Wow, what a war.

Kentucky pulled off a huge win Saturday night over Vanderbilt in a game characterized by rugged physical defense, poor shooting and high drama in the closing minutes.

As John Calipari said in the post-game interview, “that was an Elite Eight style game.” He was right. The atmosphere was about as intense as any in college hoops this year.

While Kentucky did not play a great game, this was the kind of gritty performance that championship teams are capable of displaying. Here are some of the BBL’s thoughts:

John Wall showed once again why he is everyone’s leading contender for player of the year. He did not have an excellent game, but par usual, he stepped up big time in the clutch hitting a go ahead basket and a free throw and blocking a would-be game-winning shot inside the final minute.

Unfortunately, Wall and Eric Bledsoe were just plain sloppy tonight, missing multiple opportunities to get the ball to DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson on the low block, while combining for five turnovers and a slew of poor shots. The maddening thing is that neither of these kids have shown a lot of progress in terms of learning to be more patient with the ball. This is probably the BBL’s single biggest criticism of Kentucky and Calipari at the moment.

The Cats dodged another bullet with regard to the referees’ leniency during the Eric Bledsoe blowup. A legitimate argument could be made for a flagrant foul or even an ejection, depending on the officials’ interpretation. As it was, Bledsoe was given a technical, as was Vandy’s Jeffrey Taylor, and no free throws were taken by either team. Bledsoe returned to the game three minutes later. He was largely ineffective, however, and showed a lot of immaturity in the game.

Kentucky is a different team when Patterson is involved in the offense and rebounding. His three point shot to put UK up three was enormous. It is just such a shame that somewhere along the line in the last couple years, PP lost some explosion. He still has a lot of raw power and can jump in traffic. But his two missed dunks vs. Vanderbilt were both critical. And these were not the first dunks he’s missed this year.

DeMarcus Cousins’ footwork is amazing. Drop steps, baseline spins, catlike quickness. Guy is the total package. Completely unstoppable on the block against a single defender. He absolutely must be double teamed.

Daniel Orton is an excellent outlet passer. He has great floor vision for a big man. His shot blocking, of course, continues to impress. If and when he polishes his offensive game and learns the difference between a good and a bad foul, he has All-American center written all over him. He is an abomination at the FT line right now, however.

A.J. Ogilvy couldn’t get a shot off against UK’s front line. In the mid first half, Orton swatted a running layup into the 10th row. A couple plays later, Cousins just completely denied him on a easy chip shot.

The BBL actually thinks it’s gotten to the point where Brad Nessler, as the play by play guy, is offering better in-game analysis than Dick Vitale. Nothing against Vitale. He knows the game and has been college basketball’s biggest ambassador, but at times he seems desperate to talk about matters unrelated or insignificant to the actual game. And of course, his thoughts and commentary seem to inevitably ramble their way to Duke.

John Wall still struggles a bit as a one on one defender, despite the great block. However, he’s one of the best help side defenders in the country, and he’s been taking some big charges in key moments lately.

Jeffrey Taylor is a potential future NBA star. Dude has a sick crossover, can shoot and has good overall athleticism. This comes in a 6-7 body.

Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is one of the best in the business. He coached a near perfect game tonight. Excellent personnel rotation allowed him to keep Ogilvy on the floor after he’d picked up his fourth foul midway through the second half. Stallings also went to zone when Cousins came out of the game and threw some puzzling defensive looks at UK. His use of timeouts was also superb, as he iced UK foul shooters with great success late in the game. And of course, setting up the play that almost sent the game to OT was a work of brilliance and, for Kentucky fans, the stuff of nightmares with its resemblance to Christian Laettner’s turnaround jumper in ‘92.

Kentucky is now a near shoe-in for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, barring a complete collapse. Huge road win, and to anyone who watched, it served notice that this team just finds a way to keep winning.

UKHomer43 gives us his rundown:

The BBL witnessed a team grow up tonight in Gainesville.

UK trailed 7-0 and arguably played their worst 10 minutes of the season on National TV in the first half. They missed multiple layups and turned the ball over inexplicably during much of the first 14 minutes of the game. Thankfully for UK, Eric Bledsoe chose to have a breakout and career game tonight going for 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

Bledsoe was a one man wrecking crew in the first half single handedly breaking UF’s press and driving to the goal for layups and finger rolls. He also made a huge three pointer from the left side of the arc to start UK’s first half run after they trailed for much of the first 13 minutes. The BBL believes that Bledsoe might be the second point guard taken in the NBA draft if he chooses to come out after this season. His upper body strength, ball handling, speed and athleticism are amazing. He is also learning to play much more under control.

What we didn’t know is that he is such a reliable spot up shooter from distance. Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler raved about him and truly had no idea he was this good. The BBL knew he was the first time we saw him catch the ball in the Blue White Scrimmage and explode baseline off of one foot trying to dunk over the entire team. The best thing about Eric is he is improving in almost every facet each time out.

UF was truly overmatched but do to some uncanny outside shooting from Tyus, Walker and Boynton, they were able to keep it close enough to make their final run and catch UK at 72-72 with 5 minutes left in the game. It was at this point, where John Calipari did his best coaching job of the season. He masterfully subbed Darnell Dodson in for Darius Miller on an inbounds play right before UK went to Patterson in the post who converted an and one. Patterson missed the ensuing free throw but Cousins grabbed the rebound and kicked the ball out to Dodson who hit a three. UK had a five point possession and lead and UF was toast.

John Wall played his normal game with some truly mesmerizing individual plays including an amazing block of a Boynton break away attempt late in the game. He finished with 19 points but was actually quite flustered by UF’s ultra quick diminutive guards.

Patrick Patterson was his normal solid self in the post finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds. UK will continue to look to him to make a shot when their back is up against it. He delivered big time tonight. The BBL is still unsure about his “soft” play around the goal at times. We wish he would just jam the ball at every opportunity. Sometimes he tries finesse shots that end up being blocked by taller players.

DeMarcus Cousins looked horrible in the first half but used his size and huge body to clear out position in the second half and finish around the goal. He made one sensational spin move and dunked with his left hand that made Dickey V jump out of his seat.

Daniel Orton appeared lost on some offensive possessions but he might be the best defensive post presence in UK history. He had a 3 shot block sequence in the first half where he blocked Tyus, Werner and Walker on 3 consecutive shot attempts. Each block was better than the next. It was must see you tube TV. The guy is an absolute fly swatter. He has a good touch and just needs to learn how to control his body when on offense. He finished with 9 rebounds and 4 blocks in only 17 minutes. The sky is truly the limit for this young post man.

DeAndre Liggins was absolutely lost tonight. After playing so well in his last 4 games and earning the “6th man position” he appeared tentative and lacked confidence every time he touched the ball. Hopefully it was a one game aberration as he has looked great recently. Thankfully Cal realized this too and gave him only limited time.

Darrius Miller and Darnell Dodson saved the day for UK today on offense. Each player hit some crunch time threes that gave UK momentum and widened their lead. Miller appears to be an NBA player at times dribble penetrating, and converting long jumpers. Why he can’t do this consistently just frustrates the BBL and likely the rest of the Big Blue faithful. Dodson is just more minutes and upper body strength away from being an all SEC type player. The BBL looks for big things from each of these guys next year.

Perry and Ramon played only token minutes and it appears Calipari has shortened the rotation to 8 players:

Wall
Bledsoe/Dodson
Miller/Liggins
Patterson
Cousins/Orton

Looking at UK’s schedule over the next 10 games, we only see the potential for one slip up. Back to back games at Miss St and at Vandy on Feb 16th and Feb 20th could give UK some trouble. Miss St is the only team in the SEC that truly matches up with UK from a size and athletic perspective. Vandy because of their ability to convert the three, could present trouble for UK in Memorial Coliseum.

The BBL believes the future appears very bright for the Cats. Expect the media bandwagon to start to build steam soon.

Closing out the game on a 17-5 run that included clutch threes by Darnell Dodson and Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky once again showed the ability to perform under pressure and demonstrate poise well beyond its youth in an 89-77 victory at Florida.

But despite dominating the stat lines, the Cats failed once again to put an opponent away when the opportunity presented itself. Here’s what you need to know about the game:

Wall and Bledsoe are virtually impossible to guard at the college level. Their ability to push the ball past and through fullcourt pressure is uncanny. When one of these two is getting past the defense and into the lane, Kentucky’s offense is lethal.

Bledsoe is almost certainly an NBA lottery pick when he decides to leave. It is positively scary to think that his long term pro stock might be every bit as high as John Wall’s. As we have mentioned on here before, agreeing to be the secondary ballhandler on this team must have been a difficult choice for EB and both he and Wall have handled it with grace and maturity. But make no mistake. If Wall was not around, Bledsoe would be hitting the highlight reels as often as his backcourt mate. We dearly hope he sticks around for next year, but with every passing minute, it seems less and less likely.

Even on an off-night Patterson, Cousins and Orton are a formidable inside presence. Orton is like a human fly swatter, batting balls into the stands with regularity. Watching Florida’s post players try to get shots off around the glass with him lurking was amusing. If and when he develops an offensive game, he could be an All-American. He will have to work on his touch, which is abysmal right now.

Miller showed more aggressiveness tonight and stepped up to take some pretty big shots. In particular, his jumper to put UK up 3 with about 6:00 minutes to play was a shot we didn’t expect him to think about. He also held his own inside and pulled in a few tough boards. Meanwhile, Liggins took a bit of  a step back in limited minutes, turning it over twice and looking sheepish.

When the game was tied at 72-72 inside of 5:00 to play, we were pleased to see Kentucky go to the elder statesman, Patrick Patterson, who promptly hit a turn around hook, got fouled and silenced the crowd. The Cats never looked back after that.

BBL Take: Kentucky was the superior team in almost every facet of the game, but still let Florida get back into it, mostly due to hot three-point shooting by Erving Walker and a rowdy home crowd. The Cats’ inability to put teams away is mildly concerning, but going on the road and beating a conference foe as solid as UF by double digits is yet another statement for this team in its possible quest to make history.

People are taking notice of this 17-0 squad, even some who should have known by now. For instance, we caught this Tweet by ESPN hoops analyst Andy Katz during tonight’s game:

“Kentucky can reach Final Four and compete for title. I see it more than ever with speed, size, rebounding, shooting.”

Uh, ya think Andy?

We don’t like to broadcast when a UK player gets shown up, but this dunk is frankly outrageous.

UGA’s Travis Leslie is a high wire act.

It’s now safe to say that the BBL’s one-day scouting trip to New York to watch the Cats in action up close was a great success. The victory over UConn was a thrilling experience and, historically speaking, may someday be looked at fondly by UK fans as the day a legend was born on one of basketball’s greatest stages.

We’ll offer ongoing comments in the coming days but our trip afforded us the ability to see an incredible game in the legendary setting of Madison Square Garden, meet UK and UConn fans from around the nation, take photos with the Kentucky cheerleaders and even speak to ESPN announcer Dan Shulman for a few minutes after the game.

The takeaways:

1. With John Wall, UK can win a national title. Looking around the media landscape, John Wall fever has taken hold over America. We won’t go into the details that every major sports outlet is already  running. If you’re reading this, chances are you are well aware of this kid’s ability. All we can say is that, after seeing him live and in person, he is a difference maker of the highest order. And when he is in the game, the Cats have a chance against anyone, anywhere. If there is a criticism right now, it’s that he needs to learn to play under control a bit more. To quote Shulman, “Wall is fast, but sometimes he is too fast.”

2. Kentucky’s halfcourt defense will be ferocious by March. Most who have followed Calipari’s career over the years know that the great Final Four teams at Memphis and UMass were not about the star talents as much as they were about team defense. One of the beautiful corrollaries to the dribble drive is that all those long-armed athletes that fit the offensive scheme also make great assets on defense blocking shots, deflecting passes and causing havoc. This team is already very, very impressive in this fashion. The 13 steals and 8 blocks logged against Connecticut don’t even tell the entire story. At this point, taking the ball into the paint against Kentucky is borderline insane. This team will positively reject anything thrown up around the goal. It’s uncanny, really. They figure to only get better.

3. The Cats need to run more set plays for Dodson, Miller and Patterson. The biggest weakness right now seems to be a lack of offensive cohesion or understanding of the system. There is also a clear dearth of good shooting. Compounding matters is the fact that when John Wall is out of the game, this team looks utterly confused. While it’s unclear whether or not a marksman will emerge from this group, UK’s secondary options after Wall seem to be these three. But asking them to create their own shots may be asking too much right now. We’d like to see some set screen plays for Dodson and Miller to get open looks and when Kentucky needs a bucket, feeding PP in the post is probably the team’s best offensive option outside of Wall creating.

4. This group does not panic, does not wilt. Yes, we kind of already knew this based on several earlier tilts that headed down to the wire. But it’s now more than obvious that these kids possess a lot of heart and scrappiness. They’ve seen all kinds of daunting scenarios in the early season–big deficits, the loss of big leads, player injuries, foul trouble–but they’ve still managed to find a way to pull things out in the end. And after back to back wins over teams that were in last year’s Final Four, it’s now clear that they aren’t just doing this against subpar competition. Makes it scary to think what they might be capable of when they put all the proverbial pieces together.

5. Coach Cal does not have it all figured out yet. We couldn’t send out this letter without offering up some bad news. Frankly, it’s difficult to pick nits right now. Kentucky is 9-0 and ranked in the top 5. They’ve just defeated two consecutive powerhouses and Wall is the toast of the sporting world. What more could we want? Truth be told, we aren’t criticizing as much as stating fact, and that is that this team is often lost, undisciplined, foul proned and vulnerable on the perimeter. Coach Cal is still trying to figure out player roles and a steady substitution pattern. Despite the success, this is a serious work in progress. And we are pretty certain Cal would agree. We still think this team is going to lose some games that people don’t expect, and we also think a bit of “coming back to earth” might even be good for it. But one thing is certain, it’s going to be a hell of a ride.

UK’s amazing back court athleticism and speed was on full display vs. the severely overmatched UNC Asheville squad on Monday night at Louisville’s Freedom Hall.

John Wall had 12 points and a UK frosh record of 14 assists, with many of them coming on alley oop dunks to an assortment of UK low post players.

UK now faces three straight traditional powers in their next three games. The Cats will square off against UNC, Uconn and Indiana in a span of 12 days.

The BBL believes the Cats are getting adequate perimeter shooting from the likes of Darius Miller, Darnell Dodson and Eric Bledsoe. We also feel that Josh Harrellson could come off the bench and cause matchup problems with his deft shooting touch and ability to pull opposing big men away from the goal.

UNC and Uconn will provide stiff tests to DeMarcus Cousins as they are both long and athletic up front. It will be interesting to see how Big Cuz does against players his athletic caliber and size. He has shown an uncanny ability to finish in the low block with an assortment of post moves, but it has mostly come against players not quite his caliber. UK’s guards should have a decided advantage vs UNC who is thin and inexperienced in the backcourt.

The BBL is excited about Saturday and you should be too. At 7-0, Calipari is off to the best start of any UK Coach since Adolph Rupp. That is not a misprint. Not even Rick Pitino ever started a season 7-0 at UK.

If Monday night’s tilt vs. Miami of Ohio was any indication, year one under John Calipari is going to be one hell of a ride for Kentucky basketball.

In his official debut, John Wall hit a buzzer beating fadeaway jumper to hold off the Redhawks in an electric 72-70 victory that featured 6 ties and 8 lead changes. The Cats had to come back from as many as 18 to pull it off, while Miami refused to go away, hitting 15-26 from behind the 3-point arc.

Here is our quick take:

Shooting - As advertised, UK will definitely struggle to hit outside shots. Dodson is a capable long distance shooter, while Harrellson will hit them in limited opportunities. No one else looks like a consistent threat.

Bledsoe and Wall – Yes, this is the most athletic guard tandem in recent memory, but it’s clear that their chemistry has a way to go. Who is the primary ballhandler? What are their roles? How can they coexist? These questions will need to be answered for Kentucky to have a successful season.

Defense - UK gave up too many open looks from long range and Miami capitalized, but we think it’s only a matter of time before this long, scrappy group will cause defensive havoc in the half court set. Good luck getting a shot off in the low post.

Tempo - As can be expected from a young team, there were a lot of turnovers and occasional confusion throughout the contest. Kentucky’s guards forced too many drives into the teeth of Miami’s zone and failed to get it inside often enough when the bigs were feeling it. Generally, the team looked out of control at times.

Miami - It’s too early to say, but the opposition last night looked like a team that could win the MAC this season. Their quickness and shooting ability can keep them in the game with just about anyone.

Dick Vitale had nothing but good things to say about Kentucky’s chances this year in an ESPN national conference call earlier this week.

Here are some of the better quotes, courtesy of Larry Vaught from the Danville-Advocate Messenger.

“I will tell you one thing. It’s not a handicap to have a lineup with John Wall.”

“DeMarcus Cousins and those kids are talented. With motivation and inspiration, they will really create some noise. They are too talented, will be well coached, have depth and size, Patrick Patterson is an all-American candidate, and Daniel Orton and Cousins give them great size. Darius Miller will be a much better player, too.”

“The three guards they have will be very good. I have not talked to anybody who has put a question mark on John Wall.”

“Can they live up to frenzy down there will be the question. I was talking to some Kentucky fans, and they were talking like they would run the table (and go undefeated) and that’s not going to happen. But they are so excited.”

“[Calipari] is going to get these kids to do it. They can move laterally. They are going to play and defend. John Calipari will not have it any other way.”

“Patterson without a doubt is a star. He has great hands and the ability to post up inside. At times, he has a tendency to disappear and not get involved in the action. He took only seven shots in an exhibition game and Cal was upset.”

“No way should he take seven shots. He has to get 14 or 15 and make himself available. With the help he’ll get from Wall, I think he will be free inside a lot and will have a big year.”

After watching UK’s Blue White Scrimmage last week it’s safe to say this UK team is frighteningly deep and talented. There is a lot of energy that goes along with the youth and inexperience. But there are few teams UK will line up against who are equal in terms of athleticism and talent.

Here is the BBL’s breakdown of each player before the season tips off on Monday Night in an exhibition against Campbellsville.

Bledsoe
Hard to describe how UK landed two PGs in the same class that are the talents of Bledsoe and Wall. Bledsoe broke down Liggins on the baseline and went to the goal and tried to dunk on the other 8 players on the floor. Missed the dunk but all of Rupp went silent for 5 seconds. This guy is lethal in transition. His handle is amazing. He is low to the floor and has a build like a rock. Can’t be guarded. His jumper is actually very smooth, and he can pull up from the elbow and hit consistently if he wants to. He is so fast and athletic that he just blows by people at will. Definitely has a tendency to over penetrate and hang in the air around the goal. But his vision is extraordinary. Dime Dropper. There is no way he stays at UK for more than two seasons. Might not get all the limelight this season due to Wall, but he’s one of the best true PG prospects we’ve ever seen at UK. Iverson-esque but stronger.

Wall
Is everything the hype says he is. He has another gear and can’t be stopped when he wants to dribble penetrate to the goal. His jumper is a little above average and he’ll need to improve it in the NBA. But now in college it won’t matter much. He usually looks to pass first, so I wouldn’t expect him to score 30 points a game. He probably could if he wanted to. Will do things this year that will make people stop and say, “Did you see what I just saw”?

Patterson
Made three 3-point shots. Amazing what a system can do for a player. He is unstoppable in the post and on the offensive glass. Should average about 20 and 10 the whole season. He will definitely show new dimensions to his game facing the basket.

Miller
Still an enigma. He doesn’t exert his talent enough. When he wants to be, he is an NBA-ready player. He was taking Wall off the dribble in the second half and it was impressive with his assortment of ball fakes and drives to the goal. Can jump out of the gym, too. His perimeter shot is the one question mark. If he can hit it, he’ll be lights out and first team All-SEC his junior season.

Dodson
He made quite the impression. He is long and lanky and possesses unlimited range on his jumper. Hit 4 of 9 from behind the arc. He appears streaky but when on can score 30 points on any given night. He’ll be asked to square and shoot from the wing in the Dribble Drive. What the BBL finds most impressive is his nose for the ball and ability to finish from dribble drives. With some improved strength and size, the sky is the limit with him. He also needs to learn how to play defense at the D-1 level. We can’t imagine he doesn’t play 15-20 minutes per game between the two and three.

Cousins
A super freak. He might be the best passer on the team. Makes very hard passes look easy. He can score in the post and from the wing. Will also challenge most shots. We don’t think his game is made for the Dribble Drive unless he buys into offensive rebounding. Has a penchant for taking plays off. He is enthusiastic and appears to want to buy in. This will be crucial for UK’s team chemistry this season.

Orton
Is also a special player. It’s doubtful that UK has ever had three potential NBA lottery picks in the same frontcourt before, but they might this year. Orton runs the floor, blocks shots and has baby soft hands. Can elevate higher than either Patterson or Cousins. He will offer some highlight reel dunks this season. He is an awesome outlet passer and has great natural footwork and positioning. He doesn’t appear to be bothered by his knee as has been suggested. Maybe it’s more psychological. He was fluid and pain free in the scrimmage. He’ll play the four and five and I’m sure get 15-20 minutes per game as well.

Harrellson
Will be the biggest surprise on the team. We didn’t know how good this guy was. He is a lights out shooter. Has a great body and can also bang and score on put backs. We can’t imagine he doesn’t average close to 10 points per game and see 15 minutes between the 4 and 5. He might become UK’s designated zone buster. Never underestimate the value of a big man who can draw defenses away from the goal.

Hood
Is also going to be a very good player this season for UK. He has a knack for finding his shot and his handle and range are way better than advertised. He won’t blow by anybody off the dribble but he is long and athletic and can finish with either hand. If he can consistently provide perimeter 3-point shooting, he’ll see 10 minutes per game.

Liggins
Just appears lost. He can’t handle the ball well enough and doesn’t truly understand what his position is. He can defend really well and has great hands. If he could shoot the ball from deep, he’d see minutes but right now the BBL can’t see him playing before Miller or Dodson at the wing. If UK presses he’ll rotate in as a long and live body for transition defense. But unless he starts knocking down shots in limited appearances, he’ll not see the floor very often unless there are injuries to the other guards.

Stephenson and Harris
These two are literally like bluegill in a shark tank. They are overwhelmed by everybody talent wise. Harris made some spot up three pointers but he can’t dribble very well and has no ability to finish drives to the goal. He plays sound defense and is a senior so it might buy him some token minutes. Stephenson is the 5th big man on this team. His body is too skinny and his hands are still below average. He appears to be able to shoot the ball if he is squared and facing the goal, but you can bet Calipari won’t allow this to happen. The BBL doesn’t see either of these two players getting minutes other than in garbage time.

We present the BBL’s first look at defending natty champion North Carolina.

Backcourt
The big question mark is at point guard. Larry Drew appears to be the man now that Ty Lawson is gone. After Drew, they have wing guards in Marcus Ginyard and incoming frosh Dexter Strickland. UNC is very inexperienced in the backcourt and Drew is a substantial fall off from Lawson.

Frontcourt
UNC is loaded down low. They are so skilled, in fact, they might be forced to play three bigs at all times. Deon Thompson, Ed Davis and Jon Henson are all potential lottery picks when they come out. Tyler Zeller might be the best of all of them, as he is coming off an injury redshirt and no one has truly seen what he is capable of.

Freshmen
This class represents another banner year of stud “Mickey D” recruits for coach Roy Williams. The Wear twins, at 6′10, will provide size and depth in the post. Leslie McDonald is a big-time scorer and Dexter Strickland might beat out Drew for the PG spot.

Outlook
This year’s Tarheels are looking like the best team in the ACC and a serious challenger for all the marbles.

BBL’s Take
UK doesn’t match up in the post very well with UNC. But the Kentucky guards and wings should feast on UNC’s lack of experience in teh backcourt. This game will probably come down to whoever rebounds better. This game will be an absolutely incredible early season matchup and one all of the nation will be watching.