University of Kentucky Men's Basketball - 6th edition

[joshnky]

Originally Posted by WMR

Thank you for your reasonable take. A UL fan should be very happy with UK's draw. BTW: I don't care much for Pitino, but he does deserve credit for the coaching job he has done this season. He is still an elite coach.

What do you think about the West Virginia match up. Will payback be an incentive for UK or will WVU's physical play give them fits? Kevin Jones should be a very frustrating match-up for Terrence Jones.

Louisville is one of the more "finesse" teams in the Big East and West Virginia always gives us trouble with their defense.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by joshnky

What do you think about the West Virginia match up. Will payback be an incentive for UK or will WVU's physical play give them fits? Kevin Jones should be a very frustrating match-up for Terrence Jones.

It's a fascinating match-up. Personally I like our chances better with this year's Cats versus this year's WVU squad. This team has the shooters to punish any zone you throw at them...

[joshnky]

Originally Posted by WMR

It's a fascinating match-up. Personally I like our chances better with this year's Cats versus this year's WVU squad. This team has the shooters to punish any zone you throw at them...

I might be wrong but I don't think West Virginia has played much zone this year. At least, against UofL, they played Huggins' trademark man-to-man.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by joshnky

I might be wrong but I don't think West Virginia has played much zone this year. At least, against UofL, they played Huggins' trademark man-to-man.

Oh cool then I expect that's what we'll see versus UK. You don't want to zone us if you can avoid it... Jones v. Jones will be a tough match-up for the freshman. Hopefully Harrellson, Miller, and Liggins continue to come up big.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by WMR

Oh you just troll that's right.

Just holding you accountable. That's a full-time job with UK fans.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Just holding you accountable. That's a full-time job with UK fans.

Believe me, I read Cats Pause sometimes and literally shake my head... I think even the UK haters have been able to admit that UK got the pooch job in this bracket. No shame in hating on the NCAA, you can still hate UK too LOL.

[Cedric]

I have no idea how Kentucky is a #4 seed. How can anyone argue that Florida is a #2 and Texas/UK is a #4?

But Kentucky is just getting karma returned from all the years of Newton giving them cake walk tournament matchups

[WMR]

Here's Coach Cal's latest Lexy where he talks about winning the SEC tournament and UK's seed in the NCAAT. 3 minute clip.
http://lexy.com/show/1497
"We just won the SEC! I'm not going to let this draw ruin my day, don't let it ruin yours."

He's obviously annoyed and perplexed but you can tell why the guy is such a great coach/motivator/recruiter. Only positivity from Cal and I know the players feed off that.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by joshnky

What do you think about the West Virginia match up. Will payback be an incentive for UK or will WVU's physical play give them fits? Kevin Jones should be a very frustrating match-up for Terrence Jones.

Louisville is one of the more "finesse" teams in the Big East and West Virginia always gives us trouble with their defense.

In all honesty, I want to say that I am worried about this game, but a lot of WVU fans, including my fiancee, seem to think WVU isn't going to go very far.

I was at the WVU-Louisville game in Morgantown and I agree with the finesse comment. I do think one difference that Kentucky has over Louisville though is a size advantage on the wings, specifically Miller and Liggins. WVU smothered Louisville's shooters and I look for them to do the same with Kentucky, but there is a height advantage to consider.

This is a completely different team than last year though. Last years team WVU played a 1-3-1 zone and forced Kentucky to beat them from three, which wasn't Kentucky's strength. Play the same zone against UK this year and you are asking to get beat. I expect more man to man and WVU to contest every three that UK puts up. They have done very well in guarding the three this year.

This years team is also much smarter than last years. Last years was more talented, but this years has limited turnovers and makes much better decisions. Joe Mazzulla did an excellent job defending John Wall last year and is the type of PG who could give Brandon Knight fits. Terrence Jones isn't a good matchup for Terrence Jones, but I would shade Harrellson on KJ as well.

If I am Cal, I would force Kevin Jones to beat me. Let KJ get his points inside and lock down everybody else. Liggins/Miller on Flowers, Lamb on Truck, and Knight on Mazulla. If KJ gets 25+ points while the rest are kept below 10 or more, I would bet on Kentucky. If any of John Flowers, Casey Mitchell, or Truck Bryant get hot, Kentucky is in trouble.

Just remember, Huggs has Cal's number. I expect a slugfest. Also wouldn't be shocked if Liggins and Flowers get engaged in some serious trash talking.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

My picks:

Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama are all out. (Though Bama and UGA should be in, at least.)

Tennessee made it easily...although I expect them to bow out quick and start working on that NCAA hearing...

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Tennessee made it easily...although I expect them to bow out quick and start working on that NCAA hearing and finding a new coach.

Fixed it for you.

[cumberlandreds]

If UK had beaten three teams during the season they should have beaten,Alabama,Ole Miss and Arkansas,then they would have been a two seed in Florida's spot. You have to beat these poor to medicore teams to leave no doubt about your seeding. It's a tough road for them but crazy things happen in this tournament and the teams you expect to be playing aren't always there. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see WVU lose to the UAB/Clemson winner.

[Scrap Irony]

Every team loses to teams they shouldn't.

Kentucky got jobbed by the NCAA.

They were the SEC Tournament champ. SOS was very good (8th in the country). RPI? 7th. Tons of close games lost in the last possession or two, but improving to winning those close games late. 8-2 in the last 10, including two wins over Florida, a road win over UT, and a win over Vandy. (Not to mention avenging losses to Ole Miss and Bama on the way to the tourney title.)

This decision-- though trumped as a story by the inexcusable decision to once again keep Greenberg's team out, not to mention Colorado-- is the worst seeding call by the NCAA of the past five years. It's indefensible, really. It hurts Kentucky, but it also hurts OSU.

The Buckeyes are the best team in the dance. But, if seeds hold, their road to the Final Four is much, much more difficult than either Pitt or Duke. Duke's road is a joke, but, hey, that's the way the NCAA rolls every year. Why be surprised?

No, the problem is that OSU will have to go through UK, UNC, Duke then Kansas to win it all.

Duke? An untested SD State or a UConn team that played five games in five days last week. A fading Texas squad.

Pitt? Wisconsin, Florida, or BYU. (The matchups are a joke, too. Wisconsin isn't big or athletic enough, Florida's too wispy and tiny in the backcourt, and BYU would lose by 20+.)

Yawn.

This happens every year with Duke. (Or at least the past decade or so.) It's part of the reason that squad gets so much vitriol aimed at it from rival fans.

IMO, that hate is misplaced in this instance. It should be squarely directed at the NCAA. After all, it's not Duke that makes the pairings.

And I realize you still have to win.

But, if you're a Duke fan (or claim bias on my part), ask yourself this: would you rather face UK in the Sweet 16 or Texas? UNC or San Diego State in the Elite 8?

Who was the number one seed again?

[WMR]

I quoted you in the other thread, some people might miss it here and it is exactly correct.

[Hoosier Red]

I'm not as concerned when a team gets a favorable draw due to "matchups"
(Scrap mentioned Wisconsin being easy pickings for a Pitt team because they wouldn't match up well.) Wisconsin deserved its 4 seed, if that happened to match up with a team they could give problems I wouldn't complain so it's the same going the other direction.

But what gets me in this is if the comittee truly used an S curve, with Ohio State ranked 1, Kansas Ranked 2, Pitt 3, and Duke 4 as they said, then their rankings were pretty much;

------>
1. tOSU
2. Kansas
3. Pitt
4. Duke
<-------
5. San Diego State
6. Florida
7. Notre Dame
8. North Carolina
-------->
9. Syracuse
10. Purdue
11. BYU
12. UConn
<----------
13. Texas
14. Louisville
15. Wisconsin
16. Kentucky