight, the Wildcats take on the Bearkats of Sam Houston State, a team I know absolutely nothing about, as their opening round game in the Cancun Challenge. Rumors have been swirling about the availability of Darnell Dodson and John Wall, but I have heard nothing definite. The closest I can come is:

Calipari is very unhappy with Darnell Dodson at the moment (that could explain why it took him so long to get into the game on Monday).
Calipari is getting happier with DeAndre Liggins. Happy enough to play him?
John Wall's uncle passed away earlier this week. Our sympathy goes out to his family. I have no idea if he will play or not, but I suspect he will.

In other news worth highlighting, UK just secured another football recruit, Avery Williamson, a Rivals 3* linebacker out of Milan, Tennessee. Willimson impressed at Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Camp and is one of the very best in the Volunteer state. Even though UT was not heavily recruiting Williamson, UK has had great success with the overlooked players from Tennessee and Georgia.

And finally there is this item about one of my favorite players, Chuck Hayes. I somehow missed this when it come out (I'm sure somebody linked it, though) but I think it deserves special attention. I love Chuck Hayes, and when he gets accolades, I like to put it on the front page.

The news follows the jump.

Rich Brooks & the SEC Teleconference « Over The Pylon
Blogpoll Week 11 - CBSSports.com
Cats aren't fooled by Georgia's sub-par stats | KentuckySports.com
"Georgia's still Georgia," sophomore offensive tackle Brad Durham said. "They're still big and athletic and, defensively, they're huge up front."

I think the "Georgia is Georgia" part was all that needed to be said.
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Rich Brooks is making the bowls despite the absence of "star recruits"
Calipari's Cats Get Taste Of Kinder, Gentler Coach
Calipari had been hoping for a moment like this early in the season, a chance for him to see how his talented but largely inexperienced squad reacted to adversity for the first time.

"I was ecstatic," Calipari said.

I'm thinking Gillispie would have done this ... ah ... a little different. And his team was shocked.

"I’ve not really seen anybody be positive when you’re down 18, but he was," Miller said.

Calipari evenly — but not harshly — challenged his players to prove themselves.
Basketball recruiting: The strength of Memphis' class was a major statement by first-year coach Josh Pastner - ESPN
With a few players graduating and a few anticipated early departures, the Wildcats are going to have a few need areas to fill. Look for UK to make a push to get a point guard, a shooter and some size. The Wildcats could get a head start on filling these needs if they get a commitment from Tobias Harris (Brookville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills), who plans to announce his decision on Thursday. They also are in the running for unsigned prospects Brandon Knight (Coral Springs, Fla./Pine Crest), Josh Selby (Baltimore/Lake Clifton), Doron Lamb (Laurelton, N.Y./Oak Hill Academy) and Terrence Jones (Portland, Ore./Jefferson), among others.

With Calipari at the helm, I'll worry about recruiting when he gives me a reason to. Until then, I expect a top five class every year.
Tobias Harris! Tobias Harris! Tobias Harris! - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Kentucky will not get Harris, IMO, but here is some info in how his recruitment is going.
Don't Bet On It!: Around the SEC - Dawg Sports
Texas Overwhelms Western Carolina 73-41 - Burnt Orange Nation
* And yes, I hope Kansas fans see this, and react to this. Not because I want a chest-thumping war, but because I think this is our rival in basketball. Rick Barnes and Bill Self see it the same way, and I'm all for it. The Texas-Kansas back-and-forth over the last 6 years has been the best kept secret in college hoops, and I absolutely love that we have a powerhouse like Kansas to constantly measure ourselves against. They're smart fans: I think they see it, too. This should be the most fun season to date.

I think Peter's right. The Kansas-Texas rivalry has really been heating up over the years. Who knows, one day it may be as recognized as it deserves.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Memphis Learns Its Fate, Can’t/Won’t Tell Anyone the Results…
Does the NCAA not understand that operating in this manner in no way engenders public trust and faith in the fairness and equitable nature of the system? Do they not see that, regardless of the strength of their argument on the merits, John Q. Fan reads this and can only conclude that the NCAA is hiding the ball so as to get its way in the end? Are they too dense to realize that a simple and consistent application of rules and policies are the first step toward removing much of the thinly-veiled cynicism that those still following big-time college sports have for it?

I'm afraid I can't improve on this at all. Must read.
StraitPinkie.com Previews Sam Houston State at Kentucky | straitpinkie.com
Cats say Miller fits dribble-drive | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Two weeks ago, Calipari said, he noticed that Miller's shoulders were leaning back on his jump shot. Instead of going straight up with a shot, he was fading away from it. The result was a flat shot.

But the observation slipped Calipari's mind.

Let's hope Miller has it working now. We need a bit more out of him.
A healthy dose of Patterson, sound defense keys to Kentucky's 2009-2010 seasons
" SEC links: Can Georgia stand a little praise? John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's SEC links
Jeff Sheppard Podcast: Titans of Kentucky – LostLettermen.com
What Everyone Needs to Know About The DDMO
A really nice set of principles for the DDM offense. Very interesting.
" Video: John Calipari before today’s practice John Clay’s Sidelines
Cobb may not play at Georgia | Vaught's Views
Uh-oh. I hope that shoulder can heal in three days.
ZAGSBLOG " Doron Lamb Weighing Options; Pitt Signs 3
Tom Leach - Kentucky Football, Kentucky Basketball, UK Football, UK Basketball
Tom has a several new podcats up you will want to listen to.
Miami Coach Not Impressed By Lexington Reporter's Question - Media Meltdowns - Deadspin
A reporter asked Miami of Ohio coach Charlie Coles (a 17.5-point underdog last night) how he let the Kentucky game "get away from him." He was not amused.
Memphis Tigers Fall (Barely) to Top-Ranked Kansas | Tiger Blue | Memphis Flyer
If you’re a college hoops fan, you gotta love Dick Vitale’s enthusiasm. But objectivity? His unbridled defense of the Memphis program in respect to the allegations that Derrick Rose had a proxy take his SAT for him was hardly a broad assessment of the matter. Long tied to the mast of college basketball, Vitale should show greater concern for the shortcuts players are bound to take to skirt the NBA’s draft restrictions. Whether or not Rose is guilty, the allegations are serious. And whether or not they impact programs competing for a national championship, such transgressions have to be fought by the NCAA.

I didn't hear Vitale's comments, but I do agree that the allegations are a serious matter, even if I don't agree with the disposition of the case. We cannot allow rampant academic fraud in college sports, and the NCAA is the last bulwark against that. So while I disagree with how the NCAA handled the Memphis case, I do agree that allegations of fraud are of grave concern.
About What You Expected: Louisville 96, Arkansas 66 - Arkansas Expats
As the second half dragged on, I found myself begging for the game to end, but overall, it's hard to get too upset up about the outcome. The Hogs played hard, but they are severely short-handed right now, and Louisville is a Top 20 team. Anybody who didn't think the game had a strong likelihood of playing out this way is living with a healthy dose of denial.

Big win by Louisville. But Pitino's Sypher woes continue.
LSU Tigers defeat Western Kentucky in men's basketball | LSU Tigers Central - - NOLA.com
A bit of a surprise. Western has a good team, this was a solid win for LSU.
Kentucky sophomore one of SEC's most dangerous players || OnlineAthens.com
"He [Randall Cobb] might be the most talented player in the Southeastern Conference today," said Georgia coach Mark Richt, gearing up for Saturday's game against Kentucky. "We know what he did last year. He just about single-handedly beat us himself."

High praise from the Georgia coach.

SEC Power Poll Ballot: Week 11

2009-11-18T23:08:30Z

It's time for the SEC Power Poll for Week 11, and Alabama once again rises to the top both on my ballot, and in the aggregated totals, which are found at Team Speed Kills, as always.

For my part, I obviously think a little more of the 'Cats and a little less of Tennessee than other voters, but other than that, there isn't a whole lot of difference. Alabama has pretty much cemented itself as the best team in the league with more or less consistent domination of everyone, while the Gators seem to be running into more difficulty of late. The Tide takes on an FCS school this week (Wait--didn't we get heat for doing that from TSK?) in UT-Chattanooga, then finishes the season at detested in-state rival Auburn for the Iron Bowl, which is the Tide's biggest danger of a loss in a while.

Florida, on the other hand, gets two schools from in-state to finish off the season -- Florida International and hated rival, Florida State. As with Alabama and Auburn, the possibility of an upset looms somewhat larger with the Seminoles.

My ballot follows the jump.

Team	cWL	W-L	bWL	SoS	MoV	PF-PA	Next opponent	Polls	Comments
Alabama	7-0	10-0	8-0	53.66	20	309-109	UT Chattanooga	2,3,[2!]	The Elephants are looking stronger every game, and they sat on the Bulldogs.
Florida	8-0	10-0	8-0	49.49	23.4	339-105	Florida International	1,[1!]	Tim Tebow averaged 1.6 yards/carry? In 16 tries? Has Superman reverted to Clark Kent?
LSU	4-2	8-2	5-2	46.08	11.3	250-137	@ Ole Miss	10,8	LSU's offense could not offend anybody unless they wore the Confederate flag.
Georgia	4-3	6-4	5-4	50.94	1.6	275-259	Kentucky	33,41	Rambo wound up saving the day, and didn't even need his field knife. What a great name for a football player.
Arkansas	2-4	6-4	3-4	50.17	12.1	376-255	Mississippi St.		Man, Arkansas can really torch non-SEC cupcakes.
Auburn	3-4	7-4	4-4	46.79	7	374-297	Open	33,37	Wasted a great game by Chris Todd.
South Carolina	3-5	6-5	4-5	49.33	-0.1	227-228	Open		Garcia had 186 yards passing to Gamecock receivers, and 73 yards passing to the Gator defense.
Mississippi	3-3	7-3	3-3	37.92	15.2	311-159	LSU	30,31	Jevan Who? McCluster was the Vol's daddy. Maybe the Rebs should, you know, get him the ball more.
Kentucky	2-4	6-4	3-4	45.49	5.1	268-217	@ Georgia		The 'Cats looked in trouble early, but Locke and Cobb ran amok.
Tennessee	2-4	5-5	2-5	46.07	9.4	306-212	Vanderbilt		All the Vols saw was Dexter McCluster's hind parts. All game long.
Mississippi State	2-4	4-6	2-5	56.05	-0.7	245-252	@ Arkansas		On the receiving end of a good, old fashioned Pachyderm pounding.
Vanderbilt	0-7	2-9	0-8	43.3	-6.3	180-249	@ Tennessee		In the parlance of horseracing: Pressed the pace early, no factor late.

Additional comments:

Steve Spurrier still can't beat his old school. I find that almost as hilarious as his streak against UK.
Alabama is like a broken record. They just keep repeating the same thing every game, and it is devastating.
Georgia edged out rival Auburn, and that surprised me. It also made me feel like our chances of an upset just improved marginally.
All I can say about the Vols is -- Toldja! I thought they had a good defense, but it wasn't good against the Rebs.

Your comments are welcome, and encouraged.

A Lesson for Kentucky Basketball

2009-11-18T16:45:10Z

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

The X man didn't look much like a mutant last night.

Browse more photos »

Last night's game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Memphis Tigers is a great lesson for the Jayhawks that they get to learn without much cost, much like Kentucky's game versus the Miami RedHawks the other night. It isn't exactly free -- both teams took a hit to their pre-season hype and credibility -- but its value is far beyond that ephemeral penalty.

Take a look at what Yahoo's Jason King said about Kansas last night:

Kansas’ players seemed arrogant and, as a team, the Jayhawks lacked cohesion. Memphis, meanwhile, used pesky defense and hustle plays to stay in the game. The Tigers forced 21 turnovers while fighting back from a 10-point deficit midway through the second half.

Remember the article about swagger the other day? This is the danger of having swagger -- the possibility that it can run over into arrogance. Arrogance in a college basketball team, particularly early in the season, leads to defeat. The Jayhawks dodged a bullet, the 'Cats dodged a bullet, the Tar Heels dodged a bullet, and the Spartans dodged a bullet. There is a lesson to be learned here, I think.

The lesson is that unless you adopt a professional attitude about the work before you, swagger just looks arrogant and classless. It inspires other teams not to fear you, but to want to kick your butt all over the arena, and sometimes, a little inspiration is all you need -- right, Nick Winbush?

The early season is for learning lessons, and right now, the lesson is don't crown yourself king until you have won a few battles. That lesson should be burning into the brain of every player on UK, KU, Michigan State and UNC. That crown doesn't fit any of these teams yet -- it's much too small to fit on swelled heads. Those heads will shrink as the season goes on and young players learn, but the learning needs to start right now.

Lesson #1 -- respect your opponent, and don't take him for granted. Otherwise, he might rise up and smite you.

More after the jump.

There is another interesting thing about this game that is more relevant to the Wildcats -- it brought out the Kentucky detractor (or more correctly, the Calipari detractor) in ESPN's Dana O'Neal. I generally like Dana's work, but tonight, she really laid the wood to the new UK coach:

Kansas is not the dominant, etch-the-name-on-the-trophy No. 1 team everyone thought it was and John Calipari's Shermanesque, scorched-Earth policy on Memphis has not rendered the Tigers obsolete.

And later in the same article ...

And then Calipari bolted to Kentucky, taking players, secretaries, potted plants and the hopes for the 2009-10 season with him. In his wake stood Pastner, a 32-year-old caffeine-eschewing, sleep-avoiding, curse-averse, first-time coach who ended Tuesday night's press conference remarking how cool it was to be holding a press conference.

Josh Skywalker. Darth Cal. Get it?

But I digress. The point of this piece is to note that several of the top teams have proven themselves not quite ready for prime time, and so far, it has not cost any of them much more than a raised eyebrow and significantly increased practice intensity.

But if the lesson goes unlearned, that bill will come due in the form of embarassing losses. And Bill Self, friend of Billy Gillispie, can get all the insight he wants about embarassing losses with a phone call to the former UK coach.

UK Basketball: Wall and Cousins to the Rescue

2009-11-18T00:37:12Z

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

The great Wall smiles after his cold-blooded assault on the Miami Redhawks.

Browse more photos »

The Kentucky Wildcats' 72-70 victory over the Miami (OH) Redhawks might not have been the bunny rabbit victory the fans clad in blue expected, but the play of freshmen point guard John Wall and power forward DeMarcus Cousins illuminated brightly why the two future NBA stars were so hotly courted by the nations basketball elite. Sure, both players made mistakes -- Wall had 5 turnovers and a missed free throw late in the game, and Cousins was a no-show in the first half -- but when it came time for Kentucky to assert its second half authority, Wall and Cousins were the leaders of the 'Cat pack.

Although UK allowed an embarrassing 57.7% of Redhawk three-pointers (15-26) to tickle the twine, as well as making only 58.3% of their own charity attempts (14-24), the 'Cats' play over the final 11:00 minutes of the second half propelled a sure and shocking loss into the win it should have been.

Beginning at the 11:16 mark of the second half (with UK down 50-46) the dynamic duo of Wall and Cousins grabbed their lunch pails and Campbell's Chunky, and went to work:

11:16 -- Cousins snags an offensive rebound off a Darius Miller missed three-pointer.
11:13 -- Cousins made basket off the Miller miss.
8:39 -- Cousins missed jumper.
8:37 -- Cousins offensive rebound, and missed tip-in -- Patrick Patterson rebounded Cousins' second miss and put-back his own offensive rebound for two points.
8:02 -- Wall flushes the pill on a breakaway dunk.
7:33 -- Cousins misses a jumper.
7:31 -- Cousins offensive rebounds his own miss.
7:29 -- Cousins misses a tip-in.
7:26 -- Cousins grabs another offensive rebound (off his own miss).
7:24 -- Cousins makes a tip-in.
7:07 -- Wall assists on Miller's three-pointer.
6:31 -- Cousins misses a jumper.
6:30 -- Cousins rebounds his own miss.
6:29 -- Cousins makes his put-back.
5:28 -- Cousins grabs a defensive rebound.
5:13 -- Wall grabs a defensive rebound.
2:48 -- Wall steals the ball.
1:47 -- Cousins corrals a defensive rebound.
1:29 -- Wall assists on a Cousins made shot.
1:01 -- Cousins steals the ball.
:32 -- Cousins grabs a defensive rebound.
:03 -- Wall shoots and makes the game-winner.

To recap -- In the final 11:16 of the half that matters the most, Cousins grabbed eight of his ten rebounds, with five of those boards being the offensive variety. He also scored eight of his 10 points, and had one steal. Wall scored five points, including the clutch game-winner, and had two assists to go along with one steal.

Speaking of clutch game-winners -- When was the last time a freshman, in his first collegiate game, made the game-winning shot in the waning seconds? I'm sure it has happened at some point in the history of college basketball, but that doesn't diminish the cold-blooded, steely-eyed determination displayed by Wall on his first game-winning attempt. Even more impressive is the fact that Wall, instead of driving for a closer look and possibly having his shot blocked, chose instead to pull-up and take the 12-footer will all the coolness of the Fonz himself. Impressive, indeed, and perhaps a small glimpse into the heart and mind of UK's ballyhooed freshman.

Setting-up Wall's heroics was Cousins, whose motor evidently needs to warm-up a bit before hitting on all 12-cylinders. But, after he opted to engage, the big fella from Alabama showed off not only his athleticism and hunger for the ball, but more importantly, his will to win ... which is something that can't be taught.

And although Cousins missed six shots in the final 8:39, he grabbed the offensive rebound on four of those misses, resulting in four points. Patrick Patterson snagged another of Cousins' errant shots and made his put-back. So, out of Cousins' six misses, six points were scored. Efficient misses?

The Process

What did UK fans learn from Monday night's shockingly close contest? Hopefully, the lesson learned was what John Calipari has been preaching for several months now -- This team is going to take some time to gel, and learn how to play with one another. The athleticism and talent is there for all to see, but a bit of maturity is required to complete the process of growth needed to compete at the highest level ... and defending the hot-handed opponent would also be of great benefit to the 'Cats' cause.

But fret not Wildcat Nation, this team will improve and find its way. Along the path to potential greatness there will be stumbles, though, quite possibly Thursday night against a very good Sam Houston State team, or maybe Rider will be the bitter pill forced down UK's throat. Not unlike the rat who snitched on his mobster cohorts, we know the inevitable is coming, we just don't know when. Ironically enough, Calipari is fond of saying, if forced to choose, he'd take talent over experience every time, but for the first few months of this season, the talent he is blessed with will be challenged and challenged regularly by more experienced, yet less talented squads, and a Big Blue loss or two will surely be the result.

So, embrace the growth process (afterall, one really doesn't really have a choice in the matter), but it won't come without a price. And if we're "all in" with this team, enjoying the wins, and enduring the unexpected losses are part and parcel of watching a young, talented team blossom into the breathtaking rose it is destined to become.

Happy Birthday

A very large happy birthday to my father, Coleman, who recently turned 65. My dad gave me my love of all things UK ... for which one might want to curse him, or thank him :)

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Close Call Edition

2009-11-17T22:54:24Z

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

No need to get back after that shot, John.

Browse more photos »

I don't know about you, but I think winning on a last-second jumper qualifies as a close call.

John Wall's shot has been the talk of college basketball all day long. Here in Louisville, WHAS radio host Terry Meiners was cracking jokes about how the name "John" had become synonymous with great things. It was a great play by a great young player, but it can't erase all the questionable and downright ugly things UK did on the court last night.

John Calipari told us it would be this way, and he wasn't wrong. The question is, how soon can the 'Cats figure out how to right the ship? We'll know in a couple of days versus Sam Houston State.

Moving on to football, Kentucky is gearing up for a meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs between the hedges this weekend. This is a huge game for Kentucky, as right now, Georgia looks to be the most beatable of UK's remaining two foes. If the 'Cats can get a win against the Dawgs, it would not only remove any long-shot doubts of not getting invited to a bowl game, but it would actually put UK in a position to win second place in the SEC East if they were to beat both Georgia and Tennessee. Who would have imagined that?

Just a programming note about Saturday -- I will once again be at the racetrack, and I don't know if I will make it back by kickoff, but I should be there by halftime at the outside.

The news follows the jump.

John Wall Nails Game-Winner as UK Defeats Miami
You have to listen to the Charlie Coles (Miami Coach) during the press conference. The link is toward the bottom of the post. Absolutely terrific.
Pitino pushes forward - STLtoday.com
Pretty interesting article about how Pitino is coping with all the negative publicity of this last year.
From the road
Chris Diggs' observations.
Wall shows he can live up to hype | KentuckySports.com
Ghosts of Gardner-Webb hung heavy in Rupp Arena Monday night. Massive underdog Miami (Ohio), fresh off a loss to Towson, had ridden blistering three-point shooting to a 70-70 standoff with mighty Kentucky.

Nice rhetorical flair there by Mark Story, and a good article. Mark isn't my favorite, but I really like this piece.
Cats' goals extend beyond a bowl | KentuckySports.com
"We want to get out of Tennessee," Durham said. "We'll be happy with any bowl because any bowl is better than no bowl but, personally, we want to take care of business this week and next week and possibly go farther south."

I like your thinking, Brad.
The Big Blue Nation Report: Cousins Post Game Interview
When asked about his conversation with Calipari about his body language (Cal said if his body language didn't improve he was going to stay on the bench).... "That was the conversation." (Again showed off his personality here.) "Those two fouls (in the first half) brought me down. I was thinking about last game, which I shouldn't have done. I just didn't want to start it off with two bad games and being in foul trouble. But we got the win and that is all that matters."

Really nice work on the interview. Read the whole thing.
Calipari just won't foul late, will he? - CBSSports.com
Calipari's team was ahead by three points late, but rather than foul and send Miami (Ohio) to the line -- which is generally accepted as the proper way to handle the situation -- Calipari opted to let the players play, and the result was a Hayes 3-pointer that tied the score with six seconds remaining. It was the latest version of Chalmers for the tie ... Got it! -- the same sequence that cost Calipari the 2008 national title when Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer, forced overtime and helped Kansas to an eventual 75-68 victory.

There was a study done on this, even though the sample size was really small. The conclusion was that there is no real benefit to your chances of winning to make that foul. Via Walter's Wildcat World
Patterson: We were not going to lose | Vaught's Views
Editor's Note: Really an insightful story by Keith Taylor into just what makes Patrick Patterson special and one I think you will enjoy.
City Brights: Zennie Abraham : UCLA basketball shocked by CS Fullerton 68, Bruins 65 (2OT)
This one didn't go as well for the Bruins as it did for the 'Cats.
The Race to 2000 Wins
I love charts.
AUBURN BASKETBALL: Missouri State rallies past Tigers | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser
AAARRGGGHH! That's two SEC West teams who have bitten the dust so far this year.
John Wall is Blue Jesus - Searching for Billy Edelin
Now you know, just in case you didn't already.
The Alphabetical, Week 12: Where 4th Down Is Not Sacrosanct - SB Nation
Nov 16, 2009 - A is for Average: Ho-hummery all around for Texas (47-14 over Baylor) Alabama (31-3 over Miss State), and Boise State (63-25). Heading into a drab week with appropriately drab results, the college football season in general continues to play in the key of ennui with largely expected results and a huge hunk of lopsided matchups. Frankly, if the thought of being alone wasn't so frightening, college football, we'd try something new. Cue Joe Jackson:

Ennui? Now there's a word you don't see out of a sportswriter every day, folks. Great read, as always.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " ATB: WonderWall
Despite the loss, Winbush will remember this game for the rest of his life. He bewildered the Kentucky players, coaches, and the Rupp Arena crowd with his 3-point shooting ability, going 8 for 10 from beyond the arc, and they were of all types, folks. Fall-aways. Off the dribble. Contested. Open. It didn’t matter to Winbush. He went into halftime having hit his first SIX, and the fans in Lexington won’t forget his name anytime soon.

Talk about a talent for understatement ...
JOHN WALL: REMEMBER THE NAME " Sho'Tyme Lifestyle and Performance blog
Wall-elujah: Freshman saves UK | KentuckySports.com
"For us to win a game when they go 15-of-26 from the three-point line, I can't believe it," UK Coach John Calipari said. "We talked at halftime, if we lose, don't let it be from three."

Yet it almost was ...
Sports Illustrated ranks Louisville 17th, highlights Pitino/Calipari rivalry - Card Chronicle
SI tabs Louisville as the 17th best team in the country and highlights Edgar Sosa in its preview of the Cards. Grant Wahl also pens a feature on John Calipari coming to Kentucky and his icy relationship with "the state's other big ego," Rick Pitino.

Interesting stuff. Be sure to read the links. Here's a taste from "The Very Best of Enemies:"

"To me it was Camelot," Pitino finally told him of his time in Lexington. "I coached there for eight years, and I never had a bad day on the job."
John Calipari Ranks #25 on Highest Paid List
SEC Basketball Preview: 2009-10 | College Basketball by Collegehoops.net
How did Kentucky come back? | Vaught's Views
Wall wows in opener -- thanks to final shot - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
"When it hit the bottom of the net, it was a relief, a great feeling," Wall said.

That goes for every Kentucky fan. The Wildcats are a work in progress (like North Carolina and a handful of other young teams), which means this won’t be the last tight game Cal’s crew has. And they won’t all turn out like this.

Indeed. UK has to improve over this game, and quickly.
State-Journal.com - Expectations of fans, players reach new level as Kentucky football continues to progress
And for all the nit-picking about some of the coaching decisions by Brooks and his staff (by the way, has any coach anywhere coached a perfect game?) – some deserved and some not – what Brooks and staff are in the process of doing is getting to a fourth straight bowl while rebuilding the team from the Andre Woodson-Wesley Woodyard bunch that played in bowls in 2006 and 2007.
For Kentucky Football, Survive and Thrive -- NCAA Football FanHouse
While No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama each play glorified scrimmages on Saturday and continue their march to the SEC Championship game next month, one of the more intriguing conference match-ups features Kentucky at Georgia. Yes, Kentucky. Football.

Nice positive piece.
" BBL: WonderWall, Tobias Harris update, Charlie Coles John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links.
Brooks: Statistics don’t tell whole story about Georgia | Vaught's Views
Louisville/Arkansas Hall of Fame Showcase preview - Card Chronicle
Big game.
Rick Bozich | Pitino-Pelphrey matchup 20 years in the making | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Tonight in St.Louis, Pitino begins his ninth season as the University of Louisville coach against an Arkansas team coached by Pelphrey. It has been two decades since Pitino stomped and screamed Kentucky out of the darkness that included one season without live television coverage and two without the NCAA Tournament.

Blogpoll Ballot: Week 11 Draft

2009-11-17T18:16:39Z

Week 11 is here, and it's time to publish my blogpoll ballot for this week.

Alabama surges to the top, Texas falls to #2, and Florida winds up at #3. Well, you have to put all of them somewhere, and I guess they will just be taking turns on my ballot for a while.

There were relatively few big games last week, so what we had is a series of humdrum games, with none of the top teams really having the opportunity to prove their superiority. I guess that will happen for sure when Alabama and Florida face off in the SEC championship. Texas' only remaining games are against fading Kansas, mediocre Texas A&M and Nebraska in the Big 12 championship, so they will likely be in the BCS championship game versus the winner of the SEC championship game.

My ballot follows the jump.

Rank	Team	Delta

1	Alabama	2
2	Texas	1
3	Florida	1
4	Cincinnati
5	TCU
6	Boise State
7	Georgia Tech	1
8	Pittsburgh	1
9	Oregon	2
10	Ohio State	2
11	Stanford	8
12	Iowa	2
13	Oklahoma State	3
14	LSU	1
15	Virginia Tech	3
16	Houston	7
17	Penn State	3
18	Clemson	4
19	Miami (Florida)	5
20	Southern Cal	7
21	North Carolina	2
22	Wisconsin	3
23	Oregon State
24	Nebraska
25	Navy
Last week's ballot

Dropped Out: Utah (#17), Arizona (#21), Auburn (#24).

Comments

Southern Cal is fading faster than a pair of bleached bluejeans on a sunny day.
Navy makes an appearance, which they honestly deserve. Go Navy, Beat Army!
North Carolina continues to hang in the ACC, and Miami is looking like a shell of the top 10 team earlier this year. But Georgia Tech is the class of the conference.
Clemson continues its turn-around from its early season swoon.
Ohio State is making a move, and an impressive one. Barring a loss to Michigan, the Big 10 will have to chose between Iowa or Ohio State for their champ. Not sure how that is done these days.
Cincinnati continues to impress. Where will they be when one of the two SEC teams finally lose, as must happen?
If Georgia Tech beats Georgia, they will likely take over the #6 spot from Boise State on my ballot.
How about the Stanford Cardinal? Talk about coming out of nowhere.
Bad loss to UCF by Houston dropped them way down, but barring a catastrophe, they should win out.

Your comments are welcome, and appreciated.

Miami (OH) RedHawks, 70 @ Kentucky, 72 -- Postmortem

2009-11-17T04:47:23Z

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Daniel Orton -- bloody, but unbowed.

Browse more photos »

Wow. Just wow. At Kentucky, we don't expect to have barnburners in the second game of the year, even though we have sufferd through them in each of the last three years. I know many UK fans were seeing visions of VMI and Gardner-Webb dance in their heads. But not this time.

First of all, I have no words for the Miami RedHawks. They were just incredible. 15-26 from three point range is some of the best perimeter shooting I have ever heard of, and Nick Winbush's 80% on 10 shots is simply breathtaking. Superlatives fail me. At the end of the day, it was only by dint of the most furious of all-out efforts that UK was able to prevail, by the narrowest of margins. Folks, coming in to Rupp Arena, whether you are Miami of Ohio or North Carolina, and barely missing by two points is a moral victory, if there really is such a thing.

It would be easy for me to find fault with the Wildcats, as there is plenty of fault to go around. But we'll get to that later. First, I want to remark on the absolute playoff atmosphere in Rupp Arena. Never in recent memory have I seen a home crowd so into the basketball game, so animated, so determined to push the Wildcats over the top. And that's what happened, I think. I think the crowd was just enough to make the difference. Remarkable.

I have to admit a certain ... Zen feeling about this game. Unlike many games in the recent past, I never thought we would lose, even at the very last. I cannot say that about the Wildcat teams for the last four years before now. I was always pessimistic, for whatever reason. But whatever the cause, I was never upset too much, and I kept my composure remarkably well during the whole game. What does that mean? I have no idea.

More after the jump.

I think ... no, I am absolutely positive that John Calipari learned far more than the team did tonight. He not only learned about the team, but about himself. Calipari has approached this season a bit like an emperor who has the favor of the people -- a man who not only expects to succeed, but darn well knows he will.

Oh, Coach Cal has been humble in person, and dutifully warned us that the team will look ugly at first, but all that pretense has not been able to hide the mien of an emperor. I'd be willing to bet he doesn't feel much like an emperor right now.

But all that I can say about the coach goes double for the team. They strode onto the floor like kings, claiming a cachet of greatness that they have yet to earn, despite the accolades heaped on them by the fans and media. I'd be willing to wager a significant amount that a bunch of AAU supermen will now better understand that college basketball will be different, even at their skill level.

Here are a few observations:

DeMarcus left the building in the second half, and Bad Cuz showed up. Just in time.
John Wall has a lot to learn about when to try to beat a man off the dribble, and what it means to do so.
Patrick Patterson is really good, even suffering from apparent dehydration.
Both Wall and Bledsoe have to learn to be stronger with the basketball.
I don't often complain about the officiating, but tonight, it was abysmal.
The RedHawks were not intimidated by Kentucky. That's a problem, don't you think? Clearly, the last four years will not disappear quickly, nor all at once.
Kentucky's defense was much better in the second half than the first, but it will not excite Coach Cal. Nor should it.
John Wall made the game winner in his first game. I can't decide whether that is a good omen, or a bad one.
Daniel Orton played great until the head butt. I liked the fact he demanded to return.
UK had better improve their free throw shooting, and Calipari had better take that seriously. It cost him a national championship, and nearly cost us the game.
Miami's transition defense was the best I have seen in years. Years. It was almost perfect.
15 turnovers is okay. It didn't seem okay, because so many were live, but that number is fine.
UK had only 11 assists. I think that's a problem.
You'd think after being burned by the same guy four or five times, UK would have found him. In this game, you'd be wrong.
What took Calipari so long to get Dodson into the game? I thought he was going to do a Gillispie.
Speaking of Dodson, what a lift he was!
John Wall had as many turnovers as he had assists.
UK shot 54% from 3-point range and almost lost.
UK had several incredible defensive stands tonight, but against better teams, they would not have gone as well.

All in all, it was an amazing win against a team that should have beaten us. Miami was one of the hottest teams from outside I have ever seen, and as the game wore on, many of those shots were not clean looks -- they just made them. At this precise moment, I am still a bit in shock that Kentucky actually managed to come out on top. UK was completely outplayed in the first half, and just stayed even in the second. How did we win? Determination and Rupp Arena would be my guess, as well as a 22-14 foul advantage and 37-25 rebound advantage.

Hopefully, it gets better from here.

Miami (OH) RedHawks @ University of Kentucky Wildcats -- Open Game Thread

2009-11-16T23:36:33Z

This is the official A Sea of Blue Open Game Thread for the Miami (OH) RedHawks versus the Kentucky Wildcats. Here are the game particulars, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:

Date & Time Monday, Nov. 16 7:00 p.m
Coverage TV: FS South/BBSN (coverage details) Radio: BBSN
GameTracker
Online Audio
Online Video via ESPN360
Location Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.

More following the jump:

Some quick facts about the Miami RedHawks:

Head Coach Charlie Coles
Record at School 244-169 (14th season)
2008 Record 17-13, 10-6 MAC
Ranking Not ranked
Series Record Kentucky leads 21-4 (somebody must've found a couple of games)
Last Meeting Kentucky defeated Miami 57-46 in 2006

The cool thing about this game is that it will be the first time that John Wall and Eric Bledsoe have had the opportunity to play together in front of a Rupp Arena crowd. That should be very exciting, because both players have, at various times, dominated games utterly. It will be amazing to see how good they can be together.

Here are some questions I'd like to see answered, or at least the answers suggested, tonight:

How dynamic is the dynamic duo of Wall and Bledsoe?
Can Patrick Patterson continue to gain confidence from the perimeter?
Will Jon Hood be able to see action?
Will DeMarcus Cousins play like Randolph Morris, or the #2 recruit in the land?
Can Darnell Dodson continue his outstanding play?
Will Darius Miller again disappear, or will the assert himself?
Will Calipari change his offense to adapt to a sagging man or zone?
Can the 'Cats keep turnovers under 20?

I'm sure you have questions, too. Hopefully, we will all get an idea of what the answers are, or may be.

Final score prediction: Kentucky, 91, Miami 68.

Go, 'Cats

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Miami (OH) Redhawks -- Pre-game Analysis

2009-11-16T22:00:42Z

by Ed Reinke - AP

Heeeerrreees Johnny!

View full size photo »

We continue with four straight days of Kentucky Wildcats sports today with men's basketball -- the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks.

In this post, I'll be breaking down the game (insofar as possible with the very few games played so far) and look at what we can expect from the RedHawks this evening in Rupp Arena.

The RedHawks have played one official game so far this year, and two pre-season exhibitions, just like Kentucky. The RedHawks won both exhibitions, but lost their opener to Towson State, 82-71. In that contest, Miami had the lead early in the second half, but turnovers and excellent Towson free-trhow shooting ultimately doomed the RedHawks, and Towson shot 58% eFG for the game to pull away in the second half.

Last season, the RedHawks were 17-13 for the season and 10-6 in the MAC Eastern Division. Miami returns 9 players from last year, losing 5. The RedHawks and the Wildcats have met 23 times previously, with Kentucky prevailing in 20 of those contests. The last time the RedHawks defeated the Wildcats was in 1927.

A further analysis after the jump.

Roster

No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Pos.	Year	Hometown/High School	Status	Pts	FG%	Reb	Asst	Stl	Blk
00	Drew Kelly	6-7	253	Forward	FR	Franklin, TN/Centennial
1	Rodney Haddix II	6-3	220	Guard	JR	Georgetown, KY/Scott County	Starter	5	28.6	2	0	4	0
11	Sean Mock	6-6	207	Forward	RS JR	Oxford, OH/Talawanda
12	Kramer Soderberg	6-0	174	Guard	SO	St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West	Starter	8	50	3	4	1	0
13	Michael Aluise	6-5	200	Guard/Forward	SR	Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier
14	Kenny Hayes	6-2	183	Guard	RS SR	Dayton, OH/Northmont	Starter	17	38.5	4	6	0	0
15	Orlando Williams	6-4	173	Guard	FR	Cincinnati, OH/Princeton	Major cont.	5	66.7	0	0	0	0
20	Nick Winbush	6-7	226	Forward	JR	Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights	Starter	11	57.1	5	2	0	3
3	Allen Roberts	6-3	211	Guard	FR	Middletown, OH/Middletown
35	Antonio Ballard	6-4	222	Guard/Forward	RS JR	Jeffersonville, IN/Jeffersonville	Major cont.	8	80	6	2	1	1
4	Julian Mavunga	6-8	245	Forward	SO	Indianapolis, IN/Brownsburg	Major cont.	6	50	2	0	0	1
40	Adam Thomas	6-7	227	Forward	RS SO	Springboro, OH/Springboro
41	Adam Fletcher	6-9	241	Center	RS SR	St. Albans, WV/St. Albans	Starter	11	60	7	1	0	0
50	Drew McGhee	6-11	231	Center	FR	North Ridgeville, OH/North Ridgeville
55	Vince Legarza	6-9	246	Center	RS FR	San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius Prep

Statistical analysis (courtesy of KenPom.com)

Scouting Report
Stats include games through Sunday, November 15
against D-I teams only
	Miami (OH)		Kentucky
Category	Offense	Defense	Offense	Defense	D-I Avg
Adj. Efficiency:	103.5 [121]	108.7 [231]	100.7 [155]	92.3 [52]	101.2
Adj. Tempo:	69.5 [166]	70.4	71.4 [111]	70.4
Four Factors
Effective FG%:	53.8 [83]	57.0 [229]	53.8 [83]	41.5 [54]	49.1
Turnover %:	29.1 [257]	16.0 [235]	33.1 [272]	16.6 [225]	21.2
Off. Reb. %:	50.0 [8]	32.8 [143]	55.8 [2]	30.5 [105]	33.1
FTA/FGA:	42.3 [124]	43.9 [173]	53.8 [53]	18.5 [25]	39.7
Miscellaneous Components
3P%:	37.5 [85]	35.7 [167]	21.1 [241]	16.7 [14]	33.6
2P%:	52.8 [94]	58.1 [241]	66.7 [10]	51.2 [170]	48.5
FT%:	68.2 [131]	68.0 [148]	67.9 [135]	41.7 [5]	67.6
Block%:	19.4 [261]	11.6 [85]	6.1 [93]	19.5 [18]	9.3
Steal%:	14.6 [250]	8.7 [157]	12.4 [227]	4.1 [260]	9.7
Style Components
3PA/FGA:	30.8 [158]	24.6 [51]	36.5 [91]	36.9 [199]	32.5
A/FGM:	60.0 [78]	63.3 [223]	46.2 [189]	44.0 [85]	52.4
Defensive Fingerprint:	Mostly Man		Mostly Man
Point Distribution (% of total points)
3-Pointers:	25.4 [137]	18.3 [212]	16.0 [230]	20.3 [186]	26.2
2-Pointers:	53.5 [135]	61.0 [62]	58.7 [74]	71.2 [17]	52.4
Free Throws:	21.1 [144]	20.7 [148]	25.3 [81]	8.5 [266]	21.5
Strength of Schedule
Components:	111.2 [25]	101.1 [128]	89.3 [247]	104.0 [160]	101.2
Overall:	0.7494 [74]	.5000	0.1472 [225]	.5000
Non-conference:	0.7494 [74]	.5000	0.1472 [225]	.5000
Personnel
Bench Minutes:	0.0% [0]	0.0%	0.0% [0]	0.0%
Experience:	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00	0.00 yrs [0]	0.00
Effective Height:	+0.0 [0]	0.0	+0.0 [0]	0.0
Average Height:	0.0" [0]	0.0"	0.0" [0]	0.0"

You will notice that I highlighted the difference in point distribution 3-pointers. Miami takes many more than Kentucky, which is no surprise to anyone.

At this early juncture, these stats aren't terribly meaningful, but directionally, the do give us some indication of what to expect. In their first game this season, Kentucky was very inefficient offensively, but they shot the ball well from 2 and did a very good job of rebounding the basketball, as you would expect from the taller Wildcats.

Tonight we should see pretty much the same sort of thing as we saw versus Morehead, only Miami does not have a player that is as accomplished or athletic as Kenneth Faried. Miami is mostly a man-to-man team, but I would expect to see some zone from them tonight.

As you can see by their tempo statistic, in their first game they ran a bit more than Morehead wanted to do against UK. Miami may well try to slow the tempo to prevent the more athletic 'Cats, and particularly John Wall, from turning the game into a track meet that they cannot win. But Miami likes to play faster than the Eagles, and it will be interesting to see how much they try to combat that tendency.

Kentucky is far bigger, stronger and athletic inside, and that will probably equate to a big rebouding edge for the 'Cats, particularly if the Redhawks try to use a sagging man defense against Kentucky, as I expect. Miami does not take very good care of the ball (or at least, they haven't so far), so assuming UK turns the ball over less with John Wall in the game, as is widely expected, Kentucky could exploit Miami turnovers for some easy points.

This early in the season, detailed analysis is really hard, but I would expect Kentucky to try some different things versus the sagging defenses than mindlessly throwing up the always-available three-pointer that UK is going to see a lot of this year. It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff adjusts to the UK weakness shooting the ball from the outside.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Big Blue Everywhere Edition

2009-11-16T13:10:15Z

by Mark Humphrey - AP

Goin' bowling, baby!

View full size photo »

Today's edition of the Big Blue Daily Mail comes near the end of a four-day stretch in which Kentucky continues to win games in every discipline -- men's basketball on Friday, football on Saturday and women's basketball on Sunday.

Tonight, the Wildcats welcome the Miami (OH) Redhawks into Rupp Arena for a men's basketball contest that will see John Wall and Eric Bledsoe play together for the first time this season. I expect some serious fireworks as UK puts its best team on the floor.

After Xavier Henry's 27-point performance on Friday night, some are now hoping that Wall will somehow improve on that. Not only is that not necessary, it is not even desirable. College basketball is a team game, and what I hope to see tonight is team basketball -- and I expect I will.

Midnight tonight marks the beginning of the 24 hours of hoops marathon on the ESPN family of TV stations. Rush the Court, incredibly, will be live-blogging the entire marathon. All I can say is, "You go, guys." Be sure to check back with them frequently to find out what's happening from work.

The news follows the jump.

Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: What a difference a Cobb and Locke make! UK becomes bowl eligible with 24-13 win over Vandy
I know that a lot of Kentucky fans are impatient to take the next step and they are now even questions the strength of schedule that allows UK to become bowl eligible. I have said before that as long as Florida can compete for national titles and be a top the BCS polls by playing 3 patsies and FSU every year, I have no problem at all with UK playing UL and teams like EKU and WKU.

Paul makes a great point here. For the schedule detractors, keep in mind that many successful teams in the SEC use the same strategy as UK.
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Will other prospects join Stacey Poole in early signing period?
Paul Jordan and Wildcat Blue in a Sea of Orange bring us a good recruiting update.
RedHawks will have their hands full at No. 4 UK
"Kentucky ... I don’t know if we’ve played anybody that talented before," Coles said. "It’s by far the best freshman group we’ve ever gone up against."

UK probably has the best freshman group in at least the last 20 years.
UK's Wall ready for college debut | KentuckySports.com
With his belated college debut at hand, Kentucky freshman John Wall expects to be nervous at tip-off Monday night against Miami (Ohio).

"If you don't have jitters going into a game, you're not a basketball player," he said Sunday.

Heh. I agree, especially when you are going to be playing under an electron microscope and expected to jump over tall players with a single bound.
Danny Jett's Inner Circle: A Redhawk Review......A Look At Miami (OH)
Vols lose to Ole Miss: 3 Tennessee football players arrested could have caused loss
Excuses, excuses.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Morning Five: 11.16.09 Edition
There will be no criminal charges filed stemming from the brawls between the Kansas football and basketball teams on September 22 and 23 of this year, but it would have been nice if Bill Self had taken more of an active role in punishing those responsible.

Offered without comment.
Rumely sets UK assist mark | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Heels hang on to beat Valparaiso - North Carolina - NewsObserver.com
The sixth-ranked Tar Heels (3-0) managed to top Valparaiso 88-77 Sunday at the Smith Center, but if their performance continues to look effort-less instead of effortless, it could be a bumpier-than-expected season for what's left of the defending national champions.

UNC will get better. Don't get cocky.
5 things to watch this week - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
Let the hype begin!

Two heralded freshmen make their debuts Monday: Kentucky’s John Wall and Cincinnati’s Lance Stephenson. Expect fireworks from both.

Indeed.
Cats fans to see full backcourt | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Wall, a 6-foot-4 point guard, is regarded as the nation's best incoming freshman.

He'd have to put on quite a show, though, to have the season's splashiest debut.

I just want the guy to play well. Forget Xavier Henry's great performance, just go out there and play.
Miami (Ohio)-Kentucky Preview - Nov. 15, 2009 - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Behind one of its talented freshmen, Kentucky played well in its season opener. Things could go even better when its top recruit finally takes the court.
UK notes: Miller 'trying to figure it out' | KentuckySports.com
Miller said he couldn't explain his slow start to the season: averaging 7.5 points in two exhibition games and then going scoreless (and taking only four shots) in 32 minutes against Morehead State.

Darius Miller is a great player, he just has to be more aggressive offensively.
CatsPause.com - Calipari warns 'old school' Miami will be challenge
"They have a nice little scheme that they are running. It looks a lot like a Florida team," UK coach John Calipari said Sunday. "If you try to go under, they roll. They'll slip the screen. A lot of the stuff is the same as the way Florida plays."
March Madness All Season: Friday, Nov. 13 Observations
UK notebook: 'D' is key to Cal's success | KentuckySports.com
Despite the hubbub about Kentucky players needing to adjust to the dribble-drive offense, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas says there's a bigger — and more important — adjustment the Wildcats must make for new coach John Calipari this season.

"I think that biggest adjustment will be on defense," Bilas said on an ESPN teleconference last week. "Cal's teams won over the years not because of offense."

Bilas, as usual, gets it right.
No. 1 Jayhawks in Tigers' sights "
"Yeah, it's been a while since Memphis has been an underdog, so a lot of people will be rooting for us," junior guard Roburt Sallie said. "It should be an exciting game. Everybody wants to see the No. 1 team go down."
Miami’s point guard, defense worry Calipari | Vaught's Views
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Calipari still mum on Liggin's status

Vanderbilt in the Rear-View Mirror

2009-11-15T23:01:55Z

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Derrick Locke -- 5'9" of determination, power and speed.

Browse more photos »

Kentucky is now assured of its fourth .500 or better regular season in four years, and is bowl eligible for the fourth straight time. That's a good feeling for Wildcat fans who have suffered through the unfortunate loss of Jeremy Jarmon, the mid-season loss of Mike Hartline, the long absence of Trevard Lindley, and various injuries to Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke which cost the Wildcats.

Did I say a good feeling? It's a great feeling.

Looking back at the game, Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal says the Vandy win was unconvincing.

Unless something surprising happens over the next two games, that's going to be the story of the season: a team that did what it was supposed to do but nothing more.

Given the inordinate and costly injuries, I'd say Kentucky deserves more credit than that, but from a macro standpoint, you have to say that Crawford isn't far off. Chris Low of ESPN, however, has an alternative viewpoint more favorable to the Wildcats:

It's no secret that Rich Brooks has done a terrific job in elevating Kentucky's program to a level of respectability, but this may be one of his better jobs when you consider all the injuries the Wildcats have endured this season.

More after the jump.

John Clay thinks that UK has what it takes to win out:

Second half on this Saturday, the Cats outgained the Commodores 225-31. The visitors had 13 first downs the final two quarters, the home team had one. Vanderbilt did not convert a single third down.

It is remarkable what the defense was able to do in the second half, and it was laudable that Brooks & Co. made the decision to stick with Morgan Newton. It required Cobb and Derrick Locke to sacrifice their bodies with a bunch of carries, but Vandy simply wasn't able to stop the Wildcats' running game, and the coaching staff decided that they were going to run it until Vandy stopped them, which did eventually happen. Then Newton was able to find some open receivers and put the game out of reach.

Finally, it seems that Mike Hartline is done for the season, which is probably good for him and the team, under the difficult circumstances:

Brooks says the speed of the game injured the knee enough to warrant surgery. True freshman Morgan Newton will remain the starter, while receiver Randall Cobb will continue to take between 10 and 20 snaps a game in the spread offense formation.

I wish Mike well, and a quick recovery. Now, the quarterback controversy is over and done with. Newton is the man, and we will live or die with him taking the lion's share of the snaps this year. Hartline will have a chance to win the job back as a senior, and if his recovery from surgery is as strong as Derrick Locke's, I think he will.

This was a big win for a banged-up UK team trying not to take a step back, and it is a credit to their determination that they refused to give up in a hostile arena when giving up would have been easy. I credit the leadership of Cobb, Locke and Newton, who played football like full grown men. Congratulations to them.

Now, on to Athens!

Kentucky 24, Vanderbilt 13 -- Postmortem

2009-11-14T20:51:51Z

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Derrick Locke's power and speed was critical to the 'Cats win over Vanderbilt.

Browse more photos »

I am very, very happy to report that Kentucky has won their second SEC road game this year and is now eligible for a bowl for the fourth straight year. Congrats to the football Wildcats on a big win at Vandy today.

Vanderbilt was a very, very tough and determined opponent, but their problem today was the same as it has been all year -- they have not been able to put enough points on the board. Vandy's defense was extremely tough today in the passing game, but they were vulnerable over the ground as they have been all year. Kentucky finally figured that out and exploited it to great advantage in the second half.

Derrick Locke was absolutely awesome, and his running mate Randall Cobb was almost his equal. We saw trick plays, circus catches, and two tipped interceptions. As usual in the Vanderbilt game, we found that the foe was much tougher than we expected, and that was very nearly the Wildcats' undoing.

But at the end of the day, Kentucky was superior offensively. The 'Cats also made some nice halftime adjustments defensively, and Steve Brown & Co. held the Commodores without a score the entire second half. I was taking Brown's name in vain at halftime, but he made up for all that with a well-played second half.

My observations follow the jump.

Special teams was fantastic today in almost every respect. The one problem was two blocking in the back calls that wasted two fine returns by Randall Cobb. A-
What a difference a half makes! Vanderbilt absolutely dominated Kentucky in time of possession in the first half, and ground the Wildcat defense down to a nub. But in the second half, it was almost exactly reversed.
Joker Phillips called a weak first half, and a strong second half. I'll give him a B for this game, and a star for realizing that Vandy could not stop us on the ground.
Brooks gets a B also, and a star for whatever it was he said at halftime.
Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke are like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid -- two different players who achieve nearly identical results. Locke gets his with speed and power, and Cobb gets his with remarkable shiftiness. A+ for both.
The halfback pass was a nice wrinkle. We should dust that off again. Locke threw a nice ball.
Morgan Newton played a very poised game, and I hope the Hartline experimentation is over for this year. I like Hartline's experience, but he is clearly not ready to play and Newton improves every game. Let's hope Brooks hitches his wagon to Newton's star. That rocket he threw over the middle to LaRod King was a big reason we won this game. I'm not sure Hartline could have made that throw. B for Newton.
Speaking of LaRod King, was he a great find for Brooks or what? B+
Where the heck was Chris Matthews? C- After further review, B. Matthews made more good blocks on the outside than I gave him credit for.
Why don't we get John Connor a few more carries?
Ryan Tydlacka was simply awesome today. Best game as a Wildcat, by far. A+
Memo to Joker Phillips -- remember the offensive line you have is great. Let them help us win games.
The D-line was not good today, but the secondary was incredible in the second half.
Please let Trevard Lindley be OK. Cobb too.

Next week -- The Dawgs and 'Cats duke it out between the hedges in Athens.

Go, Cats!

Kentucky @ Vanderbilt: Pre-game and Open Game Thread

2009-11-14T16:15:16Z

by Ed Reinke - AP

We need a little Cobb today.

View full size photo »

This is the official A Sea of Blue Open Game Thread for the Kentucky Wildcats @ Vanderbilt Commodores football game. This thread will also serve as the pre-game, since neither Ken nor I have had the chance to do a separate one.

Game particulars are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:

Date & Time Saturday, Nov. 14 12:21 p.m
Coverage TV: SEC Network * Radio: BBSN
GameTracker
Online Audio
Online Video via ESPN360
Location Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, Tenn.
Gameday Information

It goes without saying that any game where bowl eligibility is on the line is a big game for Kentucky, and this is such a game. Without the unfortunate home loss to Mississippi St., Kentucky would be looking at this game being the icing on an improved season over last year. Now, this is a pivotal contest upon which the football Wildcats' post-season hopes could easily be riding.

If UK fails to win this game, it's bowl hopes will ride on defeating either Georgia in Athens or a rising Tennessee squad in Commonwealth Stadium. Both those games present significantly more obstacles to success than Vanderbilt does. Bottom line -- win this game, Wildcats, or the odds are your post-season hopes go up in a cloud of gold and black smoke.

More after the jump.

Team statistical comparison:

Team Statistics	Kentucky	Opponents	Team Statistics	Vanderbilt	Opponents
Scoring: Points/Game	27.1	22.7	Scoring: Points/Game	16.7	22.5
Scoring: Games - Points	9 - 244	9 - 204	Scoring: Games - Points	10 - 167	10 - 225
First Downs: Total	180	164	First Downs: Total	163	174
First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	98 - 72 - 10	82 - 72 - 10	First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	85 - 70 - 8	101 - 64 - 9
Rushing: Yards / Attempt	4.64	4.83	Rushing: Yards / Attempt	4.47	4.22
Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	372 - 1727 - 19	351 - 1694 - 13	Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	384 - 1715 - 12	442 - 1865 - 15
Passing: Rating	109.51	106.01	Passing: Rating	88.82	118.10
Passing: Yards	1386	1529	Passing: Yards	1465	1667
Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	243 - 138 - 9 - 9	245 - 119 - 12 - 11	Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	293 - 140 - 8 - 4	256 - 144 - 9 - 11
Total Offense: Yards / Play	5.1	5.4	Total Offense: Yards / Play	4.7	5.1
Total Offense: Plays - Yards	615 - 3113	596 - 3223	Total Offense: Plays - Yards	677 - 3180	698 - 3532
Punt Returns: Yards / Return	14.83	7.00	Punt Returns: Yards / Return	4.12	10.97
Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	18 - 267 - 1	7 - 49 - 1	Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	26 - 107 - 0	31 - 340 - 0
Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	23.71	21.92	Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	23.33	19.67
Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	38 - 901 - 1	39 - 855 - 0	Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	45 - 1050 - 3	36 - 708 - 0
Punting: Yards / Punt	38.76	37.30	Punting: Yards / Punt	41.84	42.65
Punting: Punts - Yards	41 - 1589	47 - 1753	Punting: Punts - Yards	70 - 2929	60 - 2559
Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	12 - 183 - 2	9 - 64 - 0	Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	9 - 85 - 0	8 - 102 - 0
Fumbles: Number - Lost	12 - 6	8 - 3	Fumbles: Number - Lost	20 - 6	11 - 7
Penalties: Number - Yards	42 - 373	53 - 424	Penalties: Number - Yards	66 - 515	53 - 442
Time of Possession / Game	30:10.22	29:49.11	Time of Possession / Game	25:56.10	34:03.90
3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	40.6%	40.6%	3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	35.8%	37.27%
3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	133 - 54	133 - 54	3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	162 - 58	161 - 60
4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	73.68%	52.94%	4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	50%	53.33%
4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	19 - 14	17 - 9	4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	12 - 6	15 - 8
Red Zone: Success %	80%	73.53%	Red Zone: Success %	70.97%	85.71%
Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	35 - 28	34 - 25	Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	31 - 22	28 - 24
Field Goals: Success %	63.6%	66.7%	Field Goals: Success %	68.8%	100%
Field Goals: Attempts - Made	11 - 7	9 - 6	Field Goals: Attempts - Made	16 - 11	15 - 15
PAT Kicking: Success %	93.5%	92.3%	PAT Kicking: Success %	100%	96%
PAT Kicking: Attempts - Made	31 - 29	26 - 24	PAT Kicking: Attempts - Made	18 - 18	25 - 24
2-Point Conversions: Success %	0%	0%	2-Point Conversions: Success %	0%	0%
2-Point Conversions: Attempts - Made	1 - 0	1 - 0	2-Point Conversions: Attempts - Made	1 - 0	1 - 0

Analysis:

The Commodores have not been successful this year, even by their standards. Their offense has been unable to put enough points on the board, even while their defense has been firmly mid-pack in the SEC, better than Kentucky's defense in almost every category.

Kentucky has been better, but not much better. The 'Cats have suffered from many critical injuries, although most of the worst have now resolved themselves and Kentucky is closer to 100% today than they have been in almost six weeks.

Offense

Offensively, senior Mackenzie Adams will start his second straight game as quarterback today. Last year, Kentucky faced dual-threat Chris Nickson in a loss in Commonwealth Stadium, so this will be the first time we have faced Adams, more of a pro-style quarterback than Nickson.

In the running game, freshman tailbacks Zac Stacey and Warren Norman continue to produce for the Commodores, and will be the main ground threat. The Commodores rank last in the entire NCAA in time of possession, and as you can see above, have really struggled to get the ball into the end zone.

Defense

Senior Patrick Benoist and sophomore Chris Marve, two excellent Vanderbilt linebackers, will be key to stopping UK's running attack today. Vanderbilt is currently 11th against the run in the SEC, one spot better than Kentucky. Senior defensive ends Broderick Stewart and Steven Stone will be pressuring whoever the UK quarterback du jour is.

The Vandy secondary is third in the league even with Wildcat-killer D.J. Moore having graduated. Senior cornerback Myron Lewis and safety Brent Trice anchor the second level of the Commodore defense.

Conclusion

The quarterback quandary makes this game tough to call. Vanderbilt is not likely to stop Derrick Locke & Co. on the ground, because they haven't stopped anybody on the ground all year. The question is, can Kentucky put in enough passing efficiency to provide the balance they will need to consistently move the football on the 'Dores defense in Nashville?

Of course, do-everything football player Randall Cobb is a bit of a question mark in this game with a jammed thumb. How will that effect his ability to catch and hold the football? We don't yet know.

Finally, there are defensive stalwarts Trevard Lindley and Micah Johnson. Are they close enough to 100% to impose their will on this game? If so, it could make an anemic Vandy offense look positively futile.

There is not much doubt that Kentucky is a better football team on paoer than Vanderbilt, but that has often meant little in this series. Vanderbilt has played a tougher schedule this year than Kentucky, and the Wildcats will seem like a kiss from mother compared to some of the teams they have played recently. That could give them confidence, and they already have the home field advantage.

I see it like this: Kentucky 27, Vanderbilt 13.

Kentucky 75, Morehead State 59 -- After Action Report

2009-11-14T02:18:23Z

by Ed Reinke - AP

Do it this way, guys!

View full size photo »

First of all, I want to thank the Morehead State Eagles from coming into a hostile arena against a much more talented team and showing everyone how important experience is in college basketball. Morehead gave a fantastic account of themselves, and Kenneth Faried showed tonight why he has a chance to play basketball for money somewhere when he graduates from Morehead. Donnie Tyndall's team will likely be a force again this year in the OVC, and they gave Kentucky plenty to think about.

Okay, now to the Wildcats. There is a big difference in Kentucky with John Wall, and without. Eric Bledsoe is a remarkable talent, and he had a really good game tonight, but here is the stat that you don't want to see -- 4 assists and 7 turnovers. That is not a good line out of your point guard, no matter how many points he scores. And Bledsoe scored plenty -- 7-14 for 24 points overall, including a dipsy-doo whacko shot that will be a SportsCenter highlight tonight.

Kentucky, once again, was plagued by turnovers. But the real problem is, they were plagued by bad shots. Yes, I know, the three is open against a sagging zone like Morehead employed tonight, and the DDM is not as effective against a zone, especially one that essentially concedes the three-point shot. But Kentucky was not patient and was too frenetic in their offensive effort in the half court.

On the upside, I really liked our effort on defense, particularly all the players giving up their body for charges. UK is long and tall and will get a ton of blocks this year, but they really showed exactly how that is done tonight, managing eight blocks. When this team really runs the floor, it is hard to get back fast enough to have any hope of stopping them. It will be even tougher with Wall in the lineup.

Here are tonight's observations:

DeMarcus Cousins reminded me a lot of Randolph Morris tonight. I hope that doesn't continue.
Patrick Patterson was a true monster, with an easy double-double. That's the Patterson we need to see this year.
Darnell Dodson continues to play well offensively. He needs to be a bit more focused on defense.
Eric Bledsoe is off the charts as an athlete. He really showed his full range of athleticism tonight.
Perry Stevenson again gave good minutes in limited action. 3 rebounds in 14 minutes is not bad.
Darius Miller must become more of a factor. He totally drifted this whole game.
Daniel Orton is getting better every game. He needs to be more aggressive offensively.
Ramon Harris does what he does -- give total effort. He got 21 minutes tonight, and even though he didn't make much of an impact on the stats, he was excellent defensively and was a steadying influence on the team, as a senior should be.
Watching Calipari was really instructive tonight. Gone is Dr. Feel Good, who has been replacedy by Judge Dread.
I loved the crowd. They were big and bad, just like they should be.
Did Jimmy Dykes defend Calipari eloquently, or what?
No DeAndre Liggins at all tonight, and very little Josh Harrellson. I think I know what Harrellson means, but Liggins?

Overall, it was a good game for the 'Cats, and an imprvement over every game so far. Just imagine John Wall and Eric Bledsoe together. Just imagine that. Chills run up my spine just thinking about it.

1-0. Go Cats!

Morehead State versus Kentucky: Open Game Thread

2009-11-13T23:15:18Z

We have finally arrived at the 2009-10 UK basketball season opener! I'm opening this thread a few minutes early to get it warmed up for the big game.

Tonight, Kentucky welcomes Donnie Tyndall and his Morehead State Eagles into Rupp Arena for some basketball action. The particulars of this game are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:

Date & Time: Friday, Nov. 13 6:30 p.m
Coverage TV: ESPNU
Radio: BBSN
GameTracker
Online Audio
Location Rupp Arena Lexington, Ky.

More after the jump

Well, here we are, ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation -- at Game 1 of the John Calipari era. I personally have not been able to get a thing done all day for checking out the blog and thinking about the game. It's a bit ... less than satisfying that it isn't some pre-season tournament against a high-profile foe, but Donnie Tyndall and his daughter really captured my heart last year in the NCAA tournament, and I am really glad to be welcoming he and his team into Rupp Arena for a tilt with the new-look 'Cats.

I know it is natural for us to fret about games, particularly early season games with new players, but this Kentucky team, unlike some in recent years, has a truly overwhelming advantage in talent, size, and skill. Overwhelming, and I mean that in the most fundamental sense of the word.

It is not beyond possibility that UK could lose tonight. I remember well the Gardner-Webb debacle. But that was a different time, with a far, far less talented group and a far, far less accomplished coach. In effect, there is no rational comparison of then to now.

So in short, I expect Kentucky to dominate Morehead State tonight, and I will be most unhappy if they do not. The Eagles return six players from last year, but they lost quite a bit as well, and Morehead is not known recently for fast starts. This team is far better than either of the other two teams UK has faced to date, but by now, we should expect to see some progress, both in conditioning and in the DDM attack.

So enjoy the game, my friends, and welcome college basketball back to the Bluegrass!

GO, CATS!

Kentucky vs. Morehead State -- Pre-game Analysis

2009-11-13T21:57:33Z

by Ed Reinke - AP

Expect to see a lot of Eric Bledsoe taking the ball to the hole tonight.

View full size photo »

Tonight, Kentucky takes on the Eagles of Morehead State, a Kentucky college. Like most Kentucky colleges, the Eagles have had some success in the basketball arena over the years, and last year made it to the NCAA tournament where they nearly knocked off the #1 seeded Louisville Cardinals. This is the season opener for the Wildcats, and as such is a very significant game.

Kentucky has had shocking failures early in the season in recent history. Last year, UK lost to Virginia Military Institute 111-103 in its season opener. The year before that, UK won the season opener only to lose its second game to Gardner-Webb (then affectionately known as "Gardener-Who?") 88-64 in a contest that wasn't even that close.

But Tubby Smith had a few tough years with early games, too. In 2001-02, Kentucky narrowly defeated exhibition opponent Athletes in Action, 88-83, in overtime, then went on to lose its season opener to Western Kentucky, 64-52. In 2000-01, Kentucky lost it's first two games of the season versus St. Johns and UCLA in the Coaches Vs. Cancer tournament.

As you can see, slow starts are not unknown to the Wildcats in the new millennium.

But tonight marks a new era in Kentucky basketball, and despite some trepidation about facing a team that made the NCAA tournament last year and who boasts one of the best rebounders in college basketball in Kenneth Faried, Kentucky comes into this game loaded with size, speed, talent, and an aggressive new offense and defense. This is Kentucky as it has not been since the late Pitino years.

A look at the Morehead State Eagles

Here is the roster for Morehead State:

No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Year	Hometown	High School	Notes
1	Maze Stallworth	F	6-4	215	Sr.	Elizabethtown, Ky.	John Hardin HS	Role player last year, good ballhandler and 3pt. shooter (.380). 3rd leading scorer (12ppg)
2	Jamel Marshall	F	6-5	225	Fr.	Orlando, Fla.	Olympia HS
3	Aaron Williams	G	5-10	175	R-Fr.	Lousiville, Ky.	Dupont Manual HS
5	Rashad Hosea	G	6-3	185	So.	Detroit, Mich.	Cody HS	Not on roster last year.
10	Corey Clemens	G	6-2	175	Fr.	New Castle, Ind.	New Castle Chrysler HS
11	Terrance Hill	G	6-1	170	So.	Columbus, Ga.	Jordan HS	Role player last year, not a 3pt. threat.
13	Ty Proffitt	G	6-4	200	So.	London, Ky.	South Laurel HS	Transf. from Notre Dame. Saw limited action with Irish, may be a good 3 pt. shooter.
15	Brandon Shingles	G	6-3	175	Sr.	Albany, Ga.	Westover HS	Transf. from Abraham Baldwin (Ga.) CC
22	Demonte Harper	G	6-4	185	Jr.	Nashville, Tenn.	Whites Creek HS	Significant contributor last year, average 3pt shooter, good rebounder.
23	David Terrell	F	6-5	225	Jr.	Houston, Tex.	Worthing HS	Transf. from Midland CC
24	Steve Peterson	F	6-5	190	So.	Columbus, Ga.	Jordan HS	Limited role player last year, not a scoring threat.
25	John Lamb	G	6-1	180	Jr.	Indianola, Iowa	Indianola HS	Limited role player last year.
33	Jason Beharie	F	6-9	230	Fr.	London, England	Canarias Basketball Academy
34	Sam Goodman	G	6-2	185	Jr.	Lawrenceville, Ga.	Central Gwinnett HS	Transf. from Northwest Florida State CC
35	Kenneth Faried	F/C	6-8	225	Jr.	Newark, N.J.	Technology HS	Second best defensive rebounder in the country and 8th best offensive rebounder. 2nd leading scorer (13.8), good defender and shot blocker.
45	Les Simmons	F/C	6-7	220	Sr.	Mountainville, N.Y.	Cornwall Central HS	Transf. from Cecil CC

Coaching Staff

Name	Title
Donnie Tyndall	Head Coach
Chris Moore	Assistant Coach
Joel Zimmerman	Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Matt Grady	Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Adam Howard	Director of Men's Basketball Operations

2009-10 Overall Record: 20-16
2009-10 Conference Record/Finish: 12-6 (4th)
Last Postseason Appearance/Record: 2009- NCAA Tournament/1-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Newcomers: 6

Analysis:

The Golden Eagles have a large number of transfers this year, so there is very little known about them at this point. Ty Proffitt may tickle the memories of some, because the class of 2007 recruit out of London, KY was thought to be headed to Kentucky before he was injured, and wound up signing with Notre Dame. He was little used by Mike Brey, and now finds himself playing for Donnie Tyndall.

The Eagles get bigger this year with the addition of 6'9" Jason Beharie from The Canary Islands via England. Obviously, very little is known about this guy.

The Eagles last year were a scrappy, relatively efficient team that was solid defensively and very good on the boards due to the presence of Kenneth Faried. They are a smallish team, and had a tendency to turn the ball over a lot last year. The Eagles started very slowly last year, losing their first six straight games, including a 70-21 decision versus Grambling.

The Eagles are shorter, slower, less athletic and less skilled than Kentucky at every position. The only advantage they seem to have is experience and a solid Division I player in Faried.

Other than that, they have very little with which to challenge Kentucky except verve, grit, and the fact that UK is fielding a 100%, brand-new team under a new coach. That combination of negatives for UK should not be minimized, but it is very difficult to see how the Eagles overcome the overwhelming physical and skill advantages of the Wildcats.

The Eagles will try to control the pace of the game, and if they are able to do that, they may keep the Wildcats from running away and hiding. But my feeling is that they will not be able to slow down Kentucky enough to keep them from mounting a big advantage by late in the first half and cruising to victory.

Projected score: UK 86, Morehead State, 58.

My First Trip to Rupp Arena

2009-11-12T01:02:27Z

[Editor's note: I promoted this from the FanPosts because it is just a great story. I hope you all enjoy (those who didn't read it in the author's earlier comment.]

Just wanted to say thanks to LyricSmith for helping me to recall this story - hope your first trip is a great one. This Fanpost is spot for everyone to relate their favorite experience with going to Rupp (or any UK game)... be it your first one, last one or any memorable one in between. This is my most memorable one. I'm not sure if the Smiths read ASOB, but if they do - I just wanted to say thank you one more time for an awesome experience.

My first trip to Rupp

My first trip actually started in Columbia S.C. My wife (at the time) and I had went to Columbia for the UK vs USC game. UK won handily and after the game we sat around and listened to the post-game radio show in the Coliseum. Then as we went to the parking lot the team bus was arriving so I hung around to get a few autographs. I collected Tayshauns and few more meanwhile my wife had taken up a conversation with a lady smoking a cigarette who turned out to be Donna Smith wife of Tubby Smith. I was thrilled to meet her.

After we were on the road home, my wife was telling me about her conversation with Donna and how she told her we were planning to go to Lexington (even without a ticket )since I had never been to Rupp and had always wanted to go. She tells me that Donna had offered to get us tickets to a game if we ever came to Lexington. I said “yeah right” … she said “no, she gave me her cell phone number” another “yeah right … ok”. So, the next week we headed to Lexington … Donna Smith ticket or not we were on our way.

On the drive up, my wife says “should I call her?” and I was thinking what have we got to lose might as well give it shot. So she dials the number and low and behold Donna Smith answers the phone …. hair stood right up on the back of my neck – I swear. She asked how long would it be before we got to Lexington and where were planning to stay since it was Friday. We really didn’t know where we would stay until she gave us the tip (see above) – stay at the Hyatt. She said she would get some tickets to us and to call her when we got to Lexington. From that point on, the trip was somewhat surreal. It gets better.

We called her when we got to the Hotel and she said she would have some tickets to the game sent over in the morning. (Hair standing up on my neck thing again). The next morning the phone rings in the hotel room and the lady says you have a guest in the lobby. We were expecting the tickets but we were not expecting Donna Smith to deliver them. She offered to buy us breakfast (which is where the other tip came from) . We had some good conversation and she presented us with two tickets for the game. It was a great trip already … then game time.

We walked through the lobby and into the arena. I located an usher to see where our seats were. He pointed down toward the floor. We followed down, down, down until we were about three rows from the floor and who was sitting there but Donna Smith. We were her guest for the game and our seats were right behind the bench. At half time we got to go back into the locker room. It was an awesome game (and win) against a tough Mississippi squad. After the game, there was a “bash” for the Tubby Smith Foundation … we got autographs from all of the players, Tubby and even some of the cheeerleaders ... it was an awesome time. Must of thanked Donna a hundred times. I have to say the Smith’s really embraced UK Basketball.

Hope you enjoy your first trip just as much ….. GO CATS!!