John Calipari and his team have to regroup before NCAA play starts. (Vicky Graff Photo)
From the initial tip Kentucky was never in control of the game against Tennessee Saturday in Tampa in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.
It led to one of the worst offensive showings of this team. In the words of the late Coach Joe B. Hall (following the Georgetown Final Four loss), “I think if we were flying over the Grand Canyon and threw a ball it would miss.”
A few weeks ago Kentucky was climbing towards the top of the mountain. Analysts, coaches and fans were picking this team to make a run for the national championship. However after Saturday’s loss to Tennessee the possibility of a No. 3 seed (for the NCAA Tournament) looms and the chance of a one seed disappeared in thin air.
Kentucky finished the game shooting 34.4 percent from the field and 2-for-20 from 3-point range. Those stats are not going to win games nor is it going to advance a team in the tournament.
Oscar Tshiebwe fouled out for the first time this year and Kellan Grady could not buy a basket from the Dollar General Store. In the words of Just The Cats sports columnist John Huang, “Grady has run out of gas.”
Let’s just hope gas is not too expensive for him to fill up before Madness begins.
Instead of peaking, concerns are lurking and weaknesses are being exposed.
Can this team still make some noise in the tournament? Sure they can. Can this team get beat in the first or second round? Sure they can.
Find a half-court offense, find confidence for Grady, find solid play at the power forward and this team stays alive.
My advice: Think before you tweet, get some rest and get ready for the madness to begin.
11 Responses
Cal has been the downfall of this team.
He has played Grady and Oscar too many minutes even leaving them in during blowout wins.
His lack of trying to run an offense to get 3 point shooters open. He will never buy into how valuable the 3 point shot and a zone defense can be.
The ultimate undoing has been the Sharpe dilemma. The team hasn’t looked good since the Kansas games when the players actually in the court were hearing the UK fans in attendance chanting for Sharpe. He shouldn’t be allowed on the bench if he’s not going to play. He actually should be sent packing.
Cal had a good team at one point that could contend for a title but he’s screwed that up sooner than usual this season.
I used to think he would never win another NC but now I believe he will never make another FF.
have been some frustrating moments
I myself have been critical of Cal at times, but not to the point that he needs to go like some fans wanted done after yesterday. You got to understand the SEC has gotten stronger over the last few years with good coaches that’s in the league. Cats will be fine and let the real March madness begin. Go Cats!!
79, I nominate you to be the president of the "wait until next year club"
Be careful 1996, speaking the truth like that will piss off the Calipari lovers.
This team is good, but far from great. There is 1 consistent player that you can count on every game and know what he will give you, Big O!
The rest of the top 7 or 8 are good players, but not consistent in ANY phase of the game. Any one of them could fill the stat sheet on a given night and then on another night, just not even show up.
Grady and Mintz play in spurts. If they are hitting, it’s good, but that is about all you will get from either one of them on the offensive end. Those two seldom get rebounds or steals. If they get the ball, it is because someone threw it to them.
Brooks and Toppin are pretty much in the same boat, but at least you can count on energy, rebounds, and some points from 1 of the 2 almost any night.
Wheeler will move the ball in a hurry every night. Not a consistent shooter, but will get assists if anyone else is able to score.
Washington is still young. Does look like he is pressing every now and then especially if Grady or Mintz are not hitting. He is the only player on this team that can create for himself at all 3 levels.
One consistent player will not win a Championship; especially, when only 1 other player can create shots for himself, and there does not seem to be a defensive stopper on this team. They all play decent defense, but not a lock down, you ain’t going no where type of player.
I still believe this team can still make a run and can still contend for a final four trip, but there is no denying the slippage that has occurred over the last 3 to 4 weeks.
Calipari has to take total responsibility for this decline in play. Calipari also is completely responsible for allowing the Sharpe kid take advantage of the UK program, facilities, and name to take a short cut to the NBA draft. This is an complete outrage, and I have said for months that the UK administration should have shown this kid the door, and kicked is butt to the street.
The decision to not play him this year is completely consistent with Calipari’s primary goal of paving a path for these kids to the NBA, and not about the success of this program, which is the job for which he receives millions of dollars each year, and actually was paid $1 per win last year.
I like this team. I am pleased that Calipari used the transfer portal to bring in experienced players, but I am still of a mind that the time for him to go is long past.
Sharpe has not announced that he is going to the draft so don’t judge him yet. I read that his father and his high school coach stated that he’s staying to play next year time will tell.
This season has taken a toll on this team physically with injuries to key players. I still don’t think Ty Ty is at full strength. UK looked tired against UT, The Vandy win was a hard fought game. Hard to beat a team three times in one season. But, I’m still on the Cat bandwagon. I agree, you can’t shoot 34% from the field and miss 18 out of 20 three point attempts and beat a team like UT, not the way they are playing now. UT just scored more points, but UK was coming on down the stretch and made it a game, just came up short. Tennessee got a way with a lot of pushing, grabbing and hacking too. I saw no quit in our team, just critical breakdowns defensively. They had their chances. I also thought the stripes, as usual, hurt UK at critical times. Shows was again a nightmare for UK. The fifth foul on Oscar being the clincher. That hurt!. That should not have been called, Oscar was getting mauled. Our boys played hard, just came up short. I still look for UK to get No, 10 and seal the deal in the big dance. They are still a dangerous team, and they will prove it. This loss might just be what they needed. UK must regroup, get healthy, get their confidence back, and stay hungry. This season is not over by a long shot. They need their beat down of Kansas mojo back. Don’t forget, this UK team laid 107 points on UT in January, a 28 point victory that could have been much worse. That is the kind of team they can be. Very scary when they are hitting on all eight. Somebody is about to find out too!
Correction to my above rambling, UK gets No. 9. I am getting senile boys and girls in my old age, can’t keep up, memory bad. Vitale agrees with me, he picks UK to cut the nets down in New Orleans as they win another NC. All you Cat fans who have given up on them, it is still time to climb back on the wagon.
I am not sure they will get past Murray State.