On to Kentucky
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UK will not know what KU team to expect. As soon as they start to figure it out KU switches from small to big or vice versa and UK’s lack of experience gets exposed. KU by double digits.
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@JayHawkFanToo my only concern is their length defensively. I still have flashbacks to the game a few years ago and against Oregon where our guards try to float stuff over their shot blockers and kept getting swatted. We need to have a plan for that, like shot fakes. That is my only concern.
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@HawkChamp hopefully the shot will be down before the length gets down the court!
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KU really does not have floater shooters, long range bombers neutralize height inside.
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@JayHawkFanToo hopefully the shots are falling. If not, could be a real battle if they arent.
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@Crimsonorblue22 I would say our transition offense needs to be opportunistic rather than making the entire game fast. As usual, Kentucky struggles in the half court, so I think we need to limit their opportunities and avoid giving up momentum plays and easy points.
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I wish Preston would have played Friday to get experience but I understand why he did not and agree he should have not.
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KU, 75-70. Kentucky makes it close at the end…
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I’m not sure UK is ready this early in the season for by all points a game against a veteran team like KU. Let’s not forget there are alot of players on this team that have beaten the mighty Wildcats the last two times they have played.
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PHOF!
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I predict the FBI will not charge anyone at Kentucky.
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I’m excited to see Billy play against some athletic bigs and how amped up he is not playing Friday. I feel like tho we are short on depth, we actually have low post scoring for the first time since Embiid was here between Doke and Billy. I will always have high regards for LL but averaging 25 minutes and 8 points let’s the defense sleep on you a little too often. At this point I think I’d take Billy over Bragg and Alexander. Our guards have been among the best in the college game the last two years and I think this group can continue that trend this year. I know everyone says it he guards are what wins the NCAA tournament games and that maybe true but most recent NC teams have had at least one if not two good bigs.
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On a side note if anyone wants to get a scout on this years UK club they play today on ESPN at 2:30 against Vermont.
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@kjayhawks Go Catamounts!
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Kentucky is terrible right now. It doesn’t mean they can’t beat us but they don’t do anything well right now that should scare us. They have length at every position besides PG which will have an impact on our shooting if we don’t play smart and look for the open shot. Rebounding will be an issue if we don’t have guys locked in.
We should be double teaming them on any post touch and sagging off badly on most sets because they have 1 shooter on their team. Knox can get his shot off over anyone because his size so he’s the only other threat besides Green. Washington has some body you up game so we have to play him smart. If we play smart, make perimeter shots and rebound we will win
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I think Kentucky if they struggle will play zone as that was talked about in their game today. Calipari could use that change of defense to force our team into outside shots and slow the pace of the game down. This is a key thing to watch
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UK has size but it is very inexperienced with only one junior, who does not play much, and no seniors. They do have raw talent and no doubt they will get much better as the season progresses but right now they are not that good. Vermont came back from 12 points down at the half to pull within 3 and had a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime but they missed twice.
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BeddieKU23 said:
I think Kentucky if they struggle will play zone as that was talked about in their game today. Calipari could use that change of defense to force our team into outside shots and slow the pace of the game down. This is a key thing to watch
Bill Self will salivate when he sees a zone.
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@BShark I do too. Bill’s teams do a stupendous job of carving up zones. Helps that we can put four zone busters out there at a time, five if you count Billy.
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Vick in the mid-post got Tenn St out of their zone pretty quick. UK’s zone looked uninspired, UVU just isn’t good.
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@BShark and Utah valley acted like they had never experienced a zone before. Vick looked real good in the middle. Of course, Kentucky is a bit longer than Tennessee State, but we need to spread the floor and hit our shots to force them out of the zone.
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Lightfoot was 2-2 from 3 point range last game, just sayin’…
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BShark said:
Vick in the mid-post got Tenn St out of their zone pretty quick. UK’s zone looked uninspired, UVU just isn’t good.UVM is a tournament team again. It was also their 1st game of the year. But 2 missed FT’s and 2 wide open three’s missed saved the day for Kentucky. Rupp was in full on panic that last two minutes. It’s hard for a team like UVM to match the size of Kentucky and that was the biggest difference for about 30 minutes of the game.
This is the worst Kentucky team I’ve seen since the Robert Morris NIT days. Who knows what that means for tomorrow but coming in KU has a clear advantage
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Hopefully, this will be a contest that shows the virtues of staying in school!
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@BeddieKU23 My 'Tucky buddy says they want to run- that they can only score in transition because they’re having trouble scoring in the half court. I watched part of the Tucky/Catamount game, and thought they looked much better than their UVU game. Tucky had such an athletic advantage over Vermont it was ridiculous, but Vt almost pulled it off due to their experience. I think we beat them by at least 15.
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@KUSTEVE I would like that to be true but it wouldn’t surprise me if Kentucky plays up to us after a couple of pretty bad performances.
Like beddie said, just keep them out of transition and we will be in good shape.
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Will be interesting to see how it goes, I hope your right.
If they want to play a transition fast pace tempo game that favors us even more. I think the only way they can slow us down is to play a half-court game. If Self uses the film of their 1st two games to his advantage he’s going to notice just how little perimeter shooting they have. I just can’t imagine a team without a few knockdown shooters beating us.
The whistle is going to be very important as well. It just seems that the refs tend to muddy these games up on the big stage and disrupt flow and make it tough to get going. I hope that our guys play smart and don’t get into unnecessary foul trouble
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I always get excited about the first national televised game of the year. You never know which newcomer will be a “gamer”. Every basketball team always has guys that just seem to step up in spotlight games.
I’m leaning towards Malik tomorrow.
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Kentucky started five freshmen yesterday, did I read that right?
There is no way that we should lose this game. No way.
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@BigBad I’m thinking the same thing. Malik’s redemption.
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HighEliteMajor said:
Kentucky started five freshmen yesterday, did I read that right?
There is no way that we should lose this game. No way.
Yeah the only non-freshman that play are Gabriel and Killeya-Jones. 6 of their 8 in the rotation are freshman
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This is an important game individually for the guys who have draft aspirations after the season. There will be a ton of scouts for the games. Will be interesting to see how this team reacts to playing together or do we see guys try and make a name for themselves. This is where Frank Mason became a god last year.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Malik, Devonte & Vick have big games.
The scouts will also get their first look at Marcus. He’s going to turn some heads I think
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“He’s the one that stirs their coffee.” Cal says of Kansas’ Devonte’ Graham.
Of Bill Self and Kansas: “They’ve beaten us pretty good the last couple, so we’ll see.”
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@BShark They were ecstatic over beating the Catamounts. To hear the Squid talk about it, you’d think they beat UCLA during the Wooden era.
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Yes, they have a lot of talent but they are very young and very raw. If they develop to expectations, they will get much better but right now they do noy look that good and I believe KU should win going away. If the two close wins against inferior but experienced talent are an indication, this might be the year that inexperience really bites the squid in the rear end.
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Vermont is a good team. The UVU game otoh was shocking.
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KU 150 - UK 95
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@JayHawkFanToo Where is the rear end on a squid? North of the ink hole?
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@HighEliteMajor Just look for his neck. The rear end is where the neck disappears.
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I think both games will be very good games tomorrow night. A basketball junkies dream come true. -Interesting betting line I picked up off the UK board. - -They said that Vegas opened up with KU with a 2.5 win Kenpom had us winning by ONE point. - -I think these are low being real - ONE point Seriously?
I think personally it will be Kentucky that actually comes in tomorrow night with a little bit of that attitude, a little chip on their shoulder, not very many giving them any kind of chance to win - -feeling did-respected - I could see this pretty easily
I don’t think it will happen - -but never say never, I’ve seen some logical - to extreme - to just totally bizarre predictions score wise on us beating them. - - I think logically - -somewhere from 10-12 points - then I’ve seen 20 point predictions - to 29-30 point predictions - -that’s just fricken crazy. - -There is no way in ell we beat these guys by 30 points - I don’t give a dam if they are freshman - - that’s not happening.
Now I know some of you will disagree, just for the act to be disagreeing with me - -Of course you will, always do why change now. - -If your going to try and tell me we beat Kentucky by 30 - -I’m gonna tell you to put the pipe down and slowly back away - -you don’t hit it one to many times, or if not then just share so I can enter that delusional state of craziness with you - -10-12 win & I’ll take that thanks - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Kansas by 11 Duke by 7
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Ku 150 the other team 95. It happened before…it shall happen again so sayeth bmensch1.
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@HawkChamp Yeah, I like our chances in this game. KU can match UK with size, length, athleticism and talent. What Kentucky cannot match up with KU? Veteran leadership. Experience. We got this game by 9 points. Maybe even higher double figures if KU comes out amped up and blows the rim wide open.
I could see it being a close game because all 5 of the guys on Kentucky’s team are fast and tall and long. They excel in transition. We take away their transition buckets and get them into foul trouble, it’ll be a slaughter. We’ll kill em. The thing is, Doke has to be a beast in the paint. Noone Kentucky has can contain him. Noone. Not one. And, he has to make his effing free throws.
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HighEliteMajor said:
Kentucky started five freshmen yesterday, did I read that right?
There is no way that we should lose this game. No way.
You’re right. We should kick there asses tomorrow.
As I said before. Kentucky can match us with size and athleticism and talent. But we have superior experience at every position. Udoka is our X factor. Kentucky has no body that can stop him.
I’m thinking double double with 5 blocks for Dok, provided he can stay out of foul trouble
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@BeddieKU23 FRANK!
This is way off topic but every time I think about Franks senior night speech, it just chokes me up a little bit.
Guy was even more stoic than Perry but comes out with " If I could play four more years at KU, I swear I would."
Just kills me every time.
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JayHawkFanToo said:
Yes, they have a lot of talent but they are very young and very raw. If they develop to expectations, they will get much better but right now they do noy look that good and I believe KU should win going away. If the two close wins against inferior but experienced talent are an indication, this might be the year that inexperience really bites the squid in the rear end.
But this isn’t the first time that having so much inexperienced talent hasn’t exactly worked out according to plan for them.
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@jayballer54 hehehehehehehe
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@Lulufulu No we don’t really match their length. - -yes we got length, but did you watch their game Sunday? - listed their length 7.5 - 7.3 - like 7.3 - 7.25 & 7.25 - -we can’t match that.
Your right Doke is a BEAST BUT like was mentioned the other day Doke is mechanical looks like he tries to overthink about what he is going to do when he tries to make a move or shot - -has not shot at this point -if he brings the ball down - it’s all over they gonna strip him every time. - -He has the ability to have a monster game hoping he will - - -but he has to be quicker in his decision making. - not gonna be no slaughter just not happening. - I agree anywhere fro a 10-12. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Prediction: How about Kansas 151 - Kentucky 94. Just a bit better than what we handed them back in 1989 -
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This game should be no contest, later in the year it would be different. It will prepare us for the growing pains of next year when we start 3 possibly 4 freshman.
