Kentucky Wildcats 2017-2018 Basketball Thread

[Assembly Hall]

I wonder if Bobby Hurley is going to be on Louisvilles radar.

I would say yes. Along with Chris Collins?

[WVRed]

Georgia giving Kentucky all they can handle at Rupp tonight.


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[cumberlandreds]

Georgia giving Kentucky all they can handle at Rupp tonight.


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Ugly win but I expected a post UL hangover.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Ugly win but I expected a post UL hangover.

Tough to play two days after one of your biggest rivals. And Georgia's a good team.

But this team doesn't seem to have much dog in them yet.

It'll be interesting to see whether Calipari can provide that, as he did with the 2014 squad who lost 10 games then went to the Final Four.

[Assembly Hall]

Tough to play two days after one of your biggest rivals. And Georgia's a good team.

But this team doesn't seem to have much dog in them yet.

It'll be interesting to see whether Calipari can provide that, as he did with the 2014 squad who lost 10 games then went to the Final Four.

That all being said. This year ain't the "normal" SEC that the nation has been seeing for years. The conference is stacked with several good teams. It will be interesting to watch it unfold.

[Bourgeois Zee]

That all being said. This year ain't the "normal" SEC that the nation has been seeing for years. The conference is stacked with several good teams. It will be interesting to watch it unfold.

IMO, the SEC has been underrated for years. (For the most part.) SEC teams that make it into the NCAA don't often suffer early-round losses and are often more successful than their seeds would suggest. Of course, this season is stronger (as per media analysis) than in years past. (Largely, this is due not to the freshmen, who are very good, but to the upperclassmen who've stuck around.)

Kentucky could well lose 10 games this year (overall) and be in position to do some damage in the tournament. However, I haven't seen the fight or audacity that would take from this team yet.

Right now, the only team I'm fairly certain won't be in the tournament is Vandy. Everyone else has played well enough to at least get some consideration.

[WVRed]

Well that sucked


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[Assembly Hall]

Well that sucked


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Totally unexpected?

[WVRed]

Totally unexpected?

Not really. PJ Washington was about the only player who stepped up and when he went out in the second half with cramps it showed.

Kevin Knox and Hami Diallo disappear way too much. SGA came back down to earth. No hustle, lack of effort, call it whatever you want.

This whole team needs another season. And even then, I don’t know what the answer is, but it seems like since the 2015 loss to Wisconsin that Cal has kinda shifted his recruiting focus and we’ve also lost out on some top recruits recently that would have made a difference.

[Sea Ray]

Well that sucked

I enjoyed it thoroughly. Nice to know that in the cold of the winter we can count on the Vols beating the Wildcats in Knoxville. It's getting to be a tradition. That's the way it was when I was in school in Knoxville and Joe B Hall came to town with his twin towers.

[cumberlandreds]

Just a typical loss for a team that is nearly all freshman. Its going to be this way all year. Have a couple of good games, maybe a really good one like the UL game, then a great big thud back to earth. That's what happens when you have a new team every year. Also UK has always had trouble winning in Knoxville. Like everyone else in the SEC when UK comes to town that's their Super Bowl.

[Assembly Hall]

Just a typical loss for a team that is nearly all freshman. Its going to be this way all year. Have a couple of good games, maybe a really good one like the UL game, then a great big thud back to earth. That's what happens when you have a new team every year. Also UK has always had trouble winning in Knoxville. Like everyone else in the SEC when UK comes to town that's their Super Bowl.

Do any of you guys think that Cal should change his philosophy?

[cumberlandreds]

Do any of you guys think that Cal should change his philosophy?

It's a moot point because he is not. But it may be changing for him. It seems the top line players are starting to go to more non-descript schools like Simmons to LSU and Trae Young to Oklahoma. There have been a couple of others too. They know they can go to those places and average a million points and still be a number one pick without trying to fit into a team concept. So it may come to point where most of these guys he recruits stay 2 or 3 seasons. But I think we are coming to the end of the Calipari era. For the first time this year he mentioned retirement. Many people think he will move on to other things after his son graduates UK which is two more years. I sort of agree with that thinking. Ten years is about the max also for a UK coach without burnout. Even with Cal's ever present energy he has to be experiencing just a little of that.

[Rojo Rijo]

It's a moot point because he is not. But it may be changing for him. It seems the top line players are starting to go to more non-descript schools like Simmons to LSU and Trae Young to Oklahoma. There have been a couple of others too. They know they can go to those places and average a million points and still be a number one pick without trying to fit into a team concept. So it may come to point where most of these guys he recruits stay 2 or 3 seasons. But I think we are coming to the end of the Calipari era. For the first time this year he mentioned retirement. Many people think he will move on to other things after his son graduates UK which is two more years. I sort of agree with that thinking. Ten years is about the max also for a UK coach without burnout. Even with Cal's ever present energy he has to be experiencing just a little of that.

For the past few years Duke has been getting a lot of the top tier one and done guys. I think Calipari not getting the Jayson Tatums, Marvin Bagleys etc. has hurt what he does. Coach K bought into the one and done business after winning the title with Okafor, Jones, and Winslow and now for the past two classes and the upcoming class he has been getting higher ranked kids than Cal.

[WVRed]

For the past few years Duke has been getting a lot of the top tier one and done guys. I think Calipari not getting the Jayson Tatums, Marvin Bagleys etc. has hurt what he does. Coach K bought into the one and done business after winning the title with Okafor, Jones, and Winslow and now for the past two classes and the upcoming class he has been getting higher ranked kids than Cal.

Coach K has been able to balance it though. The Duke teams have had upperclassmen to guide them through but it seems they have more chemistry issues as well as the teams at Kentucky. Cal and Coach K both have won one championship using the one and done method and Duke has struggled with it lately as well.

I do think there is some truth to losing some of the players you mentioned to Duke has hurt Kentucky. But I think players like Ben Simmons, Trae Young, Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, and ultimately Zion Williamson have proven you don’t need Calipari or the Kentucky jersey to get to the NBA.