Morehead State remains on top in the Classic OVC:
132. Morehead St: 10-4
162. W. Kentucky: 11-3
201. E. Tenn. St: 8-5
221. Murray St: 4-9
229. E. Kentucky: 4-9
236. Austin Peay: 7-8
277. Mid. Tenn. St: 5-9
325. Tennessee Tech: 5-10
If Ken Pom is right, the Classic SEC is going to have quite a race:
5. Alabama: 8-5
7. Tennessee: 9-3
8. Auburn: 10-2
18. Kentucky: 10-2
32. Mississippi St: 11-2
35. Florida: 10-3
79. Mississippi: 13-0
86. Georgia: 10-3
102. Louisiana St: 8-5
209. Vanderbilt: 5-8
Vandy is still the worst team from any major classic conference. Rice is in second place at 195.
Alabama is 352 in "luck." Ole Miss is number 54.
ReplyDeleteI've never attended a game of any sort at Morehead State. Or Northern Kentucky. I would enjoy changing that some day.
ReplyDeleteCats not making any shots down in Gainesville. Meanwhile, the Gators banked in two different three-point shots, one with less than a second on the shot clock.
ReplyDeleteCats' guards clearly getting outplayed so far. Turnovers, missed three's, the whole ball game.
Cal's teams pretty much always lose their first SEC road game, and this year's team is on pace to match that. The two old guys, Tre Mitchell (12 points) and Antonio Reeves (9 points), are keeping them in it.
Kentucky:
1-10 from 3-point range (10 percent)
14-22 from 2-point range (63.6 percent)
6-8 from the line (75 percent)
37 points, 20 rebounds, 7 turnovers
Florida:
8-20 from 3-point range (40 percent)
9-18 from 2-point range (50 percent)
3-8 from the line (37.5 percent)
45 points, 21 rebounds, 3 turnovers
Having said that, it could have been worse. The game was tied at 27, and then Florida went on a 12-2 run to open up a 39-29 lead. After that, UK played better and the game was somewhat more stable.
DeleteI think Cal is really trying to figure out who he wants to have in the game. Onyenso played more than Bradshaw. Dillingham didn't play as much as usual. Edwards had been in and out.
But we should be clear: this is the best Florida has looked in a long time. They like to play fast -- they have the 13th-fastest tempo in the country -- and the Cats have been surprised, I think, at how quick they really are. And when a team that normally shoots 33.7 percent from 3-point range comes out and makes 8 of 20 -- thanks to two bank-ins -- that's going to hurt.
The bottom line is that this would be a good game even if UK had made it's three's, and I think it will be a good game in the second half. I've been pretty angry at UK in recent years, and I didn't support them as much as I should have. But I really like this team, and I'm with them all the way.
DeleteOne final comment: You can never know for sure what Kentucky is going to do, because you can never know what Reeves is going to do. Last year, I thought for sure they would lose on Senior Day at Arkansas. But Reeves scored 37 points and UK won by 9. Today, Reeves has been in neutral so far.
DeleteIt's been a great game. Down 65-61 with about 8 1/2 minutes to go, Sheppard is fouled for a one-and-one. He missed the front end. Still down 65-61 on the next possession, Reeves is fouled for a one-and-one. He missed the front end. UF now going to the line up 65-61 with 7:49 left.
ReplyDeleteCats have played hard but they've missed everything. 4-16 from three-point range. 7-13 from the line.
ReplyDeleteGOOOO BIGGGG BLUEEEEEE!!!!!
ReplyDeleteToday, the Cats played the sort of game that turns ten-year-olds into lifetime fans. Down 65-61 with 7:49 left, the Cats scored 26 points in the last 7:49 to win 87-85 in Gainesville. What a game!
It was such a great win, and I'm so glad I watched it on mute. I don't know what they were saying about that last sequence where Florida got three free throws down four, made the first two and then successfully rebounded the missed third attempt. That last field-goal try seemed to me to be on time and very, close to rolling in. I was so glad I limited myself to only seeing the whole thing.
DeleteKentucky:
ReplyDelete5-20 from 3-point range (25 percent)
26-48 from 2-point range (54.2 percent)
20-28 from the line (71.4 percent)
87 points, 40 rebounds, 9 turnovers
Florida:
9-31 from 3-point range (29 percent)
20-37 from 2-point range (54.1 percent)
18-29 from the line (62.1 percent)
85 points, 43 rebounds, 11 turnovers
If you compare the full-game stats to the first half stats, you'll see that in the second half Florida went 1-11 from three-point range, while UK went 4-10. Meanwhile, Florida had eight turnovers in the second half, while UK had only two. So UK's guards turned the game around in the second half.
ReplyDeleteHere's the score by quarters, with Florida's score first: (22-21, 23-16, 18-22, 22-28).
ReplyDeleteKen Pom, who predicted an 86-85 UK win -- he's been really accurate about UK all year -- picked Zyon Pullin of Florida as the game's MVP. Pullin had 23 points and was never really stopped.
ReplyDeleteHe got hurt at one point and missed a couple or three sequences, and I wonder now how the scoreboard changed in that period.
DeleteMeanwhile, here are the offensive ratings for UK:
ReplyDeleteWagner: 36 minutes, offensive rating of 132 (14 points, 5-8 from 2, 1-2 from 3)
Mitchell: 35 minutes, offensive rating of 91 (12 points, 5-10 from 2, 0-2 from 3)
Reeves: 27 minutes, offensive rating of 105 (19 points, 6-9 from 2, 2-7 from 3)
Bradshaw: 25 minutes, offensive rating of 113 (10 points, 2-5 from 2, 1-2 from 3)
Sheppard: 24 minutes, offensive rating of 143 (14 points, 9-11 from the line)
Edwards: 19 minutes, offensive rating of 105 (6 points, 3-6 from 2)
Dillingham: 18 minutes, offensive rating of 55 (6 points, 2-3 from 2, 0-4 from 3)
Onyenso: 15 minutes, offensive rating of 93 (6 points, 2-6 from 2)
That chart shows what a good job Cal did using his people. The stats show that Edwards and Dillingham struggled the most of the guards, and they also show that they played the least. As for Mitchell, he held the team together in the first half -- when he scored all 12 of his points. He didn't have his 3-point shot today, so he only took two. And he got 10 rebounds and two steals. So he earned his playing time.
ReplyDeleteOn the Internet, some folks were complaining about Bradshaw and Onyenso for much of the game. But again, look at what Cal got out of them. Together, they played exactly 40 minutes, meaning that he got a full game of center play. If you think of Bradshaw/Onyenso as a single center, this was their combined line:
ReplyDelete16 points (4-11 from 2, 1-2 from 3, 5-9 from the line)
12 rebounds
1 block, 2 steals, 3 fouls. That's an excellent game from a center with almost no experience on the road in the SEC.
Bradshaw in particular got better as the game went on. He made a huge 3-pointer (!) to put UK up 79-76 with only a few minutes left that gave UK control of the game.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy for him on that shot.
DeleteBut Wagner was the difference in the game. He didn't take as many shots as Pullin, but to me he was the better player. Over the course of the second half, UK's offense outscored Florida's 50 to 40, and Wagner made that happen. He stopped UK's turnovers and made sure the ball was getting to the right people. Significantly, he made the decision to give the ball to Bradshaw for the 3-point shot in a 76-76 game, and he was exactly right.
ReplyDeleteFifty points in the second half, on the road. Just great, great stuff.
DeleteFinally, in the last 30 seconds, with the game on the line, UK got Sheppard to the line three times in a row, and he made all six free throws to put the game away. Just another example of Cal having the right person in the right place at the right time.
ReplyDeleteNot only did Cal get him in the game, and not only did he make all of those free throws, but Sheppard also dribbled the entire time after UK inbounded the ball and before he was fouled on each of those three possessions. He looked like Marques Haynes.
DeleteThat it has turned out that Reed Sheppard, the son of two beloved former UK players, is actually great in the ways that so many middle-aged and older UK fans want a player from Kentucky to be great--great ball handler, great defender, great three-point shooter, great free-throw shooter--is one of the absolute storybook Wildcats stories of my years of watching them.
Now, UK was lucky that Florida missed so many free throws -- 11. But the Cats missed eight FT's themselves, and the Gators had two three-pointers that banked in. Anyway, the Cats are still only 206th in luck on Ken Pom's ratings, so luck still owes us.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, to me this is exactly the type of win that separates good teams from great teams. Florida is at home, they come out hot, their crowd is all into it -- and the Cats just wear them down and take the win. I've seen Duke, UNC, and Kansas win countless games like this, and it's great to see the Cats get one of these games.
DeleteYes.
Delete
ReplyDeleteThe Cats are now 11-2 overall, and 1-0 in the SEC. Ken Pom thinks they'll go 23-8 overall, and 12-6 in the SEC. Next up they get Mizzou at home on Tuesday night.
One final point: I don't care how special you think the Kentucky game is, or how fired up you think you want your fans to be: If I were hosting Kentucky, I would never let the Cats wear their white uniforms. Today Florida was doing an "orange-out," so the Gators were in orange and the Cats were in white. I always think the Cats look better, and play better, in white.
ReplyDeleteMy wife said it looked like the Florida fans were dressed like empty seats.
DeleteScores from the SEC so far today (home teams first):
ReplyDeleteFlorida 85 - 87 Kentucky
Missouri 68 - 75 Georgia
S. Carolina 68 - 62 Mississippi St.
Here's a big score. Ken Pom thought Auburn would win at Arkansas 81 to 76. In fact, Auburn won by 83 to 51 -- 32 points! Auburn jumps up to Number 5 in the Ken Pom rankings.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Kansas beat Texas Christian 83-81 at home. The Jayhawks are now up to number 20 in luck, as they virtually never lose close games (especially in Lawrence).
ReplyDeleteSomeone on Twitter pointed out that Hunter Dickinson (the Kansas center) has been called for only 21 fouls in 14 games. He's this year's Tyler Hansbrough.
DeleteSEC Update (home teams first):
ReplyDeleteArkansas 51 - 83 Auburn
Florida 85 - 87 Kentucky
Missouri 68 - 75 Georgia
S. Carolina 68 - 62 Mississippi St.
Vanderbilt 75 - 78 Alabama
Now we have Rick Barnes's Tennessee team against Chris Beard's Ole Miss team. As you would expect, it's pretty violent, there are a lot of folks screaming at each other, and almost no one is scoring. UT leads 20-15 with about 6 1/2 minutes before halftime.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much good content on YouTube--I'm enjoying the Jan. 7, 1977, Donny & Marie right now--that I simply cannot imagine watching Tennessee play any sport (other than the occasional women's basketball game) when the Vols weren't playing Kentucky or Western Kentucky.
DeleteTennessee is rolling now. Up 59-38 with 13:51 left in the game. In Knoxville, but still a solid win.
ReplyDeleteTennessee leads Ole Miss 72-47 with 9:54 left in the game. Both Auburn and UT have looked awesome today. The Cats are going to have their hands full in the SEC.
ReplyDeleteHuge win for the Vols. SEC update:
ReplyDeleteArkansas 51 - 83 Auburn
Florida 85 - 87 Kentucky
Missouri 68 - 75 Georgia
S. Carolina 68 - 62 Mississippi St.
Tennessee 90 - 64 Mississippi
Vanderbilt 75 - 78 Alabama
That just leaves Texas A & M hosting L.S.U.
Western beats Liberty 70 to 68. That's eight wins in a row for the Hilltoppers, who are now 12-3 overall, 1-0 in Conference USA, and number 153 on Ken Pom.
ReplyDeleteYup. He Hate Me, and We Excited!
DeleteMurray State crushes Evansville 81 to 59, and that's three wins in a row for the Racers. They are now 6-9 overall, 3-1 in the Missouri Valley, and number 164 on Ken Pom.
ReplyDeleteIt came out in some Facebook chatter not long after tipoff that this was the fifth-largest crowd in U of E basketball history, which stunned me. But then a bunch of old Evansville got rowdy and started talking about Arad McCutchan and the much larger crowds Evansville College games often would get at the Stadium, and everything tamped back down.
DeleteMorehead State beats Tennessee State 78 to 68. The Eagles are now 12-4 overall, 3-0 in the Ohio Valley, and number 129 on Ken Pom.
ReplyDeleteEastern beats Austin Peay 69 to 59. The Colonels are now 6-9 overall, 2-0 in the Atlantic Sun, and number 239 on Ken Pom.
DeleteTennessee's huge win boosts the Vols up to number 5 on Ken Pom, with Auburn at number 6, Alabama at number 10, and Kentucky at number 18.
ReplyDeleteBig upset brewing in College Station. LSU leads TAMU 61 to 49 with 5:03 left. Ken Pom thought TAMU would win 79 to 67.
ReplyDeleteOK, here's the SEC's opening day in basketball (home teams first):
ReplyDeleteArkansas 51 - 83 Auburn
Florida 85 - 87 Kentucky
Missouri 68 - 75 Georgia
S. Carolina 68 - 62 Mississippi St.
Tennessee 90 - 64 Mississippi
Texas A & M 53 - 68 Louisiana St.
Vanderbilt 75 - 78 Alabama
The road teams went 5-2 today. I hope that means we're going to get good officiating all year. For what it's worth, I thought the officiating in the UK game was quite good.
UK and UF had 82 possessions in yesterday's game. That's the most possessions for an SEC game featuring UK since December 29, 2016, when the Fox/Monk team beat Ole Miss 99 to 76.
ReplyDeleteKen Pom said UK would beat Mizzou 87-73 tonight. With 1:33 left in the game, UK leads 86-73.
ReplyDeleteCats win 90-77. This was one of those games, which you get from time to time in the SEC, where both teams combined for 54 free throws. Rob Dillingham, who is one of my favorite Kentucky players ever, had a career high of 23 points.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Alabama walloped South Carolina 74-47 in Tuscaloosa.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Ken Pom, UK's MVP against Mizzou was Tre Mitchell: 20 points, 14 rebounds, 40 minutes played.
ReplyDeleteCats now at 18 on Ken Pom. Ken Pom still predicts the Cats will go 23-8 overall and 12-6 in the SEC.
DeleteThe good news is that UK has made only 27.9 percent of its three-point shots in its first two SEC games. That figure should improve.
DeleteThe late game features Auburn at home against Texas A & M.
ReplyDeleteAuburn leads 28-20 with 3:12 left in the first half. It's just hard to see Bruce Pearl losing this type of game at home.
ReplyDeleteAuburn leads 30-22 at the half.
ReplyDeleteIowa State beats Houston 57-53, which means that there are no undefeated teams left.
ReplyDeleteThe Aggies are grinding away, as is their wont. They trail 42-40 with 13:09 left in the game. Last year, they went 15-3 in the SEC with this type of play.
ReplyDeleteAggies lead 44-42 with 11:31 left. In Auburn. They are tough.
ReplyDeleteSince A & M joined the SEC, the Cats have gone 11-3 against them, and that's surprising to me, because it seems like every game we play them is very difficult.
ReplyDeleteNebraska knocks off number-1 Purdue, 88-72.
ReplyDeleteWith 3:51 left, Auburn leads 54-52.
ReplyDeleteWith 2:29 left, Auburn leads 56-54. With only 4 seconds left on the shot clock, A & M is called for a foul. Fouls with less than five seconds left on the shot clock must happen twice as often in the SEC as they do everywhere else.
ReplyDeleteA & M will learn, however, that defense doesn't win games when you're at Auburn. From here to the end of the game, Auburn will be going to the line on pretty much every possession.
ReplyDeleteIn 2020, UK only lost three games in the SEC. One was a 3-point loss at South Carolina, which can happen to anyone. One was funny loss to Tennessee on Senior Day, where something went wrong with Ashton Hagan. But the third loss was at Auburn, where UK led 52-49 with 10 minutes left, only to lose 75-66. Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans both fouled out. Nick Richards, E.J. Montgomery, and Keion Brooks all ended with four fouls. The Tigers shot FORTY-FOUR free throws, to only 24 for the Big Blue. They outscored UK by 13 points at the line, and won the game by nine. That's how they do things in Auburn.
ReplyDeleteAuburn wins 66-55. Pretty typical down there.
ReplyDeleteAnd LSU beats Vandy 77-69 in Baton Rouge. Ken Pom thought it would be 77-66. That man is a genius.
ReplyDeleteDown in Starkvegas, Mississippi State leads Tennessee 49-43 with 13:56 left in the game.
ReplyDeleteMSU 62 - 58 UT (6:24 left)
ReplyDeleteMSU was up 35-22 at the half, but the Vols have outscored the Bulldogs 41-28 in the second half, and we are tied: 63 to 63, with 3:44 left.
ReplyDeleteAt one point MSU was up 69-63, but then the referees went to the monitors, which happens a lot in SEC play, and now MSU leads 72-70 with 52.5 seconds left. MSU ball.
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess. UT had a steal and a layup, but the referees called MSU for a 10-second violation. Anyway, it was pretty obvious that the Tennessee player fouled the MSU player, but tough luck, Bulldogs. UT scores anyway to make it 72-72 with 35.3 seconds left.
ReplyDeleteBut now MSU scores at the other end -- and is fouled! Actually, he was fouled about 10 times, but he scored anyway. A little scoop shot. 14.7 seconds left, MSU up 74-72 and going to the line.
ReplyDeleteMSU makes the free throw:
ReplyDeleteMSU 75 - 72 UT (14.7 seconds left). UT ball.
UT misses a long three-point shot. Airball. UT gets the rebound. They start to try again -- STOLEN BALL! RUNOUT! DUNK! MSU defeats Tennessee, 77 to 72. MSU's first win against a top ten team since 2002.
ReplyDelete