SB Nation - Landon Slone

What Losing Jodie Meeks to the NBA Means

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:01:57 -0000

Uh oh. 3-point shooting could FAIL next year ...

Jodie Meeks' decision to stay in the NBA draft is probably the best thing for him, but it is definitely not the best thing for the Kentucky Wildcats next year. This puts UK in a real pickle when it comes to outside shooting. Let's take a look at the leading 3-point shooters from last year:

Name	3pt Field Goals
Name	3pt Field Goals Made	3pt Field Goals Attempted	3pt Field Goal Percentage	% of 3 point shots made	Remaining
Jodie Meeks	117	288	40.60%	57.92%
Michael Porter	32	97	33.00%	15.84%
Darius Miller	18	55	32.70%	8.91%	8.91%
DeAndre Liggins	12	51	23.50%	5.94%	5.94%
Ramon Harris	6	25	24.00%	2.97%	2.97%
Josh Harrellson	5	15	33.30%	2.48%	2.48%
Landon Slone	4	15	26.70%	1.98%
Perry Stevenson	3	10	30.00%	1.49%	1.49%
A.J. Stewart	2	5	40.00%	0.99%
Mark Halsell	1	1	100.00%	0.50%
Mark Krebs	1	4	25.00%	0.50%	0.50%
Dwight Perry	1	2	50.00%	0.50%	0.50%
Jared Carter	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Kevin Galloway	0	4	0.00%	0.00%
Patrick Patterson	0	1	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
*Totals*	*202*			*100.00%*	*22.77%*

Now, just let that chart roll around in your mind for a few minutes.

If that doesn't cause you a moment of panic, I don't know what will. UK is losing 78% of the team's three-point scoring from last year, and bringing in only one player, Darnell Dodson, who is somewhat known for his shooting. Jon Hood is also a decent 3-point shooter, but he is much more like Michael Porter in that respect than Jodie Meeks. What does that say to every coach in college basketball? That's right, boys and girls -- we are going to get a lot of practice playing against zone defenses next year, or seriously sagging man-to-man from teams that eschew the zone. Why would you not force a team with a profile like next year's Wildcats to put up the three ball rather than pass it in to huge post studs or allow a lightning-quick Wall or Bledsoe to get to the rack by playing man-to-man?

So Calipari is now faced with an interesting challenge, and probably one that he does not relish. The Dribble Drive Motion Offense depends on good three-point shooting to function well. Without it, man-to-man defenses will be sagging into the middle like crazy, and zones will be as passive as they want to be. Heck, the perimeter players might even be touching fingertips with each other daring UK to shoot.

This really changes things, folks. Anyone who understands basketball knows that, too. With Meeks on the perimeter, other teams had real problems -- he could spread the floor by acting as a decoy, opening up driving lanes and making it hard on everybody, even if he never put up a shot that wasn't unopposed. Now, every 3-point shot is going to be largely unopposed, because that's what opponents will want UK to take, not slash to the rim for a layup or a dish to Patterson, Orton or Cousins.

The old Chinese curse comes back to the fore. We are living in interesting times, unless Dodson is better than I think he is, or Hood suddenly develops into Rex Chapman.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- News for Kentucky Wildcat Fans, June 4th, 2009

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:12:04 -0000

More photos » by April L. Brown - AP

Jodie Meeks -- Rockin' the Combine. Will he be back?

Browse more photos »

Even though we are still in the throes of the mediagasm over the allegations that a player on Memphis' 2007-08 national runner-up team cheated on his SAT test, there is at least a little more diversity in today's news. The NBA draft "in or out" deadline is looming, players are beginning to work out for teams in hope of making decisions, football talk is starting to ramp up and we are finally getting to a point where we can look beyond, at least for awhile, all the events surrounding the coaching change at Kentucky. That won't last long, of course (if it ever actually comes), but that's fine by me.

I would like to formally welcome Dicky Lyons Jr. to A Sea of Blue. Dicky will be contributing a column periodically about what is going on in his efforts to obtain a spot on an NFL roster, which I am sure he will be able to do. Dicky was absolutely one of the most exciting and personable players we have had at UK in many years, and the opportunity to bring you his thoughts as he moves through his early career is something we are proud to be able to do. Ken was the guy who arranged to bring Dicky's World to A Sea of Blue, so make sure you give him some kudos for that hard work.

Obviously, I'll be leaving Dicky's post at the top for the rest of today, so if you want to get down here to the news, you'll have to scroll a bit. We like to leave our stars at the top of the marquee around here.

Moving on to today's news, there really isn't too much to comment on. Calipari's detractors are still detracting, and his defenders, including yours truly, are still defending. As it always does in matters like this, we are settling down to stalemate, but we at A Sea of Blue will be carefully examining any claims of impropriety for facts, fairness and balance if they come from a source we consider worthy of comment. Believe me, there are many people offering opinion about Kentucky and or Coach Cal that don't meet my threshold for credibility.

So with all that said, let's get to the news:

UK Basketball News

Rush The Court gets this one wrong.
I don't really get what Rush The Court is going for here. Florida did not admit Doneal Mack in spite of being cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse, but that seems that the real reason may have been that Florida wanted to open a scholarship for another player. Mack took the test twice and met the minimum requirements for NCAA admission both times. Seems like a little more research from the usually reliable RTC would have been in order.
Jay Bilas Joins the Calipari Defender Camp.
Someone linked the ESPN Insider teaser yesterday. Here is some commentary from Kentucky Sports Radio. If Jay's argument sounds familiar, it is because it is the one I have been making for days on end.
Landon Slone commits to Morehead State.
Good for Landon, and best of luck. I think he will love it there, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Morehead back in the NCAA tournament again next year.
The Pioneer Press interviews Jodie Meeks.
Jodie thinks he is going to be a first-rounder right now, but says if he doesn't get "definite" answers, he'll go back to school and "... try to compete for a national championship." Either one is fine by me. I would love to have Jodie back, but if he's sure he is a first rounder, he should stay in.
Stud 2-guard Will Barton likes Kentucky and Coach Cal.
Good for us. This is beginning to remind me of how it used to be at Kentucky, and it feels really good so far.
Jodie Meeks answers some questions.

On his status as an early draft entrant: "If I am second round, I'll go back to school. (I) have no problem going back to Kentucky, I love playing there. It is a great place to play and Coach Calipari is a great coach. If I am top-25, first round, I'll probably stay in. Right now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm just going to go through the process and enjoy it."
Jodie Meeks will visit the Sixers on Friday.
Interesting. Ty Lawson, Tony Douglas, Terrence Williams and Stefon Jackson have also been invited. These are some of the fastest and most athletic guys from Combine.
Jodie Meeks' speed "out of nowhere?"
I'm not knocking The Hoops Report for their blog on the NBA Combine results, I just got a giggle out of the fact that they were apparently surprised at Jodie Meeks' third place result in the 3/4 court sprints. Frankly, I'm surprised he wasn't first. I guess The Hoops Report hasn't seen Jodie play all that much.
NBA scouts miss on Meeks
The NBA scouts will not miss Jodie next year, if he has to come back.

UK Football News

OverThePylon talks about what the "experts" say about the football Wildcats.
Great piece by Alan as always.
No rest for weary Cats this football season.
John Clay is right -- this football season is murderous. But then again, so is the season of several other SEC teams. Frankly, I think we could do better than this in college football.

Other UK Sports News

Nothing so far today.

NCAA Sports news

Will Brandon Jennings prove college basketball wrong?
Very interesting commentary on Brandon Jennings. I don't really know if all this is good or bad, but I do feel that kids like Jennings who have no interest in going to college should have another path open to them out of high school. Perhaps overseas leagues are the answer, but it isn't surprising that the colleges don't like this idea much.
College Basketball's Top 25 Coaches
Matt Snyder of Fanhouse does a really excellent job of categorizing NCAA coaches. I really can't take issue with much he has done here. Maybe you guys can. Go for it.
The Loathsome Troll Jeff Goodman says Willard to Louisville makes no sense.
Goodman thinks Pitino needs a recruiter. His argument is not that bad.

Other News of Interest

Sypher attorney wants trial delay.
Sypher's attorney said he has learned of more evidence and wants a delay.
Politicians and sports = oil and water
Mind your own business, Cohen. Work on the economy, the environment, whatever floats your boat. Keep your hands off of sports -- you aren't qualified to mess with them, and you surely have more important matters to address.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Guilty, guilty, guilty.
"I'm still willing to give current Kentucky Men's Head Basketball Coach John Calipari the benefit of the doubt. However, past history with Massachusetts and the current situation with Memphis indicate that Calipari, in his ambition to win at all costs, is allowing improprieties to be committed by his players." Heh. I just have to laugh at the inconsistency in that paragraph.
More fear and loathing from the Bleacher Report.
I think all these guys secretly have a man-crush on Coach Cal. They just want him to pay attention to them.
What’s Going On With Rick Pitino? | U of L Card Game
What, indeed? I suppose, given all the news that Traitor Rick would have rather not heard, he is just laying low to let the whole thing die down a bit. I think that is a good idea for him, and it usually works.

UK Basketball: John Calipari Speaks -- My Take

Ken Howlett — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:07:40 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

John Calipari: A man unafraid.

Browse more photos »

UK basketball coach John Calipari certainly isn't averse to public speaking. On the contrary, I think he rather enjoys the microphones on the table, and the cameras in the back of the room. And his seemingly candid style is a ... change.

Which is a good thing. On that we can all agree.

Calipari's Wednesday press conference gave us yet another glimpse into the mind of UK's basketball coach. And I for one appreciate Calipari's eagerness to share this thoughts ...

But, when a fan base is blessed with a coach who is apt to be fiercely verbose, well, that gives guys like me an opportunity to examine, critique, and opine ourselves, on what the coach has to say.

It all begins with:

Calipari on expectations:

"We will calm them down, don't worry, it is not that time yet, but we will calm them down. You are going to have people that will say that we are going to be the national champion and they are No. 1 or No. 2 ..."

He continues to beat down expectations, but does he?:

"Half of the team is going to be new players that have never played college basketball, and the other half has never played this style. What you are going to be finding out is that in September and November balls are going to be playing everywhere, and they (the fans) will be questioning how we are playing. All of a sudden it will hit January and we will have a couple of breakout games and they will say, 'Oh my goodness.' Then it hits February and we aren't turning the ball over as much and we are shooting better, and still running people into the ground and that is how you are playing. Then by March you are playing your best basketball."

I don't care which coach it is, or how long he's been at UK, but if someone brings in the type of talent that Calipari has, coupled with the return of Patterson (and the probable return of Meeks), my fourth grade sociology book tells me that equals UK fans expecting ... a lot of "W's." Great players equates to great expectations. No amount of spin will ever change that fact.

Calipari knows that.

He's purposely speaking the typical UK fans language with his comments about his expectations for the teams performance in January through March. He knows what the UK faithful want to hear, and he's confident enough to say it.

I don't know that his statement would qualify as tempering enthusiasm (laughing as he types), rather the opposite seems true, but I like it. I think he knows this team should be good. He knows it in his bones.

Calipari on Patrick Patterson coming back to UK:

"I told his mother and father that I wanted them to understand that he and I had two conversations with him and Jodie together, and not once did I tell him that he needed to come back. I told him that he needed to explore and do what he needed to do and that I would be here for him. I did not coach him to come back, because if he came back I wanted him to know that he is coming back for himself, and to help the university."

We get it coach. You didn't talk Patrick into coming back.

Calipari on who performed well in practice:

"Darius (Miller) has played well, and Josh (Harrellson) has played well. Perry (Stevenson) has done some things that we had to stop practice and the whole team clapped for him, because he did some things that they haven't seen him do."

This is twice now that Calipari has mentioned Josh Harrellson's name when asked who's playing well. Although I don't see Harrellson taking too many defenders off the dribble, he is a capable outside shooter. Which could make him dangerous in this type of offense. Plus, his size would dictate the opponent pulling another defensive big man away from the basket to cover Harrellson.

I'm sure Cal can figure out a way to use a good shooting big man. I'm rootin' for you Josh.

As far as Perry Stevenson -- I have run the gamut of emotions with him: I've praised him, I've bemoaned him, I've been content with him, and most recently, I've buried him as thoroughly as Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito buried Billy Batts.

In my view, Perry's improvement needs to be spectacular in order for him to see much floor time this year. He does bring the element of experience, but I'm afraid his talent deficiencies will, in the end, be exposed.

Coach Cal talks about who might not be coming back:

"I don't know. There are some guys that we will sit down with and talk to, but I haven't really sat down with any of the players that way."

Well, the time is getting near, coach.

My thought is that as soon as Wall makes his announcement, Calipari will start downsizing. Based on Wall's decision, he will have to take away either one, or two scholarships from current players.

Regardless of how it's spun, Calipari is left with no choice but to convey to at least one kid that he's not good enough to merit a scholarship. I don't like it. But, unfortunately it's a part of college athletics.

The player[s] will be left with options, though: A grant-in-aid is always a possibility, but the players family would have to qualify; a player paying his own way, is another. In order to qualify for an academic schollie the player must be carrying a 3.3 GPA. To my knowledge, although good students, none of the the current players can boast a GPA that lofty.

I'm not going to get into which player I think will be "let go." I'll only say that I hate to see it happen, if that is indeed the scenario that plays out.

Calipari feels our pain when talking about DeAndre Liggins and Kevin Galloway:

"Kevin and DeAndre are completely out of control. Your feet have to move really fast in this offense, like really fast. Like a duck where your feet are moving really fast under water, but above the water, it is really smooth. But, when their feet move really fast, their minds move fast as well. That is all about being coached and drilled."

Is it a coincidence that the only two UK players that Calipari has said anything negative about (that I recall) are the two point guards?

Liggins and Galloway played fast last year. Sometimes it was good, sometimes not so good. But, I can imagine how anxious they are to please their new coach, especially with one, maybe two stud points on the way. That can only add fuel to their already frenetic style of play.

And they know that as the point guard, especially in the DDMO, their decision-making sets the tone for the possession. And unless they are delusional, they realize that turning the ball over at the same rate as last season is not an option.

So, they're pressing. They're probably trying too hard.

But, I think Cal is right. It's all about repetition, it's all about being coached in his style. But, will that be enough to secure a spot in the rotation for the two returning guards? We'll know sooner, rather than later.

And as a bit of friendly motivation for you guys (Liggins and Galloway), take a look below at Cal's quotes about incoming freshman Eric Bledsoe.

Calipari's thoughts on the high number of walk-ons:

"We had a football team when I first got here. My focus is going to be on the 10, 11, or 12 that are really going to play. We will have walk-ons, but I am not going to keep seven walk-ons, I will tell you that. ... there are guys out there that have always dreamed of playing for Kentucky and hopefully you can help a couple of kids accomplish those dreams, just not seven."

Okay, it appears as if he's keeping two. The smart money is on Landon Slone and Mark Krebs. They're both from Kentucky, and they can both shoot the ball.

Actually, I can see Slone becoming a "Cameron Mills"-type player, if he stays all four years. Although he's a good shooter, he made a living at Paintsville taking his man to the rim, which could make him viable and valuable.

His intense passion for playing for Kentucky was clearly on display last year. And I think he has the right blend of talent (plus his incredible desire to wear the Blue and White), which may enable him to make the leap from human victory cigar to game-time contributor.

Calipari on Daniel Orton and DeMarcus Cousins:

"Daniel Orton is going to be terrific, because he has great size, really long arms and he's skilled. You can play him inside or outside and he's a terrific passer. He also has the skills that if you want to play two big guys you can. There is DeMarcus that you can play with him and together. You have the opportunity to play two guys that are big, because they are really fast, aggressive, and skilled."

Uh, coach, is that still you tamping down expectations?

He continues with Eric Bledsoe:

"He reminds me of the point guard I had at Memphis, Antonio Burks. He is fast and very physically strong and tough. He has great vision on the court, and in this offense you have to be able to react. Everything that we do in the drills and teach is trying to get them to react better, and to keep their heads up and recognize what is happening to them. Some guys never get it ... but he is one that gets it. He just gets it."

Obviously, all three of these freshman are going to have a huge impact on the success or failure of next seasons team. Their collective importance cannot be underestimated, but ...

I hope coach Cal realizes fans are going to remember these words ... for a long time. Previously questionable memories are suddenly strengthened to the point of extreme durability, when optimistic words such as these flow from the lips of a UK head coach.

Calipari on the schedule:

"I have some stuff going on that will be unbelievable if we can get it done. We are trying to move one game in Louisville and play at another neutral site. Texas has called and wants to play a neutral site game in Houston. We are thinking about Cincinnati, but you really want to protect your home fans in Lexington, and make sure they have games. You may have to shove a game into Nashville at some point. It may not be bad as a neutral site."

"I like neutral site games for all of you to understand, because what I like to do is split tickets. You get half the tickets, and we get half the tickets. The reason is, that is an NCAA venue, which is what the NCAA is. You are not playing a road game in the NCAA tournament. It will be half and half."

"I would love to get a team that would agree to play us in Louisville every year, and split the tickets."

In my perfect world UK would rotate playing Indiana in Louisville, and in Indianapolis. And in the years that UK is playing in Indy, Kansas would be UK's Freedom Hall opponent. I know I would be giving up a home game for a neutral site game, but check UK's record in Freedom Hall. They win at nearly same rate as they do in Rupp -- Rupp Arena record - 427-60 (87.7%), Freedom Hall record (in neutral site games) - 50-12 (80.6%).

I've been to three UK versus IU games: One in Louisville, one in Indy, and one in Rupp. For my money, the best atmosphere is when the arena is half blue, and half red. There truly is an NCAA tournament aura within the arena.

How about a neutral site game between UK and Memphis, held in Nashville? Somebody get Pastner on the phone!

I think Calipari makes a good point when he talks of the need to "protect the home fans." I know for years fans have been complaining about the level of competition being brought into Rupp Arena. Although North Carolina and Louisville make bi-yearly visits (and Kansas recently ended a home/home with UK), that still leaves eight or nine other OOC home games that have been mostly filled with low-Division I teams.

I don't think its unreasonable to expect UK to play five or six top-30 teams in Rupp Arena on a yearly basis (out of 10 or 11 OOC home games). I don't know, maybe I'm being an overly optimistic schedule-maker, otherwise known as a "coach killer."

But, Calipari's tenor has leaned toward toughening, not deflating, the strength of UK's schedule. I agree with that, as do most UK fans.

Man, he gets another thing right.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky 59, South Carolina 77: Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:22:33 -0000

As you can see, I haven't given up on writing the postmortem, I just didn't want to do so last night. It was just a bad end to a tough day for me, and with the 'Cats throwing in this clunker, I just wasn't thinking clearly enough to articulate anything worthy of being on this site. Even though my sleep was fitful at best last night, a few cups of coffee and a slow start to the morning have enabled me to collect my thoughts, and write something other than plattitudes and angry ad hominem.

I congratulated South Carolina last night but I want to do so again, primarily because I feel like I was such a sourpuss about it. They were absolutely what I wish Kentucky was -- a team that played with confidence and poise, able to handle and play through adversity and take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. That's the kind of team that deserves to win in the SEC, and I'm sure Darrin Horn is proud of how his charges have performed this year. He is right to be. Horn himself aught to be in any reasonable discussion for coach of the year in the SEC for what he has done. So again, I want to say, "Well done!" to the Gamecocks.

Turning, as we must, to the Wildcats, I am obviously disappointed in the outcome. I am also disappointed in the effort the team gave last night, and I am quite certain I am joined in that regard by most of the Big Blue Nation. Patrick Patterson and DeAndre Liggins were the only players out there last night who gave an effort worthy of the jersey they wore. I say that advisedly, because even though they gave a strong effort, they did not play well, just hard.

I know some of you may think that Landon Slone deserves a mention, but Slone was so overmatched that his effort was irrelevant. It would be like putting a random fan on the floor with a Kentucky jersey and asking him to guard Devan Downey. That fan may give more effort than anyone out there, but his impact on Downey would not be measurable by methods currently known to science. Slone's was measurable only in fouls.

I think it's time for us to face the fact that Coach Gillispie has largely failed this year. I use the term "failed" in the sense that it is clear to me that he has not gotten anywhere near the most out of this team for whatever reason. Part of it is surely his fault -- he has stubbornly refused to change his game plan regardless of the opponent, and that philosophy has not worked well. Now, before we get a bunch of coach bashing happening, let me continue. What I just said doesn't mean it can't work well, it just hasn't with this team. They have not been able to execute offensively with any consistency, and when mismatches are forced on the team by circumstances, this year's version of the 'Cats has universally responded poorly on both offense and defense.

We don't know why, but we do know this -- it has happened 100% of the time. When we have a bad matchup at the point guard, UK has lost nearly every game this season with the exception of a narrow win over Florida at home. Gillispie cannot fail to know that Porter will be beaten every time off the dribble and hounded into turnovers by superior point guards, but he either doesn't care or feels that he has no other option available that he can live with. We don't know what goes into his decision making, so I think we just have to point to the results and say that they are poor, and the coach just has to take the blame for them.

It seems that Kentucky is very tentative against teams where they know they have matchup problems, and that shows up everywhere. That's why the 'Cats lost so badly -- this UK team clearly had zero confidence it could beat South Carolina last night, and that assessment became a self-fulfilling prophecy, in spades. Michael Porter bringing the ball up against Devan Downey was a hopeless situation, something the Coach Gillispie could not fail to know. Yet there he was, doing it anyway. We all know what the definition of insanity is, and I think we have to admit that for 11 minutes at least, Coach Gillispie was insanity made flesh. Exactly what you would expect to happen did happen. Exactly.

Gillispie's strategy in every single game this year, regardless of opponent, has been the same -- get the ball to Patterson or Meeks first, and there is no plan B. That has worked some games, and some games it has failed, but he has been nothing if not consistent. Last night, despite being behind by 20+ points, UK did not shoot three point shots -- it threw the ball into the post every single possession. The team executed Gillispie's plan pretty well, but the plan failed utterly. I have no idea how many touches Patterson got, but he took 24 shots, his high for the year by a significant amount.

South Carolina was not even trying real hard to deny Patterson the ball, and incredibly, it worked. If Patterson had shot his normal 70%, the game would have been 14 points closer. Alas, for various reasons, he shot 41%, not quite a season low for games in which he took >=10 shots, but close. Another thing we never saw from Patterson was a pump fake or a kick-out. Everything was just take it straight to the hole, and as often as not, the shot came back out. I'll keep my own council on how that could have happened, but as in every game, you have to make adjustments.

Speaking of adjustments, many comments have been made about Gillispie's failure to adjust, and last night was a case study in just that. Defensively, you have to stay at home on South Carolina, because Downey is going to get into the lane. You have to trust whoever is guarding him to recover enough to use their greater height to affect his shot in the lane. That didn't happen. The defense collapsed on Downey every time he got into the lane. The results were as predictable as the tides -- kickouts to open three point shooters and dunks by open big people.

With the exception of Patterson and Liggins, Kentucky virtually gave up in the second half. That's frustrating to us fans, because we remember times when the 'Cats would lay it all on the line for 40 minutes. This team, as Gillispie has rightly pointed out, lacks toughness. Not physical toughness, but rather, mental toughness. When the chips get down, the team gets down and begins to mope. I don't know what you can do about that, but the saying is, "Attitude reflects leadership." I'm looking at you, coach. To be fair, though, there is only so much coaching can do. You have to have something to work with, and instilling mental toughness where none currently exists is a long-term prospect.

I keep hearing from Gillispie how well this team practices. All I can say about that is if they practice well and play poorly, something must be wrong with practice. You sometimes see players do that, but I have never heard of a team that practiced well and played poorly as many times as Kentucky has this year. That tells me that practice is somehow broken. The relevant saying here is, "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Apparently, we are either practicing imperfectly, or practicing the wrong things. There doesn't seem to be a third possibility.

Matt Jones made good point today when he suggested that he did not put the players in a position to succeed. He also criticized the game plan as ineffective, but the truth of the matter is that the game plan is the same every single time, and has been all year. It works against some teams (Tennessee) and fails against others (MSU, South Carolina). Gillispie apparently believes that if you do it hard enough, this game plan will work every time. During the off season (which could be coming sooner than most of us hope), he will have plenty of time to reflect on the validity of that judgment.

Ultimately, I believe Coach Gillispie has been unsuccessful with the team this year. That isn't meant as a damning comment -- it happens. For a very recent example, just look at Florida, a team that is unquestionably more talented but is struggling every bit as much as UK is, and with a two-time national championship coach. It's easy to blame the coach for everything, but coaches have bad years too, and the players still have to give it their all. I think we can safely say that last night at least, we had a lot of players who did not give their all. Gillispie did well last year, getting Coach of the Year honors for his effort. This year, he has done poorly. "Do the same thing, but harder," just hasn't worked. It may work with a more talented team, who knows? Hopefully, we'll find out next year.

As for this year, I have no more hopes except as it relates to the next game on the schedule. The post-season is meaningless to me at this point. I am taking each game as though it is the last, because all too soon, it will be. Hopefully, the answers will come in our outstanding recruiting class. If not ... well, I just don't care to ponder that. I have enough disappointment to deal with right now.

Kentucky @ Louisville: Can UK Reverse the Trend?

Ken Howlett — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:55:07 -0000

The biggest non-conference game in college basketball is upon us, and I can feel the tension in the air all the way down here in Logan County: Louisville fans are quite unhappy with nearly all aspects of their underachieving squad (at least to this point), and Kentucky fans are fearful of a two hour turnover/brick laying clinic. Both fan bases have legitimate beefs, but one group is gonna be happy Sunday night, or maybe relieved is a more appropriate adjective.

Will UK come out on top? Will Tru breathe again? Will all be right and just on the college basketball landscape? Come with me as I identify what the 'Cats must do (or not do) in order to come out victorious in the land of the wannabe's.

UK Versus the Big Boys -- Jodie Meeks and Perimeter Shooting

Statistically speaking, Kentucky has NOT performed well against the best teams they have played; a trend has developed. Of particular concern:

On the season Jodie Meeks is shooting 47.5% from the field, 43.2% from the three-point line, and he averages 2.9 turnovers per game (.09 turnovers per minute). But, in UK's three losses plus the games against West Virginia and Kansas State (the two best teams UK has beaten) he's put up the following numbers:

Versus VMI -- 13-27 from the field - 3-11 from the three-point line - five turnovers in 34 minutes of action.
Versus N. Carolina -- 5-20 from the field - 3-9 from the three-point line -- six turnovers in 39 minutes of action.
Versus Kansas State -- 11-17 from the field - 4-6 from the three-point line - nine turnovers in 39 minutes of action.
Versus West Virginia -- 3-11 from the field - 1-3 from the three-point line - five turnovers in 33 minutes of action.
Versus Miami -- 4-17 from the field - 2-12 from the three-point line - zero turnovers in 34 minutes of action.

Meeks' numbers versus the above competition comes out to 36-92 from the field (39.1%),13-41 from the three-point line (31.7%), and 5.0 turnovers per game (.14 turnovers per minute). Meeks, versus the remaining nine opponents is 70-131 from the field (53.4%), 38-77 from the three-point line (49.4%), and he committed 1.7 turnovers per game (.05 turnovers per minute). Quite a contradiction in production.

The remaining team members, versus the five best teams they have played this year, are a combined 1-23 (4.3%) from the three-point line (as a team UK is shooting 14-64 from the three-point-line in the five games - 21.9%). That's simply as underwhelming a number as a team can underachieve, but even worse, it places a great big "Bullseye" squarely on Meeks' back; it screams, "don't defend the three-point line unless #20 has the ball in his hands."

Perhaps 1-23 is one reason Meeks has struggled against better competition; he feels like he has to do it all, at least from the perimeter, which leads to forced shots, and shots outside the parameters of the offense. All things that Billy Gillispie despises, and for good reason.

The unusually high number of turnovers (5.0 per game) that Meeks has committed could also be a function of him trying to do too much; he forces passes, or tries for the "home run" play instead of playing within himself. To me, what all of this means is that the other perimeter players need to man-up and produce some points against good competition ... starting today!

UK versus The Big Boys -- DeAndre Liggins and Michael Porter

On the season DeAndre Liggins has committed 48 turnovers in 291 minutes played (.16 turnovers per minute). Michael Porter has committed 43 turnovers in 299 minutes played (.14 turnovers per minute). Against the five best teams UK has played thus far, their numbers look like this:

Versus VMI: Liggins - Seven turnovers in 27 minutes. Porter - Five turnovers in 18 minutes.
Versus UNC: Liggins - Four turnovers in 18 minutes. Porter - Four turnovers in 23 minutes.
Versus Kansas State: Liggins - One turnover in two minutes. Porter - Four turnovers in 36 minutes.
Versus West Virginia: Liggins - Four turnovers in 27 minutes. Porter - Four turnovers in 13 minutes.
Versus Miami: Liggins - Five turnovers in 32 minutes. Porter - One turnover in 17 minutes.

In the five games referenced above Liggins committed 21 turnovers in 106 minutes of play (.20 turnovers per minute). Porter committed 18 turnovers in 107 minutes (.17 turnovers per minute). In the other nine contests their numbers look like this: Liggins - 27 turnovers in 185 minutes (.15 turnovers per minute). Porter - 25 turnovers in 192 minutes (.13 turnovers per minute).

Liggin's and Porter's numbers aren't very good, but for different reasons: Liggins, like many freshman, simply plays out of control at times, and has been known to do a remarkable Brett Favre impression by forcing the ball to a well-guarded teammate. Porter on the other hand struggles against the more athletic, quicker opponents. Quite the quandary if ones name is Billy Gillispie.

We have, though, seen recent improvement in both players, but the level of competition gets the assist, in my view. That doesn't mean that Liggins and Porter will disappoint Sunday, only that I am nervous about their perfomance against the most athletic 2-3 zone that they will face this season (although I'm sure Rick Pitino will mix-up his defenses). In order to execute a reversal of fortune both players must be sure and crisp with their passes, aware of impending pressure, patient when iniating the offense, and fundamentally sound when running the break. Four attributes that have rarely been seen against UK's better opponents.

It's only fair to Liggins and Porter that I point out that UK, as a team, committed a total of 121 turnovers against VMI, UNC, K-State, WVU, and Miami, for an average of 24.2 per game. The two guards contributed 39 (7.8 per game) of those miscues, or 32.2%. So obviously they are not alone in their ineffectiveness. Meeks, Patrick Patterson, Perry Stevenson, Ramon Harris and the rest of the squad must also play headier offensive basketball to beat good teams. They must be passionate about cherishing possession of the basketball. If not, quick, athletic, talented teams, such as Louisville, will exploit the turnovers by turning them into points. Giving up easy baskets to a bad team is never good, but throwing away opportunities against elite squads is a sure recipe for losing.

Final Thoughts

Since Kentucky's home loss to Miami they have strung together six straight wins against teams with a combined record of 20-55. Playing inferior teams has certainly had a benefit though: The emergence of Landon Slone (the "Paintsville Punisher"), the confidence gained by Michael Porter, the promise shown by Kevin Galloway and Josh Harrellson, and the exciting play of A.J. "Sleepy" Stewart (apologies to Eric "Sleepy" Floyd). Now is the time to put those accumulated benefits to use.

U of L may not be playing at peak capacity at the moment, but they are long, athletic, and highly motivated (Pitino will see to that). More importantly, they are capable of playing at a very high level, especially with a jacked-up Freedom Hall crowd imploring them to beat the hated Wildcats.

I will not be surprised in the least if the Cards play their best game of the season, so Kentucky must operate at a level of offensive efficiency not yet witnessed this season: Turnovers must be under 15 or so, and someone (hopefully several someones) other than Meeks and Patterson needs to score double-digit points; UK must not start slowly, as they did against Florida Atlantic (although I think FAU is better than their 4-10 record, as others have theorized, they lost by five to South Alabama the other night, and are now 0-3 in the Sun Belt); Quieting the Freedom Hall faithful, quickly, could go a long way in taking away any home court advantage U of L possesses, plus, UK's confidence should be boosted by a quiet arena, and a panicky opponent.

Finally, if Billy Gillispie senses any trepidation in his squad at the thought of playing at Louisville, he can roll out this number: 6-3. That's UK's record in Freedom Hall versus Louisville over the last nine games. Average score UK - 74, U of L - 70.

It's not just a game, it's the Louisville game. As my dearly departed friend, Catherine Richardson said many times, "I don't care if they don't win another game, as long as they beat Louisville." I told her I'm not so sure about that, but I certainly understand the sentiment.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat Louisville!

Central Michigan 52, Kentucky 84: Post Mortem

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:21:42 -0000

Central Michigan University came into Rupp Arena tonight undermanned and injured, but despite these facts they dominated the Wildcats for the first five minutes of the game. Unfortunately for the Chippewas, Kentucky dominated the other 35 even more convincingly. I'm sure Kentucky fans appreciate the gritty effort by the Chippewas in a losing cause, and they can take pride in the fact that, for a while there, they had most of the Commonwealth cursing at their television set, radio, or ESPN 360.

I'm not quite sure how to feel about this game. On the one hand Kentucky won it easily, but on the other hand, it seems there were a lot of things that went wrong. When you look at the statistics it's hard to really criticize any particutlar thing. UK had 22 assists on 30 made baskets, shot outstanding percentages from everywhere, suffered only 13 turnovers (not a bad number for this team), had seven blocks and eight steals not to mention easily winning the game.

Still, it somehow seems like we played relatively poorly even though there is no way to support such a conclusion from the statistics. I think that I got used to the fast starts and huge leads early in the game and anything falling short of that looks like a failure. But make no mistake, this game was not a failure -- it just didn't feel as good as the stats look.

But, that aside, here are some observations:

The Liggins/Porter battle (at least in the minds of some Wildcat fans) looks like a draw tonight. Liggins had a career high 8 assists and 4 rebounds, but he tarnished those spectacular numbers with 5 turnovers and 3-8 shooting. For the entire early part of the second half, he looked completely out of control on both ends. He did steady down in the end when the game was out of reach. Liggins played solid defense, much better than last game.
Porter, on the other hand, had a good shooting game with 12 points on 4-8 shooting, and found his three point touch again. Unfortunately, he had only 3 assists with 4 turnovers. Porter did not do nearly as well as his last 4 games, but he was steady, solid on defense, and generally made good decisions.
Jodie Meeks once again looked great from the perimeter, but he is a little to selfish sometimes. He needs to learn how to pass and rebound -- only one assist and only two rebounds. But he did have two steals and played solid defense, so overall, he had a good game.
Patrick Patterson was, as usual, awesome. He missed only one shot in seven attempts, made all three of his free throws, and had only one turnover to go with nine rebounds. All-American numbers.
What can I say about Landon Slone? He was just great on both ends of the floor. I just wonder how he will do when faced with high-major athletes. We'll find out soon enough.
Darius Miller is just struggling, and that's all there is to it. He looked dejected on the bench tonight, and I hope he gets his confidence back soon. We need him. He is trying so hard that he is overplaying, allowing more patient opposing players to eventually disadvantage him.
Perry Stevenson was a DNP/player's decision. I say that because he was invisible other than a couple of blocks. Four total rebounds. He vanished into the background noise. We need more from him than that.
Josh Harrellson had a great game, Pattersonesque. He was solid on offense and defense, and made good decisions and did the little things. It's nice to see him back. If only he and Perry could find themselves on the same page at the same time.
AJ Stewart was active, and had three blocks and two goaltends.

At the end of the day, this was the kind of game you might call "uneven" if you didn't look at the stats, but one thing I do notice is that we only outrebounded them by three and CMU beat us by 5 on the offensive glass. Rebounding has been a weakness of this team all year, and it baffles me.

But that aside, we are done with relatively easy home games. Now, we must take on the Louisville Cardinals, who are not hurt, who are most certainly not undermanned against anyone but maybe North Carolina or the Boston Celtics, and who surely represent another level of challenge. I daresay that if we get behind early by nine against them, our odds of a successful outcome will be greatly diminished.

No more Little Debbie. No more Hostess. The fun is over. The work begins now, and the degree of difficulty goes up by an order of magnitude. Are we ready?

I hope so.

Sunday Open Thread: Landon Slone edition

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:51:15 -0000

This morning, I feel a tiny, teensy bit better about yesterday's game with FAU. I am not generally too accepting of coaches' remarks when they say, "I thought they played out of their minds," in reference to the other team, but it definitely has the ring of truth in this particular case. FAU was simply terrific in many ways, and even though UK's defense (or rather, lack thereof) was partially responsible, FAU was scoring on us even when our defense was very good.

Here are some articles and commentary from around Al Gore's Folly:

"Until Porter got on him, I thought we put a lot of 'efenders' on him," Gillispie said. "No 'D.' "
So said Coach Gillispie in this Jerry Tipton article. Funny. Further to my other point above, note this comment from Mike Porter about Graham:

The run grew to 10-0 before Shavar Richardson hit a three-pointer. That was Florida Atlantic's only basket from the 14:33 mark until Graham hit an awkward 15-foot banker over Porter with 7:18 left.

"Oh gosh, that made me mad," Porter said. "He was on tonight. He was just making shots. I guess when you're playing like that, everything falls."

Heh. Jodie Meeks would know about that. Ask him. Just not today.
John Clay looks at Landon Slone's contribution to the game yesterday, and wonders if Slone is the next Cameron Mills. Could be. Another article by the News-Enterprise quotes Gillispie thus:

"The first two or three times he touched the ball, he immediately improves his angle to throw the ball to Pat or throws to Josh and does a real good job of feeding the post," Gillispie said. "He’s a very smart player. Who knows what could happen for him? I thought he gave us the biggest spark of anyone on our team today."
I think this illustrates a clear problem with some of our guard play. Michael Porter got taken to task in the game for just dribbling aimlessly on the right wing without trying to improve his position to enter the post -- dribbling purposelessly. Gillispie called an immediate timeout and coached him on this point. All our other guards need to learn this same lesson.
Straightpinkie has post-game thoughts. I agree with some, not so much with others.
The Associated Press says that Stevenson got blasted by his teammates in the locker room at halftime:

“We told him to pick it up,” Kentucky center Patrick Patterson said of Stevenson. “When we were in the locker room, we said some things I’m not able to say here. We tried to pick him up, lift his spirits, make him angry.”
Whatever works, and for the record, that appeared to work.
The Frankfort State-Journal has more praise for Landon Slone.
Rick Bozich has praise for Michael Porter. Well earned, I would say.
John Clay has game thoughts on his blog. I think these are very cogent.
ECU says they are ready for the 'Cats in the Liberty Bowl. Hartline gets a fresh start at quarterback.

Discuss.