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The doubters were out in force at halftime. The Big Blue Bandwagon that had been overflowing was seeing some leakage.
Kentucky was down 50-34 at Gonzaga and getting knocked around like it had in Tuesday’s loss at Clemson. The Cats were also without injured point guard Lamont Butler and Gonzaga had won 175 straight games when leading by 10 or more points.
But not this time.
Coach Mark Pope did what has been unthinkable the past few years at Kentucky — he made halftime adjustments and went to a zone defense that helped spark a remarkable second-half rally from a 17-point deficit in the second half to win 90-89 in overtime.
The key was Pope went to a 1-3-1 zone defense that allowed UK to limit Gonzaga to 39 points in the second half and overtime after getting blitzed for 50 in the first half.
“This team has grown up in a very difficult place against one of the best teams in college basketball,” ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes said, noting that UK’s zone defense took Gonzaga out of rhythm.
UK Radio Network analyst Jack Givens was part of UK’s 1978 national championship team that often relied on a 1-3-1 zone defense for coach Hall.
“Wasn’t that amazing? You hear all the time just change the defense to give them a different look,” Givens said. “They (Gonzaga) never really adjusted (to the zone) until overtime. It’s amazing to think of the difference the 1-3-1 defense made. We were in that 1-3-1 and it was a lifesaver for us because teams don’t practice against it.”
Hall encouraged former UK coach John Calipari to use the 1-3-1 that worked so well for Hall at times. Calipari listened but wanted no part of the zone. Pope knew at halftime he had to do something and his players were ready to execute what it took to win.
“Gonzaga is really good in transition,” UK’s Otega Oweh, who had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists, said. “We just wanted to slow them down and cause some confusion. We knew being able to pull that out of the back pocket was huge and would muck up possessions.”
It did and now Pope has wins over the first two top 10 teams — Duke and Gonzaga — he has faced.
“If you are part of BBN, you got to appreciate what Kentucky has done this second half,” Dyke said during UK’s rally. “This was a different Kentucky team in the second half. Kentucky was playing with force on offense.”
“We just came out here and had a job to do and I am glad we were able to get the win through all that adversity,” Oweh said on the UK Radio Network postgame show.
Oweh said there was no reason for UK to get bullied the way it did in the first half.
“It was just coming together. We did not come all the way out there to get punked and embarrassed,” Oweh said. “We had to show some pride and we did. Games like this the whole world is watching. Not a lot believed (in us) but as long as people in the circle do and play hard that’s all that matters.”
Now everyone, including those who were questioning everything about UK and Pope at halftime, will be believing again.
10 Responses
It’s still early but if Mark Pope doesn’t get Coach of the Year they should do away with the award.
These players didn’t even know each other 8 months ago.
Ride Captain Ride!
It wasn’t the fact that Pope went to a zone that changed the game, but that he went to a zone that kept going back to man to man and back to zone again. Gonzaga never figured it out. People spoke of Pope’s offensive creativity coming to Lexington, now they can add in that conversation his defensive mind too. We have a COACH!!!
Good points – I agree
Exactly they were going to a zone then a fake a zone then a man to man then after the offense made 2 or 3 passes they would go from a zone to a man like a fake zone. Pope showed he’s not only a up and coming coach but he’s starting to really climb the ranks. Everyone knows how I feel about Mark Few! He always gets the best out of his players! It was a he’ll of a game. Gonzaga had 81% of its scoring back from a great team we had 0% production returning and we beat a legitimate top 5 team! Without Butler and Kriisa in the second half so it made it even more sweet! Imagine if Butler would have played! Pope is doing a phenomenal job!
Adjustments! A welcomed sight in Kentucky Basketball.
Exactly I love a coach that throws the game plan in the garbage and finds something else that works! This shows a great coach. Mike K. Dukes legend of a coach was great at this and that’s why he was so hard to beat!
Quickest transition from doubters to believers in span of one game that I have ever seen. Thinking that at halftime many were questioning the talent, resolve, and even the coaching because we really showed we didn’t belong on the same floor as the Zags. Califraudi would have never been able to make the halftime adjustments that the Pope made, and Cal would have taken us down to defeat. I can’t really remember witnessing a starker tale of two halves that we were all so proudly able to enjoy. I thought a few times during the 2nd half that if we could just find one guy to make 2 straight 3’s in a row we could put this away. I was even wondering if Brea was going to cost us the game with critical miss at the end and also picking up the foul. This will be remembered as one of the greatest UK comebacks ever and very happy that the BBN was able to cheer this on to final buzzer.
You knew they were going to comeback? Hogwash! Nobody watching that game thought we had a chance at halftime. They had won 177 in a row leading by double digits at half! It’s a miracle we won this fame especially without Butler. The defense is why we won this game! We shot terrible again!
Every comment gets a GIANT 👍
I have one question for everyone ?? How does Brea go from not missing a 3 to shooting very great at 3 to not being able to hit a 3 all in 9 games? Very very crazy streaky shooter. I used to wonder how he didn’t start for Dayton and why he didn’t average more but I see why now! Crazy streaky like I’ve never seen before! He had a great look to end the game with the last shot from 14 feet and clanked it. If we would have lost in OT that’s all we would have heard is he missed a wide open jumper to win the game! I don’t know what he’s shooting from 3 now its probably still hovering around 50% but I’ve never seen anyone so hot get so cold in a couple of games! I knew he wouldn’t shoot 70% from 3 all year but I didn’t think he would get this cold either. He has a hard time creating shots against a great defense! Our 3 point shooting is terrible right now!another reason we won this game is because we started driving to the basket. Which Oweh is almost unstoppable driving to the basket I would have Robinson run the point and Butler be the 2 guard. Robinson sees over the defense to very very good.
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