The BBL’s own JRokDimes offers his candid thoughts on Thursday night’s Kentucky-Cornell matchup in the East Regional Semifinal.
Folks, I will eat my helping of crow. The final margin of 17 (Kentucky 62-Cornell 45) does seem to reflect a dominating performance by the Cats. We at the BBL were wrong to insist that the game would be close throughout.
That said, I don’t think anything I expected about how the game was played or what Cornell would do did not come to pass. A few things to keep in mind:
-Kentucky’s 62 points was tied for their season low—the only other time they scored that few points was in the South Carolina loss. Credit must be given to Cornell for locking up and discombobulating the Cats offense. Few of us expected that kind of defense from the brainiacs.
-Cornell had trouble getting shots off all night. I mean, they got maybe five clean looks in the last 10:00 minutes of the first half and maybe another five the entire second half. They were completely blanketed. UK’s length really bothered them, and it was clear they hadn’t seen anything like that all year. Few teams not in the NBA have, actually.
-Anyone who was calling for a blowout better admit that you started getting a little nervous when the Cornellians cut the Cats’ lead to six with 5:00 minutes to play. That turnaround hook by Big Cuz was the shot of the game—maybe the year. It stopped the bleeding and gave Kentucky back the momentum. That shot doesnt fall and I can already see Louis “Norman” Dale hitting another off-balance three to make it a one possession game. This thing was a hell of a lot closer than it should have been, or than a lot of the BBN is claiming.
-Calipari played an interesting rotation last night, with Harris getting a lot of minutes. All in all, UK’s players were so much bigger and faster, it is frankly amazing that Cornell could even compete. Many have said that they would have picked Cornell against any other team left in the tournament save Kentucky. I would have to agree on that. Anyone who was talking smack about that team better recognize that it was no Ivy League goon squad full of non scholly chumps. That was the equivalent of a late ‘90s Rick Majerus coached Utah team—old, physically mature, good shooting with an athletic guard running the show, and two potential NBA players on the roster. In another bracket, that team could have made the Final Four.
-The referees were a joke last night. Just because one team has paid mercenaries does not mean that the rules stop applying. The intentional foul on Big Cuz was a joke and a dangerous one at that. There were some other incidences of chippiness that the Big Red got away with. I think we probably have to expect that the same thing will happen again if UK plays Duke or some other potential media darling.
-Cousins really is the next Shaq. The guy is like a Philistine, with bodies hanging on his arms and people submarining him and slapping him in the face on every play. And he only gets stronger and better the rougher they get. He was spinning on guys, dunking, blocking shots, hitting finger rolls, hooks. What is a DeMarcus Cousins? A freak. He hasn’t even grown into his body yet. That loose ball at midcourt in the first half when he hit the deck registered on the richter scale…he looked like a giant walrus crushing into some seals on the arctic coast. And for all the talk of his immaturity, he sure does a good job of dealing with more physical attacking and fouling than any other player in college hoops. My only lament is that there is not a single post player left in the tournament that is a true match for this monster. Boy, am I going to miss seeing him in Kentucky blue next year.
-Great win for Kentucky. They showed once again they can win vs. any style, in any environment, in any type of game. Their FT shooting was an abortion until the end, when EB stepped it up. Btw, Eric Bledsoe might end up being better than Wall at the next level where they play man to man and he can flit in and out and around mofos with the basketball on a string. His dunk vs. Wake (a “savage act of freakery”) really sealed the deal that he is top 15.
-I’d say the Cats were the smarter team, overall. More poised, less emotional, and played a cleaner game. Just goes to show you that basketball is a game and Kentucky plays it well in all phases. Even a cerebral, disciplined team like Cornell can unravel in the face of tremendous players who double as unselfish, team-first, sound decision makers…
Bring on the Mountaineers!
Kentucky’s overwhelming NCAA Tournament performance through two games (vicious beatings of East Tennessee State and Wake Forest) have got the basketball media speculating left and right about the slew of Wildcats leaving school after the season to enter the NBA draft.
Most reports have made it a foregone conclusion since January that John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson would leave UK for NBA riches when the season ended. But due to reports by draft guru Chad Ford and a range of others, it’s looking highly probable that Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton will also be on their way out of Lexington prematurely.
We have to be honest, the BBL thinks that all five of the above are first rounders. While Bledsoe has been up and down this season, his ridiculous ceiling and a weak PG crop make him a near lock to be taken in the top 15. As for Orton, how many 6-10 guys have the explosiveness, timing, strength and all-around raw ability that he possesses? We didn’t think so, either.
So what does it all mean for the 2010-11 Cats?
Thankfully, the buzz surrounding UK’s mass early exodus has been softened a bit by the news that 6-9, 240-pound power forward Enes Kanter has committed to play for Coach Calipari next season. Kanter, a Turkish national playing prep school ball in Switzerland, has a typical European face up game in a big body. He will help ease the loss of some serious low post firepower.
Still, Kanter represents only Kentucky’s second commit for next year—the other being SF Stacey Poole. Right now, the Cats are a lock to lose six players and could lose as many as eight. So, at minimum, UK will need to find four more bodies.
We’ve already reported here that Brandon Knight is a done deal to Kentucky. We’re staying with that. We also think there are a few big time names who have Lexington on their super short list, and we are going to assume that Orton returns. So as of today, here is our rough look at what type of roster the Cats will suit up next year:
- PG: Brandon Knight and Josh Selby or Doron Lamb
- SG: Deandre Liggins and Darius Miller
- SF: Darnell Dodson, Jon Hood and Stacey Poole
- PF: Enes Kanter and C.J. Leslie
- C: Daniel Orton and Josh Harrellson
The first thing you might say is, how can UK really expect to pull Knight and Lamb or Selby? To that we submit last year as exhibit A. If Cal could sign Bledsoe and Wall in the same class, win with them playing together in the same backcourt and then put them both in the first round of the NBA draft, why wouldn’t it happen again?
BBL’s Take
All in all, there are some other impact signees that UK could still make a run at. We also wouldn’t rule out a surprise return from Patterson, Bledsoe or Cousins. In fact, Calipari himself said earlier this week that “Wall wants to come back to Kentucky.”
There is still a ways to go, but we feel pretty good about going to battle with the rotation above. Would it win a national title? Probably not. But SEC title contender and top 25 staple would be almost a guarantee.
Eric Bledsoe’s one handed tomahawk dunk against Wake Forest last Saturday may go down as one of the greatest NCAA Tournament dunks in Kentucky history.
Here’s Bledsoe talking about it. We must say, it’s a refreshing feeling to know that the head coach is encouraging his super studs to “dunk on people” when they get the opportunity. And folks wonder why John Calipari is one of the best recruiters in the game.
We’re going to play Devil’s Advocate with the Big Blue Nation here and say, “uh oh” with regard to the Kentucky Wildcats next opponent in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. The team of which we speak is the Cornell Big Red.
Banner Carrier of the Ivy League
Cornell just overwhelmed and discombobulated two teams who spent the entire season in or around the Top 25. The games weren’t close. They dictated their style and their amoeba defensive zone prevented both Temple and Wisconsin from entering the ball in the post.
Cornell plays 12 to 15 guys and subs players in waves. It’s difficult to know who is on the floor at any given time when trying to guard them. It also hurts that they all shoot the ball equally well from behind the arc. Ryan Wittman has an NBA pedigree and can shoot from anywhere inside 30 feet. He must be face guarded and pressured all over the floor.
Cornell is incredibly cerebral and well coached. They will be a difficult matchup for anyone due to their precision passing and excellent shooting. They run a complicated circular offense that starts when they enter the ball into their 7-1 center Jeff Foote. He is also an excellent passer and is equally adept at pitching and catching, kicking out and hitting cutters.
DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton will have to do a good job of keeping Foote in front of them. At the end he likes to whirl and dunk one handed after faking a number of passes. This guy appears to be a pro player and UK should not underestimate him.
“If” Kentucky plays outside-in (rarely have they done this consistently this year), they should win by 10 to 15 points due to physicality and size in the post. But if Cornell dares UK to shoot by giving up long threes in gaps, it could be a very long night if the Cats shoot poorly. Eric Bledsoe will need to physically overwhelm their point guard Louis Dale, who is heady and surprisingly athletic and quick. He can also shoot it off the bounce, evidenced by his 26 points against Wisconsin.
BBL’s Take
We don’t see this game as a blow out in any way. In fact, we think this could be the last potential “bad matchup” UK has remaining on their course for Banner #8. Cornell does not slow the game down. They take the first good or open shot they can get. If they shoot well and UK shoots poorly, anything can happen.
After Cornell, neither West Virginia nor Washington match up well with UK. Both play similar styles and lack great size in the post. They will wear out before the 10:00 minute mark in the second half. WVU doesn’t typically get great backcourt play, and U-Dub’s guards are small.
The BBL has found it interesting that Calipari has lengthened his bench in the first two games of the NCAA tournament. He appears ready to give Perry Stephenson and Ramon Harris extended minutes along with Orton, Darnell Dodson and DeAndre Liggins. UK is now employing a rotation with 10 players capable of seeing double digit minutes in the tournament. This type of depth will only help them in their four potential remaining games.
The BBL believes if Kentucky beats Cornell, they are headed to Indy and matched up with a team they’ll be favored by at least seven points. But that’s why they play the games.
The Kentucky Wildcats will battle Wake Forest tonight in a second round matchup that should be plenty entertaining to a primetime national TV audience.
Here are a few of the BBL’s thoughts on this game.
1) Wake Forest’s chances start and end with point guard Ish Smith. Smith, fresh off a game winning jumper to beat Texas in OT Thursday, is the playmaker and pace setter for the Demon Deacons. He is athletic and quick and should be a fine challenge for Kentucky’s young guards. Keep an eye on how he handles John Wall.
2) Eric Bledsoe was hot in UK’s 100-71 triumph over East Tennessee State Thursday. His eight for nine shooting from behind the arc paced the Cats. If he can keep up this kind of pace, UK will be tough to beat.
3) How will Kentucky’s bigs deal with Al Farouq Aminu? Aminu is an NBA player with a wide assortment of skills. He can shoot, get to the rack, post up and crash the boards. Seeing him battle Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins should be fun.
4) Kentucky could make a big statement if Wake Forest decides to run. The Demon Deacons have struggled on defense at times this year and if they attempt to push the tempo, they could be in for a long night.
5) The talent disparity here is not as vast as some may think. Wake has a good group of big and athletic ballers who will physically match up well with the Cats embarrassingly deep roster.
BBL’s Take
We think that Wake Forest, with its experienced backcourt and overall depth of quality talent, will stay close with Kentucky for much of this one. If they try to push the pace, we like UK’s ability to dominate in transition. If Kentucky is hitting perimeter jump shots, we think the Cats can end up winning by double figures. But if Wake slows it down and makes this a nip-tuck halfcourt game, we could be looking at another nail biter. Still, we’re saying Cats by 12.
BBL contributor UKHomer43 offers his considerably not optimistic thoughts on the eve of UK’s first 2010 NCAA tournament game.
I have analyzed the Bracket countless times now.
UK got the rawest deal I have ever seen. ETSU will push UK up and down the floor and after winning by 19 they will be exhausted vs Texas.
If UT’s goons come to play and Barnes sticks with Bradley and Brown in the backcourt, Texas will shock the world and beat UK in New Orleans (which will be a Pro-Texas crowd, as well.)
If UK does get by UT, I can’t see a worse matchup than Temple or Wisconsin.
Temple is the #1 defensive team in the nation and takes away perimeter shots. They are a good basketball team and coach Fran Dunphy’s style is deliberate and confounding. They will crush Cornell.
Wiscy is Wiscy and they could confuse and discombobulate UK’s turnover prone guards.
If Kentucky gets through to the Elite 8, they will win as their most likely opponent West Virginia doesn’t have enough size to match up with UK.
Unfortunately and no matter how anybody else spins it, the Cats’ road to the Final Four is paved with really bad matchups and styles to contend with. Not one team will try and run or “out-athlete” UK.
Just my take.
The Kentucky Wildcats advanced to the SEC Tournament championship game after an impressive 74-45 victory over 13th ranked Tennessee, avenging a February loss to the Vols in Knoxville.
UK was led by a huge DeMarcus Cousins performance of 19 points and 15 boards, while John Wall controlled the tempo from start to finish and created offense seemingly any time the Cats needed it.
The Big Picture
With every passing day in March, the picture comes more into focus for this Kentucky Wildcats team. The picture we speak of is the Cats’ postseason destiny.
What will be their ultimate fate?
We know, of course, that this team has the talent to win it all. But the margin for error is thinner than many in the Big Blue Nation would like to believe.
As we see them, here are the knowns and unknowns that should dictate the future of this Wildcats squad.
Known Commodities
Kentucky right now is the most talented team in college basketball. It is difficult to argue to the contrary. They possess great depth and very little dropoff in overall athleticism when going to the bench.
The Cats consistently get great performances from an array of supporting cast members, and on any given night, there is more than one Kentucky player who can hurt you.
Wall’s spectacular guard play and Cousins’ domination of the interior are the highlights. Spot shooting from Darnell Dodson, Eric Bledsoe and Darius Miller are also wild cards that can kill a team when they least expect it.
But this team is much more than that. They can dominate the glass, play suffocating halfcourt defense, and show the ability to go on huge spurts, as evidenced Saturday in their decisive 14-0 second half run to bury Tennesee.
Known Unknowns
The unknowns about this team are many.
Can Kentucky hit enough perimeter shots to keep defenses honest? Will the effort and mental focus of such a young group be able to hold out for a deep tourney run? Is Calipari a good enough Xs and Os coach to get this team through the tense moments of a white knuckler in the Big Dance? And will this team ever solve a zone?
We don’t know the answers. To be perfectly frank, we doubt the Cats will have the right answers to all these questions. This team makes a lot of serious fundamental mistakes. And free throw shooting continues to be abysmal for stretches.
But the bottom line is that Kentucky just beat a top 15 team (and a near certain 3 or 4 seed in the NCAA tournament) by 29 points on a neutral floor.
Even when the pieces are not all in place, there is enough there to overcome UK’s considerable deficits.
BBL’s Take
Sunday Kentucky will meet the winner of Vanderbilt and Mississippi State for the right to a 26th SEC tourney title. Win that game and this UK steam roller will head to the tournament with a number one seed and a favorable draw.
We still see an early exit as a definite possibility, depending on the opponent. But things could just as easily go the other way.
The Wildcats’ plot continues to thicken.
The Vols and Cats play their rubber match today, and a lot more is on the line this time.
Both teams are securely in the field of 65, but a shot at an SEC tournament championship hangs in the balance Saturday.
Kentucky needs to shoot well and control the paint if they are to pull off the big W.
We’ll have coverage after the game.
The Kentucky Wildcats get a chance to relax and scout the competition today as the first round of the SEC tournament tips off in Nashville.
The Cats will play Alabama tomorrow at 1 p.m est, after the Crimson Tide defeated South Carolina in the first game of the bracket. This will be the second meeting of the season between these two, and as we know, Bama gave the Cats all they could handle in Rupp Arena last month. Should be an interesting game.
For now, here is what we would like to see from the Cats in this tournament:
Good perimeter shooting
Having good outside games from Erick Bledsoe, Darius Miller and Darnell Dodson would be a great sign heading into the NCAAs.
Post dominance
The Cats have crushed the opposition all year, as the nation’s leader in rebound margin and a top five shot-blocking team. Getting offensive boards and fouling out opposing big men, two staples of this season, are the best remedy for poor shooting–which UK often struggles with.
The John Wall show
Wall must continue to grow and understand game situations, when to push the ball and when to slow it down. Keeping his turnovers to a respectable sub-four per game would be big.
Patterson’s production
The BBL thinks at this point that Patterson could essentially dominate and score at will if he chose to. He just lacks that fiery take charge attitude. Not that it will hurt Kentucky, as PP is ultimately all about unselfishness and winning games. Scoring in the 15 point range will keep UK in games.
We’ll be back soon with predictions and post-season speculation.
On sale now, the latest SLAM magazine with a celebration of John Calipari’s latest crop of future NBA studs.
See more here:
http://www.slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/toc/2010/03/slam-137-on-sale-now/
