Amari Williams (Vicky Graff Photo)
It’s no surprise that Kentucky coach Mark Pope appreciates what Vanderbilt first-year coach Mark Byington has with basically a new roster featuring 11 transfers that includes four graduate transfers and five other upperclassmen.
It’s similar to the rebuild Pope has had to do at Kentucky and this afternoon the two teams play in Nashville.
“You know what an unbelievable job that staff has done on constructing this team and putting together pieces that fit and having guys fully buy in,” Pope said Thursday. “They’re playing incredibly hard (with a win over Tennessee) and have some real joy and moxie and toughness in their game.”
Vanderbilt is off to its best start in 15 years with a 15-4 mark and that big win over the No. 6 Vols a week ago in Nashville. Vandy has gone from being projected to finish last in the Southeastern Conference in the preseason rankings to being projected to make the NCAA Tournament — and a win over UK would enhance that resume.
Vanderbilt does not have a player taller than 6-8 but 6-7, 230-pound Devin McGlockton certainly has impressed Pope.
“They start with five guys on the floor that really shoot it, and they’re really, really mobile, so they force you to guard a lot of space — all of those challenges that come with it,” Pope said Thursday
. “They’re also really physical on the glass. One of the top rebounders in the league is their undersized starting center, right? No. 99 (McGlockton) is — he’s unbelievable, he’s a second-hit guy. A lot of times, you have that first impact of a hit on the glass, offensively or defensively, and then it’s a race to the ball.
“His second hit, he’s creating more space. He’s actually not racing to the ball, he’s trying to create more space where the ball can come to him. It’s really effective, and he’s got a real knack for it. He’s really talented.”
Vanderbilt is No. 19 nationally in forced turnovers, sixth in turnover margin and 10th in steal rate.
“The biggest thing is it gives them opportunities to switch a ton when they need switches, it gives them an opportunity to force you to guard a lot of space on the floor. They play with great pace there — 20, almost 21 percent of their possessions are in transition,” the Kentucky coach said.
“They’re a high-turnover team. While their size could pose some problems, it certainly hasn’t done it with their ability to play with pace, to earn space on the floor and to turn teams over. I think they’re leading the country now in turnovers turned into points. They’re really effective at doing that.”
Kentucky is a team built on offense. The Cats rank third in the country in offensive efficiency, points scored per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. However, on defense Kentucky ranks 300th in points allowed per game, 269th in defensive rebounding and 228th in opponent assists-to-turnover ratio.
Kentucky is taking about 65 shots per game but allowing opponents to take 64 and Vandy does not mind playing with pace.
Vandy has had trouble defending inside which could set up big games for Amari Williams and/or Brandon Garrison and that could be the biggest key to a UK win.
5 Responses
I do wish the coach would be more concerned with his roster development than that of Vandy’s. Today’s game is still a little worrisome because you never know which UK team will show. We don’t seem to be showing continuing improvement like other teams. You need to look no further than down the road with the success UL has had since we hung one on them. We need to start a game off with high energy and confidence. Maybe today will produce the outcome we have all been expecting.
Vandy was quicker, tougher, and played harder than we did. WE ARE A SOFT TEAM PERIOD! Butler gave this game away!
Pope just surrendered any COY credentials to Byington in one very ugly loss. We got outplayed and outcoached. This team refuses to show up for beginning of game and to play consistently for 2 straight halves. I believe I will have to adjust my 10 loss season prediction as we apparently are Pretenders more than Contenders.
Coach, I know you came into a stacked deck coming to Kentucky, but you are the right man for the job. I know you want to be positive, but sometimes you have to address things for what they are. Today’s performance from Butler, Brea, Perry, and Robinson was unacceptable, period. You need to start being their coach and not coddle them so much. Sometimes you have to chew on a guys butt to get them back on track and if that doesn”t work, put them on the bench for a game or two. You need to get control of this team that is in freefall.
Coach should learn from what Coach Hall did at the beginning of a game once and that’s him sit the starters on the bench against Tennessee at the beginning of the game. Tell them he wants players who will start the game playing hard with Fire and finish a game playing harder! Maybe that will wake them up. Another lost game at Tennessee then the old used car salesman comes in and cleans the Cats clock will put the Fire under Coaches Butt from BBN!