UK v. Iowa

[Blimpie]

No one on a Kentucky team will score much more than 15-20. We have a more team oriented team, alot of passes, etc. so we don't really have much of a 'leader' to score a whole bunch of points.

IMO, if Azubuike waited one more year, we easily win a championship and Azubuike is a top 10 pick, but who knows.

What are the chances that Rondo stays one more year? I think it would be a good idea to develop a better shot before he enters the draft, but I doubt he will.

Slim to none...and I think that slim just left town.

Even though it is still only late November, it is officially time to be concerned with the both the offense and the rebounding of this team. Iowa did a pretty good job keeping Rondo in check with his scoring, but he was still a menace on the boards.

Other than Sims, I have no idea where the inside points are going to come from on this team. Unfortunately, he has not shown the ability to play defense without fouling. Once he was disqualified last night, I turned the TV off.

It sounds pretty ominous when you hear that the University has hired an attorney "to assist" with the Randolph Morris eligibility case. I think anything we get out of him this year needs to be considered a bonus.

While I remain concerned, I think all will be well when it truly matters: three weeks in March.

[Blimpie]

I loved the quote from Bobby Perry when he was asked about his seeming inability to convert on the easiest of layup attempts....sounds like his new nickname will be Yogi.

Posted on Tue, Nov. 22, 2005

Cats blink in clutch
Turnovers down the stretch prove costly for UK
By Jerry Tipton
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Weird, wacky and wonderfully entertaining.

That's what Kentucky and Iowa collaborated on last night in the Guardians Classic semifinals here.

Who would think that UK might win when Rajon Rondo does not score in the game's first 34 minutes?

Who would think Iowa might win when its two best perimeter shooters, Jeff Horner and Adam Haluska, shoot a combined 3-for-19?

Yet both possibilities happened on a night that saw each semifinal game decided in the final seconds.

With Rondo compensating spectacularly for his offensive struggles with a career-high 19 rebounds, Kentucky was poised to win this strange game.

Well, maybe poised was the wrong word. Because the Cats crumbled in the final minute and lost 67-63 to Iowa.

"We had so many opportunities," UK Coach Tubby Smith said. "I don't know how you could ask for more opportunities."

Turnovers killed Kentucky. After tying the score with 1:11 left, UK turned the ball over twice down the stretch. Maybe as crushing, the Cats missed a layup.

That's why Kentucky (2-1) will play West Virginia in tonight's consolation game. In another thriller, No. 2 Texas nipped the Mountaineers 76-75 in the first semifinal.

Bobby Perry, who had been 1-for-7 from three-point range, swished a three-pointer with 1:11 to tie it at 61-61.

Then UK wobbled severely. After Ramel Bradley tipped away Mike Henderson's driving shot, Rondo was called for having a foot on the line as he scrambled to get the loose ball.

Haluska put Iowa ahead 62-61 with a free throw at the 40.7-second mark.

Then Bradley drove and made a nifty pass to Perry. But Perry, who has had trouble finishing, missed the layup in traffic.

Two Horner free throws put Iowa ahead 64-61 with 25.2 seconds left.

UK's last best chance evaporated when freshman Tony Freeman tipped away the ball as Bradley rose for a potential game-tying three-pointer.

"Amazing," Smith said. "It was an unusual display of, just, we just lost all our composure."

Perry, who scored a career-high 12 points, lamented the two that got away.

"I probably should have gone up and dunked the ball," he said before acknowledging the trouble he's had "finishing," to use basketball parlance, when taking shots near the basket.

"I don't know if it's a mind thing," he said, "or something I have to get in my head."

Smith suggested it was a toughness thing, not only for Perry but for the Cats.

"We want to be physical, tough and smart," the UK coach said of his team's signature style. "We're none of those right now."

An Exhibit A: Smith cited Rondo's 19 rebounds.

"I don't think I've ever had a guard -- a point guard especially -- get 19 rebounds," he said. "You can see why we have trouble rebounding when our point guard is the leading rebounder in all three games."

Rekalin Sims, arguably UK's toughest player, scored a career-high 22 points. Rondo only scored five points, all coming after his rebound total reached 17.

Kentucky rode Sims and an inspired rebounding effort. Sims, who made one of seven three-point shots in the season's first two games, hit three within 90 seconds early inside the first four minutes. Two came from the top the key and one from the left corner as the junior college transfer surpassed his previous season high (11 points against South Dakota State) with 10:30 left and finished the first 20 minutes with 14 points.

Other than Sims, Kentucky struggled to put the ball in the basket. Sims made five of 11 shots. The rest of the Cats made five of 20 in the first half. Joe Crawford (five of 16 in first two games) made only one of six shots: a rebound putback. He came off the bench in the second half.

Rebounding kept Kentucky close. The Cats, who only outrebounded South Dakota State and Lipscomb by a collective one rebound last week, hit the boards hard. UK limited Iowa to only two offensive rebounds in the first half, and none in the final 18:22.

Iowa rebounded better in the second half. After trying all three of his 7-footers, Smith went to the small lineup.

It nearly won the game. But not quite.

[Playadlc]

The thing that has struck me so far this year watching Kentucky is how much they look like Indiana of the last couple of years. For the most part, they stand around and wait for Rondo to do something with the ball then react, much the IU waited to see what Bracey was going to do on most possessions and worked the offense off of that.

In their first ex game I saw three possessions that lasted between 20 and 30 seconds, where not a single pass was made. Rondo, dribbled around, probing the defense looking for an opening then made a move to the hole.
Unforturnately for them, it succeeded each time and the announcers spewed adulation about his skill and unstoppability (is that a word?)

All of their post entry is by dribble, there is NO entry passing going on at all. They are successful to the extent that their penetration and kick is working and that is about it.

Conversely, IU has been swinging the ball around with the pass much like Kentucky usually does and pushing the ball up the court to keep the defense on it's heels. Watching all of this has made me dizzy. Mike Davis has obviously taken a note out of UK's play book and, unfortunately; Tubby has fallen into the same trap that MD had for the last couple of years.

I suspect that Tubby will work it out and have them playing well by the end of the year, if not then I may have to rethink my negative opinion of Mike Davis.

[kyred14]

Slim to none...and I think that slim just left town.

Even though it is still only late November, it is officially time to be concerned with the both the offense and the rebounding of this team. Iowa did a pretty good job keeping Rondo in check with his scoring, but he was still a menace on the boards.

Other than Sims, I have no idea where the inside points are going to come from on this team. Unfortunately, he has not shown the ability to play defense without fouling. Once he was disqualified last night, I turned the TV off.

It sounds pretty ominous when you hear that the University has hired an attorney "to assist" with the Randolph Morris eligibility case. I think anything we get out of him this year needs to be considered a bonus.

While I remain concerned, I think all will be well when it truly matters: three weeks in March.

19 rebounds is a little more than a menace, don't you think? Barring injury, he's gone after this year. I think the NCAA will allow Morris back. They've let numerous players back in over the last few years, the UConn player comes to mind the most.

[WMR]

All of their post entry is by dribble, there is NO entry passing going on at all. They are successful to the extent that their penetration and kick is working and that is about it.

The passing last night was laughable.

The same sequence was acted out again and again:
Rondo at top of key, dribbling.
- passes to Sparks on wing
- Sparks back to Rondo
- Rondo passes to Bradley on other wing
- Bradley back to Rondo

Rondo drives.

Your post is dead-on. I think you can attribute the lack of penetrating passes to the fact that we have no real true post presence. Sims can do a little bit, but he likes to play out on the wing too. Asides from Sims, who else can go down on the block and actually force the other team to recognize their ability to score the ball?

[Blimpie]

I agree that the passing was awful last night, but I have to give much of the credit to Iowa's defense. Once the officials decided that the teams could not play with just three people each in the second half, they swallowed their whistles somewhat. During the second half, the officials let both teams play a little more and Iowa seemed to be more energized on defense than was UK....

[WVRed]

UK is on the rebound tonight, up 71-62 with 3:16 to go. Patrick Sparks has 23 points with 7 3-pointers. Pittsnogle has 27.

[WMR]

Wow... UK's play tonight was as good tonight as it was bad last night.

Patrick Sparks, pleased to make your acquaintance!

I think starting Ravi alongside Patrick provides that other consistent 3-point threat that will open things up for Patrick. Not to mention Patrick was simply more assertive tonight.

I was glad to see Tubby shorten up his bench a little bit. Playing guys who can't contribute does not create an advantage.

Nice to see Jared Carter get a taste; made a couple nice plays.

Sheray played like he actually has a pair tonight. It really looked like Tubby told his big men to play with a little pride and they took that to heart.

The zone was effective although WV did miss a lot of open shots. Definitely take the 'W.'

[Blimpie]

Shagari Allene and Woo Orbzut will soon be appearing on milk cartons in your local areas....

[WMR]

The thing that has struck me so far this year watching Kentucky is how much they look like Indiana of the last couple of years. For the most part, they stand around and wait for Rondo to do something with the ball then react, much the IU waited to see what Bracey was going to do on most possessions and worked the offense off of that.

In their first ex game I saw three possessions that lasted between 20 and 30 seconds, where not a single pass was made. Rondo, dribbled around, probing the defense looking for an opening then made a move to the hole.
Unforturnately for them, it succeeded each time and the announcers spewed adulation about his skill and unstoppability (is that a word?)

All of their post entry is by dribble, there is NO entry passing going on at all. They are successful to the extent that their penetration and kick is working and that is about it.

Conversely, IU has been swinging the ball around with the pass much like Kentucky usually does and pushing the ball up the court to keep the defense on it's heels. Watching all of this has made me dizzy. Mike Davis has obviously taken a note out of UK's play book and, unfortunately; Tubby has fallen into the same trap that MD had for the last couple of years.

I suspect that Tubby will work it out and have them playing well by the end of the year, if not then I may have to rethink my negative opinion of Mike Davis.

Hey, Playa, you got some time on your hands? Maybe Tubby could make you a special assistant b/c the stagnant offense is back.

(although you can partially blame it on just not having the personnel I suppose, but that is such a weaselly excuse)