Watching this game, as Brandon Knight goes, so goes the Wildcats this season.
I know its preseason, but I am concerned. Freethrows killed us last year and the lack of size and defense in the lanes has created mismatches in a bad way.
Watching this game, as Brandon Knight goes, so goes the Wildcats this season.
I know its preseason, but I am concerned. Freethrows killed us last year and the lack of size and defense in the lanes has created mismatches in a bad way.
Originally Posted by savafan
Drawing any sort of conclusion beyond this team has a longgg way to go is just silly.
They will be a completely different team 3 months from now and remember that mismatches cut TWO ways.
Last edited by WMR; 11-01-2010 at 09:06 PM.
97-66 the final.
Knight with 22 points
Miller 21
Liggins 18
Lamb 16
I agree that this will be a different team three months from now, especially if Kanter is declared eligible. A slow start could end up hurting us come March though, although my expectations for this team are lower than last year.
Why do you feel a slow start will hurt us in March? Are you talking about seeding or something else? Seeding I agree it may knock us down a spot or two, experience wise, however, I think that this team needs to get punched in the mouth a few times early on.
Seeding. Although like I said, my expectations are low for this team anyways. Even if we lose Knight and Kanter, this years class is a building block for 2011. Lamb and Jones combined with what we have coming in will put us back and in better shape than last years team IMO.
I gotta disagree with you as far as expectations. Expectations are low right now, but I think we'll be one of the 5-8 or so teams with a real good shot to win it all come March. This team is going to be REALLY REALLY GOOD when Cal gets all the pieces working how he wants.
2011 we should be pre-season #1 or very close to it.
Yeah. No conclusions to be made at all. A "game" where a team shoots 56 FTs is not a real indicator of annnnnnnnything.
Some observations, though. (Which are absolutely subject to change.)
Jones is not nearly as polished as I thought he would be.
Harrelson doesn't look like a total stiff. (Jon Hood does, though.)
And Liggins finally looks like he knows what's going on out there. He could be the guy that is the 3rd legit scoring threat.
But yeah, beyond that, seeing anything in a game where your team gets fouled 37 times, (37 times!!!) is impossible.
They do have some deficiencies that aren't going away. I don't see them being very good defensively, maybe ever. And it will be interesting to see what they look like offensively when someone actually guards them.
When all is said and done more is said than done.
Not surprisingly, I suppose, not much love from Dickie V in his pre season rankings. Picks the Cats to be #2 in the East. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/dickv...ory?id=5752033
"I know a lot about the law and various other lawyerings."
Hitters who avoid outs are the funnest.
One exhibition game isn't much to draw an opinion from, but I'll give one anyway: We need Kanter and we need him soon.
I'm not too worried about Jones, even though he played poorly last night. I think one of his biggest strengths is quickness and handle for a guy his size. But against a smaller, quicker opponent like Pikeville, he wasn't able to use those advantages. We'll see it against bigger opponents though. But he will need to work much, much harder on the boards. He's been basically a rebounding no-show in both the B/W scrimmage and last night. Cal will (hopefully) fix this.
I'm more concerned with Vargas and Harrelson. If one of these two becomes the starter at center (if we don't have Kanter), we will be at a disadvantage down low against the better opposition on our schedule - including almost every night in conference play. Vargas needs to be more aggressive, and while Harrelson has improved at UK, he still isn't a UK-caliber starting center. Both will provide quality bench play, but we need a more skilled '5' if we're going to be top ten-worthy this year.
Perimeter-wise, we are loaded again. Knight is the real deal and will provide many highlight moments offensively. Miller looks like he has stepped his game up a notch, and is much more aggressive - something he was lacking his first two years. Liggins and Lamb will battle for playing time at all three perimeter spots, likely swapping a starting role throughout the season - unless one steps up and takes the spot permanently.
Poole and Hood will have the 8th and 9th spots on a team with only ten players, so they'll each have to play. Don't see them getting more than 5-6 minutes a game though against good competition.
LOL It had nothing to do with level of competition or opposing players being 'too quick' for Terrence. Terrence is learning about the consistency of effort that he must bring at the collegiate level. Put T. Jones up against that Pikeville squad in January and I'm guessing he absolutely destroys them. The light doesn't click on at the same time for every freshman. T. Jones will be a beast for us.
This isn't all necessarily aimed at you NYR, but I've been reading a lot of insane Terrence Jones opinions on the internet today.
I think Jones is VERY polished. He got 9 and 7 last night and played absolutely horrendously with below-average effort as well.
Nice to see you giving Liggins some praise. I dunno if anyone dogged him more than you?I may still have the texts somewhere hahaha. He has raised his game tremendously.
I think the getting fouled 37 times thing DOES show that this team will be much more DDMO oriented than before. Obviously that will change somewhat once Kanter is ruled eligible.
In the context of this thread, it appears you are replying to me. My apologies if I'm wrong.
See my earlier post for my opinions of Jones. I think he's possibly a one-and-done. But it's based on him using his quickness and handle against players at his projected position, and against players his size. Against Pikeville, he probably felt like a '5' playing against a '3'. I'm sure his effort wasn't there. That will change.
I thought the same about Knight. When he plays well UK will have a good chance at winning. When he doesn't play well they will have no shot at winning. The talent is good but its not Final Four good. Even if Kanter is eligible and is as good as advertised I'm not sure they are a team that could make a deep run. Jones is going to have to improve a lot and someone else is really going to have to develop by leaps and bounds to give them good depth. Best thing is that it is very early so a lot can happen. We will know much more how this season may shape up by the end of the month.
Reds Fan Since 1971
NO shot? You're selling this team way short.
UK fans are funny sometimes.
You're making that proclamation after ONE pre-season game?? And you haven't even seen Kanter play yet??The talent is good but its not Final Four good. Even if Kanter is eligible and is as good as advertised I'm not sure they are a team that could make a deep run.
I think some people need to take a closer look at the rest of the landscape of college basketball. There is ONE inarguably great team this year: DUKE. The field is WIDE OPEN.
Last edited by WMR; 11-03-2010 at 11:44 AM.
To cumberland's point, if Knight plays poorly, gets hurt, etc., who is the backup PG?
Liggins?
When all is said and done more is said than done.
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