The House of Blue

Just don't lose to Georgia. If they do that then they have a chance. If they lose to Georgia then I'm not sure how we can realistically think they will beat Florida or win the SEC.

Thats not the criteria for getting in. Only 16 teams get past the first weekend.

Kentucky ball players are lazy. How many 50/50 balls did they get at Arkansas? They all looked like they were playing with hangovers. As inconsistent as they are, they do not deserve to be in the NCAA tournament. They don't play like they want it. I am a BIG Ky fan and when they play like they did Saturday, it makes me very mad!

Irrelevant, friend--I'd rather be bounced out in the first GAME of the NCAA than win the farce that's the NIT....

It is lazy to watch this team game after game and come to the conclusion that the kids are lazy. They certainly were not lazy against Missouri or Miss. State.

The problem with this team is a lack of confidence. And when you lack confidence, you play tentative (or scared). Against a team like Arkansas, who play an aggressive, trapping style, that means turnovers and easy buckets.

When you play tentatively, you don't go after the 50-50 ball because you don't have confidence that you will come up with it. You don't aggressively pressure the ball on defense because you don't have confidence that you can contain the guy you are covering. You don't aggressively drive with the ball on offense because you don't have confidence that you can beat the guy guarding you.

Harrow is a perfect example of this as a problem for the team (and since he is the point guard, the most important). In games where he feels confident against the guy guarding him, he aggressively attacks and scores or sets up others for baskets. It is no coincidence that when he plays with confidence the entire team exhibits more confidence. However, if he is matched up against a guy that gets into his body early and physically pushes away from where Harrow wants to go with the ball, his confidence disappears. And when his confidence disappears he doesn't even want the ball in his hands.

The only guys that consistently play with confidence are Mays -- who is confident in what he can do but is physically limited -- and Goodwin. Goodwin is always willing to attack and always believes that he can beat the guy opposite him which leads him into trouble at times. When other guys are playing with confidence (and energy, which goes hand-in-hand) Goodwin is a productive player -- although he will still have some head-scratcher plays. But when other guys don't play with confidence, they don't want the ball. That means they don't cut to basket or an open spot on the wing -- they don't want the ball. Instead, they watch Goodwin try to do it himself. I'm not sure Goodwin has the best court vision or basketball IQ so he won't always find them anyway but the numbers don't like. When other guys are active, Goodwin is productive.

Sorry about the rambling. Just a little stream of consciousness thing here -- kind of like a Calipari interview.