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Each week in this space, KUSports.com online editor Jesse Newell will take a statistical look at one of the 10 teams that has the best chance of taking this year’s NCAA title.
Previous articles in this series
Team: Kentucky
Record: 26-1
AP/Coaches Ranking: 2nd/2nd
KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) Ranking: 7th
Strengths
Kentucky’s defense actually has emerged as a strength. The Wildcats are 10th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, and just a few months ago, the Wildcats were hanging around in the mid-60s in the same statistic.
Defensively, the Wildcats are especially stingy inside, as opponents are hitting just 40.5 percent of their two-pointers (sixth nationally). UK also blocks 17.7 percent of its opponents’ two-point shot attempts (eighth nationally) and doesn’t foul often. In fact, Kentucky opponents shoot just 17.4 free throws per game.
Kentucky is 21st in adjusted offensive efficiency, giving the team the balance needed to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. The Wildcats are once again strongest inside, making 53 percent of their two-pointers (18th nationally) while grabbing offensive rebounds on 42.3 percent of their misses (third nationally).
Weaknesses
Turnovers on both sides of the ball have to be a concern for Kentucky. The Wildcats average 15.1 turnovers per game, while forcing only 14.4 per contest. Neither number is terrible, but both numbers could stand improvement before the NCAA Tourney. UK also is extremely inexperienced, as Ken Pomeroy lists them as the 10th-youngest team in the country (out of 347 squads).
Kentucky also hasn’t been as productive offensively as of late, scoring less than one point per possession in three of its last eight contests. The Wildcats had failed to score one point per possession in only three of their first 19 games. I’m sure coach John Calipari also might be haunted a bit by the possibilities of taking a team late into the tournament with a below average free-throw percentage (67.4 percent) like the Wildcats have this year.
Players to watch
When looking at the advanced statistics, it’s easy to pick out Kentucky’s best player.
John Wall? Nope. Actually, it’s 6-foot-11 center DeMarcus Cousins.
Though Wall has been stealing the hype, Cousins has been having a National Player of the Year-type season without many people noticing.
Cousins gets offensive rebounds on 22.8 percent of UK’s missed shots when he’s in (second nationally) and also grabs 25.9 percent of the possible defensive rebounds (21st nationally). He draws 8.9 fouls per 40 minutes (second nationally), and on defense, he blocks 7.7 percent of the opposition’s two-point field-goal attempts (67th nationally). He also carries the biggest load for Kentucky’s offense, shooting on 32.2 percent of Kentucky’s possessions (39th nationally). The high volume of shots hasn’t hurt his percentage, as he’s still shooting 55.4 percent from two-point range.
Wall is most impressive in his assist total, as he gives out assists on 33.5 percent of his teammates’ made baskets when he’s in (39th nationally). Six-foot-9 junior Patrick Patterson, meanwhile, is one of UK’s best shooters, making 60.9 percent of his twos and 40.4 percent of his threes while turning it over just 28 times in 27 games.
Bottom line
Early in the season, I didn’t consider Kentucky a threat for the title because of its poor defense. Since then, the Wildcats have improved dramatically in that area, and as it stands, their balance should make them one of the favorites to win it all. Kentucky’s greatest strength is its inside play, and statistically, it’s Cousins — and not Wall — that provides the greatest matchup challenge for teams facing the Wildcats in the tournament.
Behind the Lens: Game Over April 19, 2012
Jeff Withey says he considered leaving early April 9, 2012
Final thoughts following KU's run to national championship game April 3, 2012
Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor post-game interviews April 3, 2012
Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson: Linked through their KU careers April 2, 2012
Comments
KY_Cats1 (anonymous) says…
The Cats have proven time and time again this year that no one (outside of the referees perhaps) can keep them from their ultimate goal. Unlike any other basketball program in the country, the Cats get everyone's best game every night no matter what...and just keep on winning. We are the NY Yankees of college basketball. You either love us or hate us. The haters can hate all they want because the Cats thrive on adversity. That, along with the love of the Blue Mist faithful, fuels them to regain what is their right...the throne at the top of the college basketballl mountain.
Lucas Oil Stadium - April 3 and 5, 2010
Section 243, Row 6
We'll be the ones in blue celebrating the Cats' 8th National Championship!
2010 - 3 All-Americans, 4 NBA first round draftees including the top 2 picks, the National PoY, and the National CoY.
Cannot be stopped, will not be stopped.
Go Big Blue!!!
UK Wildcats
your 2009-’10 ncaa Tourney Champs
First College Basketball Program to 2,000 Wins
KU (anonymous) says…
Yes, Kentucky has some very talented players. Cousins is a beast and he will give Aldrich & Co fits down low with his powerful body. John Wall is the best NCAA point guard who didn't take his own SAT since Derrick Rose. Wall is better than any PG KU can throw at him. Patrick Patterson will be a great matchup for Marcus Morris. You can go on and on. I hope KU and UK can play one another because that means we both made it to the Final Four. I also hope experience will win out in Indianapolis and KU brings home its second championship in 3 years. In reality, the chances of either team--let alone both--making the Final Four are less than 50-50.
dynamitehawk (anonymous) says…
Hey KY,
Thanks for coming back. I missed you, girl. Did you get your tickets from this guy... Derrick Miller?
http://www.kentucky.com/2009/12/08/10...
I ask because, I looked at the floor plan and can't find section 246. AND where it should be is waaaaaaaaaaay up in the corner - Peyton couldn't even through a pass there. I thought you and your partner had a 'practice'??? Can't you get better tickets than that?
escaped_labrat (anonymous) says…
"First College Basketball Program to 2,000 Wins" <-- and you'll probably be the 4th as well after you are stripped of your victories this season due to NCAA sanctions, lol.
I finally figured out what KY(jelly) fans remind me of...Mizzou fans. Why do they call it KY jelly? Because most of the KY fans you come across are ignorant a$$ holes that require a little something to loosen up and quit trying to convince everyone that isn't a KY Basketball fan to see things their way. If KY is the great "king" of all of college basketball, then why do you feel the need to try to convince KU fans of this....unless of course it's simply because you have to give yourself reassurance that somehow the great kentucky tradition alone is going to give you a championship. I am willing to bet that kentucky chokes out before the elite 8.
dynamitehawk (anonymous) says…
sorry - make that 'throw' a pass.
http://www.lucasoilstadium.com/Assets...
I really can't find section 246. Top right. Not there. Seriously. Check out your tix dawg, because they might not be right. Kentucky or not, I would hate to see anyone scammed. But you'll know all about scamming when Cal coaches John Wall for another three years in a brand spanking new Stadium in Brooklyn. You hear about that one?
dynamitehawk (anonymous) says…
Oh dang. Section 243. Never mind. Your tickets still suck though. :)
BeakofLight (anonymous) says…
...it all depends on the draw...if UK, or KU for that matter, draws an 8\9 seed with a great 1-2 punch, a really hot guard, or a a team that can dictate tempo, it could be over after the first weekend...if i was either team, id hate to draw UCONN, Fla, 'ville, or another streaking team on March 20\21...
JHawk252 (anonymous) says…
I bet Kentucky fails to make the Final Four. Talented, yes, but also young. They are going to run into some gritty, well-coached team led by seniors and juniors that takes the Wildcats out of their game and causes them to tighten up, clang the rims and go home losers.
BeakofLight (anonymous) says…
...you can throw marquette, okie st, and others into that mix as well...the tourney is a different beast as you only have 24-hours to prep for the back-end game...
cant wait till it tips as unlike every other sporting event, the big show is NOT anti-climactic
vacation time in three weeks??? why yes, i dont mind if i do
tennesseest (anonymous) says…
Kansas- 27-1, rpi #1. sos: 20.
Kentucky- 26-1, rpi # 3. sos 39.
The one loss for both (both on the road):
Tennessee: 20-7, rpi #19, sos 21
South Carolina: 14-12, rpi #80, sos 27.
Top 3 Away Wins for KU & UK:
Kansas: K-State(RPI #5), Texas A&M (RPI #12), Temple (RPI #13)
Kentucky: Vanderbilt (RPI #13), Florida (RPI #47), Miss. St (RPI #65).
These are the objective facts, make your own conclusions.
Source: cbssports.com rpi
justanotherfan (anonymous) says…
UK can win it all for a variety of reasons.
1) Talent - no one can deny that UK is talented. Talent is a trump card. True, KU is led by a senior and a junior, but if the sophomore class wasn't strong, they would be in a world of hurt right now. KU has a top flight PG and the best defensive center in the country. UK has a top flight PG and the best offensive center in the country. Talent is the most important thing.
2) Experience isn't as important as it used to be - Years ago, even after freshmen became eligible, they rarely played. This was due in part to the fact that most teams top talent stayed all four years. As a result, players really didn't get much game experience until their junior year unless they were extraordinarily talented. However, that began to change when the Fab Five hit Michigan. As Steve Fischer said at the time, "I didn't start them to make headlines, I started them because they were my five best players." More and more, with early defections, the better players tend to be freshmen and sophomores. As a result, Wall, Cousins, and Bledsoe have played a ton of minutes this season. They have played under constant scrutiny. They have played in hostile road environments. They have played close games. They have played against good coaches. They have seen junk defenses. They have had players try to get under their skin. Opposing fans have intercepted their cell phone numbers. It's the end of February and they have been through just about everything you can imagine - rivalry games, unruly fans, media pressure, hype, bad shooting nights, slumps, being banged up, etc. So even though they are freshmen, they have played a full season, all of it ranked extremely high in the polls, with lots of people saying either they do or don't deserve that ranking.
I felt all along that the longer UK played well, the more difficult it would get to beat them come tournament time, because they have seen the media blitz already, they have seen the hype circus, they have done the interviews. And through all of that, they have kept right on winning.
3) Variety - UK has four players that can hurt you. Bledsoe has had huge games. Cousins is a walking double double. Patrick Patterson was an all-american last year. John Wall is the likely #1 pick. Think about that for a second. They have four guys that could go off in a single game. They are similar to KU in that respect. Either Patterson or Cousins could go for 25 and 10 and I don't think many people would be surprised. Bledsoe has gone over 20 points on 3 seperate occassions. Wall has failed to score in double figures only twice all season. Not only can he hit for 20 or more, but he is frighteningly consistent. And you can't ignore their bench, because Liggins, Miller, and Orton all are very talented.
saidtoomuch (Jay Hawk) says…
At least tennessee is logical. Is Kensucky full of a bunch of big headed idiots that think they should be crowned National Champions before the tournament has even been played? Kensucky hasn't done jack in over ten years, most of their players are for rent and will be traded-in at the end of the year for a shiny new one and done.
KY_CATS1 if you are indicative of the rest of Kensucky, I hope I never so much as fly over your conceited, arrogant, balloon headed, hillbilly state. Your opinions are ignorant to the fact that Kensucky has been a non-factor in college basketball for so long that people like you have to hang your hat on one season, this year. I'll be the one laughing when you fail and KU once again succeeds, because at Kansas we do it the right way. We don't have to attempt to buy a Championship to put our program on the map. We don't have to go to a Kensucky web site and post how we are already going to be future National Champions and everyone else should bow down to king adolph, the blue p**s, and the little blue ball nation.
Once again I would just like to state that KY_CATS1 you sir/ma'am whatever you are, you are an idiot and I hope you have fun watching KU play the Wildcats from K-State in the National Championship this year.
BeakofLight (anonymous) says…
oooooh god...here we go again with the vicarious identity wars
BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says…
KY_Cats1,
You made it back. I assume it has taken you this long to crawl back from South Carolina where Zippy and his one-man-band beat everything Kentucky could put on the floor that night. By the way, the men's program there in Kentucky really should consider returning the women's road uniforms to them. They look better on the gals than your so called studs.
Speaking of so called studs. What the heck is that funky chicken dance of Wall's? I hope those NBA scouts don't see those scrawny little chicken arms on your boy. Not exactly the physique that is NBA ready like KU has in Xavier Henry.
Good luck to ya.
austin5string (anonymous) says…
I enjoy this line about Wall from Pat Forde in his ESPN article -- "The hardest guy to coach in college basketball might be a five-star recruit with a three-star understanding of the game and a seven-star opinion of himself."
dagger108 (anonymous) says…
Austin - Was he referring to Wall or Cousins. The former is getting more pub, but I believe the latter is leading the country in T's.
dagger108 (anonymous) says…
KY - The 7 national championships, weren't the first 3 won in seasons when the NCAA determined UK had cheated? Obviously, the wins weren't vacated back then, but the NCAA has changed their policy since then. Coach Cal can explain explain that to you if you don't understand.
junkyard (anonymous) says…
Austin, that article you are referencing from Forde and the line you used is not about Wall. Forde poses the question about havn' a five star recruit with a three star understanding of the game and a seven star opinion of himself but is doing so in reference to Texas's freshman and not Wall. Not trying to call you out but Forde definately did not say that about Wall.
DCHawk63 (anonymous) says…
Great quote Austin
Yahweh (anonymous) says…
Wow. A UK fan hijacked our board and you guys actually listened to his BS and commented on it for half a day. Seriously?
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
KY - classic, blaming the refs for your loss. It's pretty pathetic and laughable what everything at that institution has become (again). Their coaches, players, fans, boosters, administration. From the top on down, everything associated with that program is a fraudulant joke. You are right in one respect regarding Kensucky being the Yankees - they definitely are buying the best players in order to try and win a championship (nice assist). Of course, the Yankees play in the best division in baseball, whereas Kensucky is playing in the 4th or 5th best conference in the country.
RockCaCO3 (anonymous) says…
Yahweh, it was actually kind of fun watching KY jelly get b!tch slapped the way she/it did. Some of the responses were hilarious.
waywardJay (anonymous) says…
ict, that's if you got the SEC over the MIssouri Valley.....
the 12 ( where Kentucky would not win 9 games )
the 10 ( where Kentucky might win 10 games )
the Beast ( Frankly, I cannot predict what THEY will do much less Kentucky )
the ACC ( even no North Carolina, I still like them over the SEC )
the MVC ( I would love to see these Hypesters play road games in the MVC.... You though South Carolina was rough )
The Horizon and the Patirot League are calling your spot, Sec. MAN UP.
waywardJay (anonymous) says…
I also beg to differ with your assessment of the Wildcats D, jesse.
Wall's a matador. You let dribble penetration in and leak out for easy dunks IF they block the shot.
That's what Wall is, he's a cherry picker.
rges (anonymous) says…
haha kentucky fans are a lot like mizzou fans even though i guess kentucky fans have a little bit more to be ignorant about even though both programs fans have 00000000 clue what they are arguing about because they dont understand the game! I also liked the comment about the recruiting violations that kentucky is going to get this year and as long as that POS Calipari is coaching there! Calipair is hands down the biggest sleeze ball in all of NCAA coaching!
bradynsdad (anonymous) says…
i do think its hilarious that kentucky and unc both feel they are kings of basketball. here is the thing, heavy is the head that wears the crown. that being said freshman cant do it and heels arent even on the map. dean smith and adolf rupp made those programs what they are today and where did they come from? thats right the birthplace of basketball. rock chalk.
chalmers2wright (anonymous) says…
I love how he thinks Kentucky is the only team that gets everyone's best shot game in and game out. Try Kansas, UNC, and even Duke. Hell until this year Kentucky didn't get everyone's best shot. I can't wait until Kentucky loses in the tournament (and they will) because the meltdown in Kentucky will be catastrophic.
Ambersqueenee (anonymous) says…
No, they still took everyone's best shot. It's just the last 2+ years they were more like knock out blows.
gardenjay (anonymous) says…
A recent study found that many UK basketball players have dyslexia to go with their strong desire to be the best, it's just that during recruitment they thought they were going to KU.
100 (anonymous) says…
From the Lexington Herald:
"After the referees made 10 calls against Mississippi State & none against Kentucky in the final 2 minutes of the game with the Bulldogs, the least "fouling team", statistically in the NCAA, leading by 7, Kentucky gutted out the win with the help of a controversial goal tending call as well as a quite obvious charge that was called a block.
After the bottles had reigned down on our favorite SEC Las Vegas officiating crew (who get paid a measly $120 a game, I guess we can see what's going on here with their overseas Valentine's Day bank accounts), Mississippi State Coach Rick Stansbury, didn't complain about the officiating even though he said "it's nice to be Kentucky", & in fact wanted to talk about something else:
He said he got so many crank calls from the state of Kentucky that he disconnected his home and cell phones.
“They got my cell and home numbers,” Stansbury said on Thursday. “It started last Wednesday. The first few, I didn’t pay much attention till it kept going on and going on and going on.
“I leeft and came back, checked my home (message recorder). Jeez, I finally took the batteries out of everything and unplugged all the lines.”"
rockchalkxii (anonymous) says…
If you honestly look across the board at the two teams, KU has the edge. What is more important, size or expierence (Sherron or John Wall). Morningstar and TT would cancel out Eric Bledsoe. Xavier Henry has an obvious advantage. Marcus Morris vs Patrick Patterson would be an exciting matchup. And then, dont they say defense wins championships (Cole and Cousins). And finally our bench (players and coaches) the obvious advantage goes to KU. The edge would definately have to go to Kansas in this matchup. To be honest, on a neuteral court, the wildkitties from Manhattan scare me more than anyone.
hammerhawk (anonymous) says…
Sorry buba, but uk isn't going to be better than KU this year, either. Let proud Jayhawk forever remember routing the Kentucky pussycats at Allen Fieldhouse on January 9, 1989!! KU 150 - Kentucky 95. Go Hawks!
100 (anonymous) says…
From Lexington Herald Leader:
"Reporters could hear an echo from the Rick Pitino days when speculation about other jobs became an annual rite of spring. On May 2, 1997, Pitino addressed rumors of his leaving for the Celtics by saying, "If I am back next year, and I intend to be, it's going to be with a long-term contract. ... I know (Celtics owner) Paul Gaston has not said that, and I haven't said that. I've never really looked at an offer. I don't know what all this is about."
Four days later, Pitino signed with the Celtics.
That's not to say Calipari will be the Grover Cleveland of New Jersey Nets coaches: two non-consecutive terms.
But in so many areas, Calipari follows in Pitino's footsteps. During his nine seasons at Memphis, Calipari got linked to at least nine different coaching positions. The speculation last spring proved prophetic as he took the Kentucky job a few days after saying, "This (Memphis) is where I want to coach."
Calipari has been commenting on job speculation so much he's repeating himself. To many of us die hard fans, "never" should "never" be used by a Coach who wants to stay, it reminds us of Pitino at UK. And of Calipari at Memphis. We want to hear our coach say he's happy to be here & talk about us, the first to 2K....
"I am happy here," Calipari said. "Why would I ever want to go anywhere else?"
But no, Calipari had to use "never" (or "ever" in a rhetorical question, the implied meaning is "never")...
But as much as we love our Cats, we know anything is possible. Pitino left us shell shocked for over a decade. Calipari, for the same exact reasons (being outbid by a landslide & part ownership of the overwhelming best talent in the NBA) absolutely will leave if the offer is right from New Jersey.
It is, afterall, business. And our coach, as much as we want to dream about his bursting at the seams mother following a star at midnight with a bunch of robed men 51 years ago, was not born in Rupp Arena, & furthermore Rupp not only was not his manger, it was not his nursery or even preschool. In fact he's only been here with us for 8 months.
Which gets us thinking, "Why does this non titled professional hand shaker Mr. Anderson & The Chosen One keep bugging John & John at Rupp?" Can they please JUST leave our head coach alone?
And it doesn't help much that the Nets will be owned by the richest owner in the NBA next year. Because unfortunately we know how Cal feels about money, good players, a great market & fame. It makes him richer; he wants more.
When Calipari coached at Memphis, the Memphis Commercial Appeal published what it called a Cal-culator: a list of speculations linking Calipari to other jobs and subsequent pay raises and/or enhanced contracts.
In the spring of 2007, Calipari denied interest in the Kentucky job, noting that he had a great team assembled at Memphis. "You don't leave that unless the commitment changes," he said.
(continued)
100 (anonymous) says…
(continued)
"True Blue Cats, we need to brace ourselves. Memphis & UMass fans have been obnoxiously bothering us regarding our Coach's loyalty issue since the hire, but the financial facts unfortunately seem to indicate they might be right, regardless of how blue his heart became after a few months.
In fact, if New Jersey wins the lottery and Lebron holds true to his words (verbal and nonverbal) about wanting to playing with Wall, if and when the offer comes from the new Billionaire Russian owner, businesswise, Coach Cal would be absolutely insane to not accept it."
It's just too much money and too much fame for a Coach we call "our Savior"."
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Bulletin: There is a statistically insignificant chance that University of Contucky can win it all.
And that statistically insignificant chance exists only on the improbable condition that KU is upset before meeting UC.
I've laid it out many times now, but here we go again.
KU is equal, or better, at every starting position (save possibly 2 guard) and better at every back up position and KU is vastly more experienced.
KU plays in a vastly better conference and, as was always the case in the days when the ACC was tough, KU, a team from the B12, will be vastly better seasoned for the intensity of post season combat.
UC doesn't shoot well enough from trey and so are the SEC equivalent of Texas.
The don't defend well enough off ball.
They don't steal well enough under any circumstances.
Their TOs are still too high, whenever they play a team playing good pressure defense with good athletes.
Their primary weapon in winning is holding a +11 rebounding edge and they can't have that edge, or any at edge at all, against KU, or Syracuse.
UC's lack of experience will hurt it in an era when experienced teams hold greater and greater advantage, because experienced teams tend not to get tripped up on the way to the Final Four. This means that the inexperienced UC is almost certain to meet two more experienced teams than UC in the Final Four, if UC were to even get that far, which it almost certainly won't.
UC has a coach who has proven that he can't win the big one with exceptional players at both UMass and Memphis. He is, as his record shows, a choker at crunch time.
Cal will not be able to hold back the rumors of his departure for Jersey and this will keep his team from being at its best.
These are plenty of reasons not to take UC's chances seriously.
I am kind of amazed at how people are being sucked in by UC...just as I was amazed at how people were sucked in by Texas.
Oh, well, there's are reason corporations and presidential candidtates spend big on commercials.
Many persons will swallow whatever they are fed.
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Post script on UC's nill chances:
Always remember, that no matter how long a season is, and no matter how many games a team plays, its freshmen are still mentally and physically freshman to the last second of the last half of the last game of the season.
There is no amount of experience in a season that makes up for another year, or two, or three of maturity and experience.
Bank on it.
This is as sure as death, taxes and the Fed bailing out its friends.
jaybate (anonymous) says…
100,
The "jaybate Basketball Dictionary and Thesaurus, 9th ed unabridged" has a new term to suggest what happens to a school's basketball program, when they hire a coach that takes them down a dark path. The term is: Memphucky
Memphucky (mem-fuk-ee)
Basketball lang derived from the contemporary English roots of Memphis and Kentucky.
1. Memphucky n.a basketball program being led down a dark path.
eg.,Memphis became yet another Memphucky.
2. Memphucky v. to take a basketball program down a dark path.
e.g., Kentucky got memphuckied.
Perhaps some enterprising KU fan might add it to the Urban Dictionary.
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Note: Second example of second definition.
The coach memphuckied Kentucky.
:-)
ralster (anonymous) says…
KY Cats1, where ya been, buddy? No doubt laying low because your team playing down to the level of the competition recently? Just what KU is accused of doing from time to time. Even our 08 Champs were accused of that by some of our own fans...But none of that matters. You should be praised for supporting your team--we expect that. Why dont you join us in seeing if either of our teams actually makes the FinalFour. We would love nothing more than a chance to beat Calipari. My final point to you is this: Most KU fans could care less about KY basketball year-to-year--its John Calipari that alot of the NCAA fans have an issue with. Yes, its been fun to speculate on matchups and stats between KU & this year's interesting KY team & its personalities, but I certainly dont like Calipari. Beware! He may pull a "Memphucky" on you guys like he did to UMass and Memphis. That's our chief concern--No basketball program deserves that (certainly not KY), and Bobby Knight was right.
waywardJay (anonymous) says…
I like that Bate, Memphucky....
So, When will this experience driven team out last the ego driven team that we currently love to feud with, WIll It be Tennessee, Tennessee. WIll it be UGA ?
waywardJay (anonymous) says…
I like that Bate, Memphucky....
So, When will this experience driven team out last the ego driven team that we currently love to feud with, WIll It be Tennessee, Tennessee. WIll it be UGA ?
chiefgordon (anonymous) says…
so finally, after years of lurking, jaybate has coaxed me out of the bushes with "memphucky."
instant classic.
FairgroveJayhawk (anonymous) says…
hijacker - califleezi
highcracker- kYcats pre "memphucky" realization
lowcracker- kYcats 4 weeks from now
jaybate (anonymous) says…
JNewell,
Here are some titles that probably would have been more accurate for this series:
"Ten Teams That Could Beat Anyone But Kansas"
or
"Ten Wannabes Hoping Kansas Gets Upset, So They Have a Snow Ball's Chance in Hell"
or
"Ten Emperors with No Clothes Facing a True King"
or
"The Father of All Basketball Programs and Ten False Heirs"
or
"Ten Queens and a King"
or
"One Team that Plays Defense and Ten that Don't"
or
"One Team with All the Pieces Vs. Ten Missing Some"
or
"One Champion and Ten Runners Up"
Just some gentle redirects to get the editorial rim back to reality.
Rock Chalk!
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
KYKitty: welcome back missed you. Unlike rest of JHNation I for one am very proud of your longstanding basketball winning tradition. In fact almost no other program other than you, St. John's, and Okl A&M, has been really fine the last 80 years.
Since we were good 20 years before you found game, we don't look down on you rather we look down on everyone.
I hope you aren't knocked up or knocked off by anyone but us, so play well boys.
You have a quandry, if you lose in round 1, life goes on, if you make the final four, then the SAT kid will have to surface....a mental/moral standoff don't you think. Throw the game or win it and have it taken from you as cheaters...so much to worry about.
satcats
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
Lasty night I brought home a large tub of ice cream, and this afternoon I find in the freezer an empty carton.
I've been Memphucked.
Fred MCMurray on my three sons in season 4 has lost his oldest son to marriage, Chip is now the middle son, Rob not the middle but the oldest son, Charlie still in the kitchen and now some daughter in law invades the men's house...all is topsy turvey.
I've been Memphucked.
Mayberry RFD season 6 Gomer leaves the gas station for Sgt. Pyle and the Marines, and here comes cousin Goober....
I've been Memphucked.
dynamitehawk (anonymous) says…
Johnny the Squid. Email: Squid@Contucky\douchebag\SATscoresjustaskmyboyWWW\KYhasApartnerlikeElenD
ralster (anonymous) says…
Jaybate, you're on a roll! With your permission, I shall take the term "memphucky/memphuckied/memphucked" and incorporate the concept diligently...this will be phun...
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
I meant Gomer Pyle leaves for Sgt. Carter but you get the point...
mikendal (KUFanSince1975) says…
Another weakness Kentucky has is they struggle against a Zone defense---are you listening Syracuse? South Carolina exploited that weakness when they defeated the Wild Kitties!
jaybate (anonymous) says…
MEMO:
From: Rahm Emanuel
To: Barack Obama
Subject: White House March Madness Betting Pool
Security Clearance: Above Top Secret (but I forget the code word! ha, ha!)
Here's the first of the scouting reports I've asked NSA to capture for you to ensure you have the unfair advantage in the pool. Its on Kentucky, The NSA director tells me he pulled it of something called jaybateOpponentScouting.com. jaybate is some knucklehead basketball fan of KU. You did say your mom told you many times that KU was the father of all basketball programs and that you wanted a summary pulled from someone with KU connections. Well, this is what the NSA director could come up with on short notice. jaybate refers to the as Contucky, or UC, because of rumors of recruiting improprieties and their having hired a coach that just left a program that had a forfeit a season for playing ineligible players. If this sample scouting report works for you, then I will have the NSA director and the Director of Home Land Security run a check on jaybate and see if we can trust him as a source long term. Enjoy. And see you bright and early tomorow at morning briefing.
"Sample jaybateOpponentScouting.com scouting report on UK Starting Five"
Wall: Inexperienced turn over machine running high risk offense who only defends occasionally; urban legend circulating that he cannot read names or numbers on opponents' uniforms; Jersey bound with Cal?
Bledsoe: Brick artist from trifectaville, extremely resentful that Wall gets all the pub, but can go unconscious occassionally for 25.
Patterson: Serious strength with inside and outside game and 40% trey, a Gillispie hold-over, easily better than Cousins, or Wall; but Calipari hyping Cousins and Wall for them to jump with him in Lebron package to Jersey?
Cousins: Big, wide crybaby who doesn't like contact, but who can get up for boards and block some shots, 1-6 from trey land, good for 10-12 rpg, Jersey bound with Cal?
Miller/Dodson/Liggins: The underlying reason UC is so tough for opponents, all 6'6" to 6'7" 2 guards that let UC go big and stay big outside. crash the boards, and be very tough in transition near the hoop, too.
Ashley Judd: Good window dressing, but no spring chicken; Jersey bound?
Offense: Princeton on Roids clever, but bogs down against KU-style, half court pressure defense.
Defense: m2m; great athletes permit good on-ball defense, but off-ball defense almost non existent at times.
Conference: SEC weak this year, about equal to Conference USA.
General Level of Team Experience: Low
Achilles Heel: Not much pressure on defense, and bad ball protection still. Compare UC and KU Disruption stats (steals to TOs) for perspective...
UC 195/409 = .477
KU 239/356 = .671
jaybate conclusion for Madness: early out.
(Note: all fiction about Barack and Rahm. Some fiction about UC players. No malice anywhere.)
drgnslayr (anonymous) says…
KY_cats... you have to feel good about coming on the Jayhawk site and reading a positive article about your cats. I have to agree with the story, and UK is improving on defense... and is earning some respect in the basketball world as a real threat to take it all. I appreciate the athletic skills at UK, and think they are coming around, but I still see a team with inexperienced freshmen as the stars, and that has to come into play sometime in March.
Maybe I'm just not "progressive" enough to see the possibility. Good luck, KY_cats... I hope we play each other in the big game.
drgnslayr (anonymous) says…
For me, a perfect Final Four would start with KU playing UK... and KU moving on to take on Syracuse in the Finals, with the Hawks stomping on the Orange... hitting free throws this time.
downriverdan (anonymous) says…
I would love to see your #10 play this #4 of yours Jesse Newell. the 10 wins hands down!
And it could turn out that way~ UK finiding itself as a 1seed in the same bracket as a 2seed KSU. The Wildcats of Kansas (St) would tear the Wildcats of Kentucky apart. Then the nation could see the KSU-KU National Championship game in awe of basketball.
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
http://www.joebanddenny.com/theshow/a...
KY land poll whether coach cal was good KY hire...funny to me it is about 50-50.
cklarock (anonymous) says…
Coach Cal is doing exactly what Kentucky hired him to do -- use World Wide Wes and Lebron James to get enough blue-chippers to the school to return them to respectability. Like it the school or not, they are a legitimate Final Four team. Will they get there? Who knows. They'll need a bit of luck just like anyone else, and if the breaks fall against them, they won't. But they've certainly got the thoroughbreds to make that run.
The fact that some Kentucky fans think this freshman-led resurgence equals dominance or that they're the only school getting people's best shot is laughable. Fans who talk a bunch of that stuff just show you how fragile all the belief is, and how important it is to their identity.
But hey, let's not let the shady dealings and endless NBA rumors derail the Great Blue Hope Train . . . after all, the guy can coach. He's doing a great job with a pretty amazing batch of recruits.
In fact, I'd say Calipari is the best coach never to appear in a Final Four.
Personally, I'm hoping that Kentucky does get to a Final Four this year, because it will be funny to watch the meltdown when that appearance is rescinded. Coach Cal, true to form, will be long gone by the time any sanctions hit.
Anyone who believes that Cal "bleeds blue" is at best willfully ignorant. He bleeds green and grey just like any other mercenary.
The fact is, Kentucky's just not a destination job.
OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says…
Jesse..
Do you actually read all the posts following your articles?:}
To the Posters...Some suggestions:
1] We set-up KY_Cats with Soobawls..she'll defend KU's honor magnificently
2] We set up a disclaimer " Reading any posts from Kentucky fans may be hazardous to your I.Q."
3] Have a contest to guess, to the hour, when Calipari declares for the NJ Nets.
4] Have Jesse write another article on which Ten Teams Who Have A Snowball's Chances In Hell of Getting To The Final Four.
5] For every article on KU for the rest of the season have mandatory pictures of the little redhead from Texas and Tyrell Reed's sister.
justanotherfan (anonymous) says…
One other thing I'd like to point out about a KU-UK matchup.
Regardless of what some on this board might think, Morningstar and Reed are basically worthless in this game, because they don't match up anywhere. Bledsoe is almost as fast as Wall. Morningstar has shown he can't keep up with Donald Sloan. Wall and Bledsoe are in a whole different speed class than that.
If (and that's a big if) KU and UK end up playing, I predict both teams will play eight guys, and six will get the bulk of the minutes. For KU, that's Collins, Taylor, Henry, the Morris twins and Cole, with Brady and Tyrel getting spot duty as shooting subs. For UK, that's Wall, Bledsoe, Cousins, Patterson, Miller and Orton, with Liggins and Dodson getting spot duty on the wings. Both coaches will put this game in the hands of their best players.
BMonstaC (anonymous) says…
Both KU and UK have loads of talent. KU rises above in two areas. Teamwork and Discipline. UK has neither and that's the difference. You cannot win the tourney without those two qualities. Ask the Fab 5, ask Phi Slamma, ask Derrick Rose, to name only a few.
wissoxfan83 (anonymous) says…
If I was to make a list I'd make it 10 teams I hope don't win it all. Kentucky would be #1 on my list.
drgnslayr (anonymous) says…
"Anyone who believes that Cal "bleeds blue" is at best willfully ignorant. He bleeds green and grey just like any other mercenary.
The fact is, Kentucky's just not a destination job."
Piercing remarks... right on the spot! UK fans were fooled because they just can't believe there would be a coach who doesn't see it as a destination job. And even though they have a mixed history, UK should be a destination job (for a legitimate coach).
Hey, UK_Cats.... what do you think of the rumors that place Cal with the Nets?
drgnslayr (anonymous) says…
"I've been Memphucked."
Memphuckus delicti - Sniff, sniff... I smell a body!
SmartMoney (anonymous) says…
KY_Cats1, you overlooked how Kentucky will be stopped. Give the NCAA a year or two to catch up with Cal's violations and Kentucky will either have all victories stripped or be penalized in the post-season. He's a proven winner, and a proven cheat. What will be funny is that he'll move on to another school and get them to the finals while Kentucky is left holding the bag. The enemy is within.
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
Oak:
3] Have a contest to guess, to the hour, when Calipari declares for the NJ Nets.
two minutes after the nets win the NBA draw to determine if that teams get to select 1 or 2.
jaybate (anonymous) says…
chiefgordon,
Welcome. Language is a living, breathing thing. It is one of many paths to the act of life in the moment.
If it takes "Memphucky" to bring you out of lurking and into The Special Season, then it was worth it by definition.
Welcome to the logonasium and to exhuberant, direct participation in The Special Season.
Rock Chalk!
lighthawk (anonymous) says…
Jesse not really 10 teams that could win it all about 6 listed here:
Kansas
Duke
Syracuse
Purdue
W. Virginia
Ohio State
The next group are highly unlikely to win out yet with some fortune 'may' make Indy:
Nova-
B.Y. U.
G'town
Mich State
Pitt
Manhatten & Lexington Wildcats - weakness exposed in elite eight game
New Mexico
Sweet_Sandbags (anonymous) says…
Purdue's chances just took a pretty big hit last night losing Hummel with an ACL.
Speaking of ACLs, Mizzou lost Safford to one last night too. Of course this has zero impact on Mizzou's chances of going far in the NCAAs since they can never get past the Elite 8 anyway no matter how good the players on the team are.
Knock on wood the Hawks don't have any key injuries down the stretch.
mikendal (KUFanSince1975) says…
Sweet_Sandbags---No shiola, as far as, KU having injuries down the stretch. The Hummel injury is just devastating!!!!!
rockchalk10jk (anonymous) says…
I have heard somewhere that John Wall had a ridiculously impossible increase in his SAT scores. I am not sure if this is a rumor or not. If anyone knows where this information could be found, I would love to know. Calipari is my least favorite person in college basketball. I even like frank martin more than i like calipari. thats saying a lot.
BeakofLight (anonymous) says…
bwahahaha...damnit jaybate, i just missed the ten minutes of santa clara getting thoroughly memphucked by the spokane sleekhounds...keep rolling 'em out...
anywho, does anyone else wonder why ricky barnes is hedgeing his bets by starting mason at pg rather than going all in by sliding heave-it-up-hamilton into the starting rotation???
at this point he really doesnt have anything to lose, moreover, those three frosh could quite possibly get scortching hot preluding and then through the first weekend of the dance