cncchris33
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Well, final result was what most expected. Kentucky wins 66-48. I think I had predicted 69-51 in another thread, so I got the spread right, though the game played out differently than I imagined. I had expected it to play out much like the LSU game where UK would jump up on us early by 25 or 30, and then we'd cut the score down late. In this game, we played UK toe-to-toe for 30 minutes, and then talent amd depth took over in the final 10. Can't be too disappointed in that effort.
The Good...
1. Kevin Punter played an entire game and was a factor all night instead of disappearing. 14 pts, 2 rebs, 1 stl, 1 blk, and 2 TOs. He actually got to the lane and hit some pull-up jumpers and shots at the rim. Outside shot wasn't going, but neither was anyone else's.
2. Armani tried his best, but teams like this are the kind his lack of height will really show up against offensively. 5 pts, 8 rebs, 1 asst, 1 blk, 3 stls, and 2 TOs. Only 2-7 from the field and 1-3 from the line. FT shooting is inexcusable, but he just doesn't have the size to score inside against two 7-footers. Not his fault.
3. Willie fouled out...obviously, but I thought he played ine of his better games in recent memory. 4 pts (2-2 from the field), 2 rebs, 1 asst, and 0 TOs. He is obviously not even half as skilled as any of UK's big men, nor is he as big, but he didn't play intimidated like he did vs LSU, and there were no WTF plays that I recall.
4. JRich struggled, as UKs plan was to guard him from anywhere inside halfcourt. It wore him down and frustrated him a little to constantly have to be guarding against Ulis or Harrison pestering him trying to set up the offense. Pretty smart move by Cal actually, and UK has the depth to extend their defense for that long and that level of intensity on him. Still finished with 10 pts, 3 rebs, and 1 asst, but had 3 TOs and looked visibly frustrated as his shot just wasn't falling. Likely a product of fatigue.
5. Absolutely floored that we played that team even on the boards. A credit to our effort and hustle. No way that UK team should ever get outrebounded, or played even like that, especially by a team as vertically challenged and undermanned as Tennessee. 19 offensive rebounds!!! Seriously strong effort from our guys.
6. Another "Wow!" stat; we outscored UK in the paint, 34-22. Are you kidding me? Who saw that coming? Our gameplan worked perfectly. Pack the paint defensively, play them close on the boards, and force outside shots. Unfortunately, they hit some tough 2s, and a few more 3s than us.
7. Tariq Owens I thought bounced back nicely following the LSU game. The shaved head makes him look even skinnier (if that were possible). 5 pts (2-3), 3 rebs, 1 blk, and 1 TO in only 8 minutes.
The Bad...
1. Unfortunately, we seemed to be our own worst enemy in this game, which is somewhat uncharacteristic. We committed 15 TOs and only forced 11, which is out of the norm.
2. Along those same lines, we shot 4-10 from the FT line. How are we so Jeckyll and Hyde from the line? 85% one game, 40 % the next.
3. The shots just weren't falling. 2-17 from 3 is so so so bad. And at home no less. Shoot just 41% from there (7-17), and just 60% at the line (6-10), and your right there with UK at the end. Part of that gameplan was predicated on us making some outside shots and hitting our FTs, and we failed to execute that aspect.
4. Hubbs really struggled again. 2 pts (1-6), 5 rebs, 1 asst, and 3 TOs.
5. Derek Reese didn't play terribly, but he just seemed noticeably absent from most plays. 2 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl, and 1 TO. He just seemed to blend in. Obviously out of his element banging down low with 7-footers, but no fault of his own.
6. Detrick Mostella struggled shooting. He just never got going. 0-6 from the field (0-4 from 3). On a night when we needed someone to step up from outside, he failed to deliver. The talent is there though. He just needs a serious commitment to getting stronger and adding 15 lbs of muscle to his frame this offseason.
Bottom line...
Nothing to be embarrassed about from this outcome. It's about what most expected, and we played them tough for 3/4 of the game. Our gameplan was executed for the most part, but UK hit some tough outside shots and their FTs, and we just didn't. Beating them in the paint and playing them even on the boards impressed the heck out of me, and is a testament to their fight. They appeared to learn some things from the LSU game that they implemented in this game. UK played 9 guys last night, and every single one will play in the NBA.
The Good...
1. Kevin Punter played an entire game and was a factor all night instead of disappearing. 14 pts, 2 rebs, 1 stl, 1 blk, and 2 TOs. He actually got to the lane and hit some pull-up jumpers and shots at the rim. Outside shot wasn't going, but neither was anyone else's.
2. Armani tried his best, but teams like this are the kind his lack of height will really show up against offensively. 5 pts, 8 rebs, 1 asst, 1 blk, 3 stls, and 2 TOs. Only 2-7 from the field and 1-3 from the line. FT shooting is inexcusable, but he just doesn't have the size to score inside against two 7-footers. Not his fault.
3. Willie fouled out...obviously, but I thought he played ine of his better games in recent memory. 4 pts (2-2 from the field), 2 rebs, 1 asst, and 0 TOs. He is obviously not even half as skilled as any of UK's big men, nor is he as big, but he didn't play intimidated like he did vs LSU, and there were no WTF plays that I recall.
4. JRich struggled, as UKs plan was to guard him from anywhere inside halfcourt. It wore him down and frustrated him a little to constantly have to be guarding against Ulis or Harrison pestering him trying to set up the offense. Pretty smart move by Cal actually, and UK has the depth to extend their defense for that long and that level of intensity on him. Still finished with 10 pts, 3 rebs, and 1 asst, but had 3 TOs and looked visibly frustrated as his shot just wasn't falling. Likely a product of fatigue.
5. Absolutely floored that we played that team even on the boards. A credit to our effort and hustle. No way that UK team should ever get outrebounded, or played even like that, especially by a team as vertically challenged and undermanned as Tennessee. 19 offensive rebounds!!! Seriously strong effort from our guys.
6. Another "Wow!" stat; we outscored UK in the paint, 34-22. Are you kidding me? Who saw that coming? Our gameplan worked perfectly. Pack the paint defensively, play them close on the boards, and force outside shots. Unfortunately, they hit some tough 2s, and a few more 3s than us.
7. Tariq Owens I thought bounced back nicely following the LSU game. The shaved head makes him look even skinnier (if that were possible). 5 pts (2-3), 3 rebs, 1 blk, and 1 TO in only 8 minutes.
The Bad...
1. Unfortunately, we seemed to be our own worst enemy in this game, which is somewhat uncharacteristic. We committed 15 TOs and only forced 11, which is out of the norm.
2. Along those same lines, we shot 4-10 from the FT line. How are we so Jeckyll and Hyde from the line? 85% one game, 40 % the next.
3. The shots just weren't falling. 2-17 from 3 is so so so bad. And at home no less. Shoot just 41% from there (7-17), and just 60% at the line (6-10), and your right there with UK at the end. Part of that gameplan was predicated on us making some outside shots and hitting our FTs, and we failed to execute that aspect.
4. Hubbs really struggled again. 2 pts (1-6), 5 rebs, 1 asst, and 3 TOs.
5. Derek Reese didn't play terribly, but he just seemed noticeably absent from most plays. 2 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl, and 1 TO. He just seemed to blend in. Obviously out of his element banging down low with 7-footers, but no fault of his own.
6. Detrick Mostella struggled shooting. He just never got going. 0-6 from the field (0-4 from 3). On a night when we needed someone to step up from outside, he failed to deliver. The talent is there though. He just needs a serious commitment to getting stronger and adding 15 lbs of muscle to his frame this offseason.
Bottom line...
Nothing to be embarrassed about from this outcome. It's about what most expected, and we played them tough for 3/4 of the game. Our gameplan was executed for the most part, but UK hit some tough outside shots and their FTs, and we just didn't. Beating them in the paint and playing them even on the boards impressed the heck out of me, and is a testament to their fight. They appeared to learn some things from the LSU game that they implemented in this game. UK played 9 guys last night, and every single one will play in the NBA.
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