Vicky Graff Photo
It’s a game Kentucky basketball fans have seen way too often.
For the eighth time in the last 39 games, going back to last season, Kentucky fell behind by 20-plus points before losing 89-74 at Alabama Saturday in its Southeastern Conference opener. It’s the 12th time in those 39 games that UK has lost by double digits.
Kentucky got off to a 5-0 lead before Alabama took over, mainly because of a more intense and better effort.
“Alabama is playing harder than Kentucky right now,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said early in the game. “Kentucky is just getting outfought.”
He was right. Kentucky looked discombobulated on offense, with no movement that often left point guard Jaland Lowe being forced to dribble and try to score. There was no transition offense for Kentucky and very little offense in the half-court — a terrible combination against a team like Alabama that made 15 3-pointers and had five players score in double figures.
Kentucky let Alabama guards control the game and became just the third SEC team in the last 40 years to win four straight games against Kentucky. Aden Holloway led all scorers with 26 points and made six 3-pointers, and Labaron Philon had 17 points and made five 3-pointers despite being in foul trouble.
“Due to injuries they have had, they (Kentucky) have no identity. Their lack of identity offensively and defensively has carried over to a lack of effort and toughness,” ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg said.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope said before the game that being dominant on the boards was a must for his team. That didn’t happen as UK got pushed around for most of the game.
“Really frustrated with our physicality,” Pope said on the UK Radio Network postgame show. “I thought the place (rebounding) that we had to come out with a massive win, and we didn’t even with their starting 5 (center) on the bench (injured) in the second half.
“Our guys have to take that to heart … the lack of physicality and intensity. I think our group is frustrated right now.”
They should be after giving up 15 3-pointers to Alabama and recording only nine assists. Pope said the assists total was “unrecognizable” based on what he saw in practice and said UK’s assist total was not low because of poor shooting but rather the poor shooting was due to poor passing.
Of course, Alabama coach Nate Oats made it clear in his ESPN halftime interview that he was not worried about UK’s passing.
“When they drive, they are looking to score and not looking to move it,” Oats said.
Translation: When UK players get the ball into the paint, they are not looking for open 3-point shooters on the wings either because they lack confidence in their teammates or are focused only on scoring.
Kentucky was averaging 18.3 assists per game, which ranked 32nd nationally, coming into the game, but Oats found flaws with the numbers.
“We looked at a few different stats coming into this game. I had our guys pull every assist they’ve had. When I watched them play, I didn’t feel like they move the ball great. And then you look and their assist rate is actually pretty high,” the Alabama coach said.
“Do a little deeper dive, 27 assists, 27 assists, 27 assists against buy games that played a lot of zone. When they play high-major teams that were really good, their assist rate is very low. They throw it into the bigs, they’re not really passing. They had seven assists out of the post in 13 games coming in, (Malachi) Moreno had four of them.”
Kentucky’s bigs had one assist in a combined 49 minutes against Alabama.
“Our intentionality of making plays for teammates was tough. Our pace was lacking at times,” Pope said. “Those things, just the fundamentals, we can do it, we’ll do it, but we did not do it today. Under 10 assists is just not good basketball.”
And good basketball is certainly something Kentucky did not show against Alabama.
16 Responses
Hate to say this but it appears Coach Oats knew as much ( possibly more ) about UK than our own staff. Sadly, we were “ Oat- meal “.
Paul, Your “Oat-meal” comment is very funny!! And sadly, it is so true!
Who were the 4 teams that beat Bama ???? Lakers, Mavs, Celtics and Cavs ?????
I read an article last night where Pope said the team was unrecognizable; they look great in practice and play differently in the game. That tells me that Pope has lost control of the team. The addition of Lowe, Dioubate, and even Quaintance has not solved the problem. Something has to change, but Pope stays until the end of the season…good or bad. With that said, Pope has to get control of the team.
First, Pope tells the team to either play his way or sit on the bench. Second, I would go with a different starting lineup. Lowe at the point, Oweh the 2, Noah the 3, Jelavic the 4, and Quaintance the 5. Third, change the offense. NOBODY stands still for more than 5 seconds begging for a pass. Nobody, including Lowe, dribbles the ball more than 4 times without making a pass or taking a shot. Upon receiving a pass, that man either shoots it immediately, passes it immediately, or takes no more than 4 dribbles before passing. Nobody holds the ball standing still. Everyone is moving. Anyone who breaks this protocol, their platoon comes out of the game.
On defense, switch from man to man to 2-3 zone to 1-2-1-1 half court trap every 4 trips down the floor. Giving a defensive look that is constantly changing should keep the opponent from getting into a rhythm.
All of this movement will require substitution every 3 to 4 minutes. Substitute platoon style. The second group of 5 would have Johnson at the point, Aberdeen at the 2, Chandler at the 3, Dioubate at the 4, and Moreno at the 5. Williams and Garrison plug in when someone gets in foul trouble. Each platoon plays 3 to 4 minutes, but the whole platoon comes out sooner if one or more stops playing Pope ball.
Free throw shooting should be 80% or better. If a man misses 2 free throws during their 4 minute run…they must be tired, but the whole platoon gets subbed out. This makes everyone accountable to each other. As for 3 point shooting…that comes with confidence and confidence comes with winning.
Pope will get fired if he doesn't save this season. Change is needed and it has to start with him getting control of the team. The team needs to fear him or at the very least, respect him. Right now, neither is the case but that is because Pope insisted on being everyone's buddy. Pope has to be the coach and rule his team with a whip! Change only comes with a team when they fear the outcome of not changing.
Practice is comfortable. They know each other. Its a comfort zone. No expectations in Practice. I do believe Mark Pope knows basketball. I don't believe he he is very good getting others to know it.
Im going to bring up a name that I'm not a big fan of. But I cant help but marvel at his ability to get players to " put out" . And it doesn't appear he takes to much shit. Kelvin Sampson. I just look at other coaches and wonder how and why they get effort. His guys play hard.
Look at the emotion and fire that Oats showed during the game. Pope just stands there beating the sideline to death, clapping, pointing, hands on thighs and acting more like a spectator than showing emotional involvement in the carnage he is witnessing. He shows as much emotion as the team exhibits with their play.
Kelvin Sampson is one of the best coaches in the nation, IMP, so you nailed it Grant!
Pope had tons of support to start. Lots of look how great his teams play offense. He said all the right stuff. And those supporters were sure players would come for the name on the front of the jersey. One year removed and support seems to be sliding ( huge understatement ). No ESPN top 100 recruits. 22 million dollar NIL and can't buy a rebound, assist or three point shot against good teams. I hope this current trend changes.
Just wondering where all those supporters have gone??? You know the ones that were hanging the next banner!! This is what u wanted. Cal is gone. No more pimping UK for the NBA. No more premadonnas using UK as a resting place before the NBA. No more top recruits playing in front of " Kentucky Boys " . I am sure you are filling the seats at Rupp. Can't wait to see you all in the stands with your Pope hats on.
You got what you asked for. Now show some back bone and support this team!!!
I say again: UK has a contract with these players. It is a binding agreement. UK is bound by contract to pay lots of money, and the players are bound by contract to play hard and win games. When the players break the contract, then UK is no longer bound by its side of the contract to pay money. Take away their money until they start playing hard and until they start winning games. It’s that simple.
I don't think under production voids the contract Arnie but wish it did
No Larry, it doesn't. You can only promise performance, you can't guarantee it. If a school tried to put a "take back" clause into such an agreement, what kid would sign it?
I believe the carousing some players did the night before the game in NYC and the game vs the Zags should qualify as “cause” to terminate their contracts. Those players are losers, just bums, who are a major distraction & frustration to players who care. The two squabbling about sleeping with the same slut should also be sent packing. Locker room squabbles are not going to build team chemistry.
Sports contracts are not based on winning if so the Reds and Bengals would save a bunch of money. Evaluation is the most important part of all sports. I think that they are not playing up to the hype from preseason. I am still looking for the Ferrari mentioned back then. What we have currently is a 67 VW bug that hates starting in the cold.
I also think the lack of recruiting is going to haunt us in the future. I full expect Johnson to transfer to somewhere like Bama or Vandy next year. Same with Cam.
There is still time to right the ship and make a run but talk of # 9 seems unlikely at this point. And what Oates said about this team should motivate both players and coaches. The next 2 games will show us where we are going. I don't keep up as much as in the past so I am not sure where the girl friend stuff is coming from but that has sank a bunch of ships in the past.
Hoping for the best but fearing the worse!!
All valid concerns and clearly a lot to clean up if UK is going to look like the UK we hoped to see.
Oats nailed it with the selfish comment about UK players.
This season the majority of players started playing selfish after the Purdue game.
Last season, the majority of players started playing selfish after 7 or so games & the even more selfish after 12 or 12 games.
Coach Pope & his staff did a superior job molding a potential FF team in his 1st season, but selfish players took over after those initial 7 or so games. The character of such olayera is very, very low. Vetting of players is needed – how were they raised? How were they in elementary & High school? Did they fight a lot, make decent grades, etc ?
Obviously there are at least 4 players, maybe 6 who need to be gone. No respect for the team is contagious !!!
Getting rid of the players who caroused the night before 2 big road game losses and the players squabbling about sleeping with the same slut would reshape the GROUP of players because a clear message to the others would be to play TEAM FIRST ball or don’t expect to play another minute.
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