The Big Blue Lowdown

UK started the game sluggish, unfocused (Kyle Macy’s term was ‘non-chalant’).  For the first 10 minutes or so they looked like they were still thinking over the shellacking Connecticut laid on them in Maui.  They certainly didn’t start off like the team they breezed by East Tennessee, the last game they played at Rupp (seems like a while ago, don’t it?).  Knight, in particular, just didn’t get settled in and Miller got two quick fouls and disappeared for the rest of the half.  That said, UK was always the better team; unless BU got crazy hot from outside, you never felt like the Cats were going to lose.  It was simply a matter of how ugly it would get.

The offensive flow was very choppy and BU, too, was flailing without much of a game plan out of the chute.  BU’s only real difference-maker was John Holland (ended up with 20 points, 7 boards), and he had a few Sportscenter moments and hit enough 3’s to frustrate the fans.  Every time it looked like UK finally had it together, BU would step up and keep the Cats from stretching their lead, which (except for Connecticut), is a strategy that has worked well for us this year.  There was a stretch there where UK was over-pursuing on D, losing position by working too hard, trying to anticipate rather than just playing the game.  That manic activity infects them from time to time.  UK led 40-33 at the half.

Then the second half started and BU’s chances of winning quickly went to zero!  Knight hit a coupla 3’s, Liggins made a few great defensive plays, Lamb ran the floor well, Jones hit Harrelson on a beautiful drive and pretty soon UK’s lead was up to 21.  From then on, it was a full-on pounding by the Cats.  Everybody seemed energized on both ends of the court—-and it was the defense that led the action.  They got out and ran the floor as well as they have all year and the up-tempo play was a joy to watch (rather than the cringing those cross court passes usually induce).

A few statistical observations: 20 assists to 14 turnovers is better than usual for them.  10-16 from 3pt is outstanding (and exactly what disappeared in the last 2 games in Maui).   10 blocked shots by 6 different players!  17-24 from the FT line is still not great but in the direction of where they need to go.   They out-rebounded BU 39-26.  And—yipes!—59% shooting from the floor!   Bold prediction: UK will win EVERY game in which they shoot 59%!

I gotta say I loved starting Lamb in the 2nd half and bringing Miller off the bench.  In fact, I think they should do that in every game.  I love bringing Lamb off the bench in the first half: the tempo gets established and Lamb steps right in; I think you can do the same thing with Miller in the second half.  Hopefully, too, it’ll inspire Miller to be more aggressive.  If so, the Lamb-Miller platoon can be something truly dangerous out there—and this thin UK squad needs all the dangerous they can muster!

I loved Jones taking the technical foul shots.  Jones has got to make FT’s, so make him!  Throw him out there every time and force him to learn to do it.  Josh Harrelson really stretched his game tonight.  He looked comfortable out there, he looked like he belonged out there.   And I thought it inspired Vargas to pick up his game as well.   Vargas played a lot of minutes and looked confident, with a coupla blocked shots and 4 rebounds.   In the second half, I would’ve liked to see more of Jon Hood and Stacey Poole, but I figured Coach Cal was letting his starters get some glory time after a disappointing loss; they were playing good and he wanted them to carry that feeling into the next game.    Cal plays the ego game with his boys, so he’s got to give them time to run it up when they’re playing well.  I can dig it.

Okay, you ready for the Tarheels?