Now that we're down to the Sweet 16, the Regions are really taking shape. The big story over the weekend, of course, was Princeton's run through Region Three. Now the regions look like this:
The Heath Post
A Celebration of Home, Kentucky, Sports, Music, and Other Passions
Monday, March 20, 2023
Update on the NCAA as Regions
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Final Thoughts on Kentucky
I really don't think this team underperformed. If anything, given the talent on the team, I think they slightly overperformed. They were able to stop the bleeding after the loss to South Carolina, and scrape their way to an NCAA Tournament victory. They won a lot of games I didn't think they could win. But they were never beating a real team like Kansas State that knows how to execute down the stretch. They just aren't good enough. Antonio Reeves went 1-10 from three-point range, and 0-5 from two-point range. Jacob Toppin went 0-2 from three-point range, and 1-5 from two-point range. As a whole, the team went 4-20 from 3-point range. That's not good enough.
The problem at Kentucky isn't in-game coaching. Calipari took a team of transfers from places like West Virginia and Illinois State and and won 22 games, including an NCAA Tournament game. The problem isn't effort -- they outrebounded K-State by 20 rebounds, and fought all the way to the end. The problem is that we need better players. And we need those players to stay healthy.
If you saw Alabama last night, or at any time this year, you've seen the level of talent you need if you're serious about reaching the Final Four. Until we get players like that, we won't be a serious threat.
Since 2017, Kentucky has been eliminated by the following teams:
Saturday, March 18, 2023
State Tournament: Day Four
Friday, March 17, 2023
State Tournament: Day Three
At the half, Woodford County leads E-Town 26-21.