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Maryland Thoughts

  • Here are my points that need improvement IMO and the things UK did well:

    1.) Goodwin needs to slow himself down where there is 3 defenders in front of him. He is just trying to do too much and make the Espn play rather than the lack luster easy bucket play. That will come through the season (see Teague last year for confirmation)
    2.) Harrow needs to be a vocal leader on the court; I know he was ill but it really doesn't take much to call out to your team for plays and to get them on the same page.
    3.) When Noel and Cauley-Stein are in the game they both should not go from the same block! One needs to block out and all them need to grab the ball and be strong with it. Again that will come, see Davis against KU in the season opener.
    4.) Wiltjer has to get stronger in the post. He had a great game but being 6'10'' he should be able block people out and use his size
    5.) If Polson plays and practices harder than any of those 5* points then he should play. It will only make things better.

    Here is the good:
    1.) Its their first game in an arena that sounded like a pretty much like an away game for UK and they won after a huge run from Maryland
    2.) Polson and Wiltjer played well and having Wiltjer stepping up like that is a huge plus for UK
    3.)All the things that needed to be addressed can be fixed and it will just take time.
    4.) Cal is our coach and he knows this team better than anyone; if anyone can help these guys play smarter and harder, its him
    5.) Our offense looked really smooth in the first half and that has to be encouraging that these kids are understanding the offense right away. I know the second half did not go so well but then again inconsistency is a sign of a young team.

    All will be fine, I expect this team to take a few loses as the season progresses but there is a ton of talent there and you see flashes of a well round team both inside and outside scoring with the hustle and drive on defense (see Noel diving on the floor after balls and Cauley-Stein chasing the ball down after a blocked shot.)

    Go Big Blue!!!

    BigBlueMook

  • I think this has gotten blown way out of proportion. Its game one with a starting five consisting of three freshman and two sophmores and the fact is we played a quality opponent! Unlike most top ten teams we actually played a quality opponent and won. This team will definitely learn from this game and again had we rebounded this game was a blow out, but this is what happens with young teams, alot of mistakes. The freshman played like freshman and we are super young and learning how to play together is going to take probably longer than other Cal teams. I think had Alex played even half way what he's capable of the rebounding thing wouldn't have been as big of a problem as it was and he's going to have to absolutely get out of his high school crap. He is too good of a player to keep playing that poorly. As far as Goodwin goes he just needs to stop trying to be spectacular everytime he gets in the paint and either make a good pass or just take the ball to the rim, he is trying to be MJ. Harrow is the problem with this team because they look to him to lead them and he just hasn't gotten the job done and he's got to play better, I just hope that he really was fatigued and show's the real Harrow against Duke. Kyle may have to take a more vocal role for this team, he is really the only returning player who actually played meaningful minutes a year ago with a great young team. Plus he has to help out more on the boards as well as being able to guard his man without needing help everytime his player touches the ball. Noel to me needs the most improvement he got pushed around way too much and his offensive game needs alot more work than I believe most of us realized. WCS needs to stop trying to block as many shots as Noel when he's in the game and focus on rebounding and they both need to try and be more like AD when blocking shots and try to keep the ball in play instead of wanting to put the ball up in the stands. All in all this team will be a really great team come March so no need to beat up any of these kids because like every team in the country they will improve .

    wildcatfan440

  • CarlLexington said...

    This team has to get tougher. Everywhere. Every position. Why did Noel spend so much time on the bench? This team got plain man handled. How you win a game when you're getting completely owned on the boards like that is beyond me. Goodwin needs to learn he doesn't have to drive and shoot everytime he touches the ball. That's on Cal. He tells him to do it. Some of his shots were just ridiculous. He needs to learn when to drive and when to pass. I'm not buying the Harrow flu thing for one second. He would have played that way regardless. Man up. Cal needs to make a decision on the point. You can't have a point by commission. If it's Harrow, fine. Put him out there and let him learn. If he can't handle it start Goodwin and let him learn. These guys are young and I don't put much of the blame on them. This is 90% Cal's doing. It's the first game and if they aren't tough enough it's because Cal hasn't beaten them up enough. Mr Poythress? Hello? Are you there? Do you care? You didn't come to UK to be a spectator. Just standing there watching everyone else play. Countin daisies with his finger in his butt. Stop with the mad facial expressions and play ball. Grow up!! I know that's harsh but it's only because I think he can be the best player in college basketball bar none and imo his problems have everything to do with laziness and immaturity and that's unacceptable. And before you get to bashing me let me say I do realize this is the first game of a very very young team and I realize they will improve in everything I've mentioned. Well everything but Harrow. Like I've said before I've never been sold on Harrow and I'm not convinced he can run this team and get it to where we want to go. It's 50/50. And again that's Cals fault for not recruiting a PG in this class. I don't envy Cal's job figuring out the point on this team.

    To the good stuff. Wiltjer. He plain brought the meat on offense and even fought for a few boards. Still a defensive liability but he's getting better with that too. Polson. Is he for real or was that just a novelty performance? I don't know. I would tag a Harrellson comparison on him but Josh was in a position where there was no one else. He had to play and it was sink or swim. Polson has 2 other players competing for that spot. It's good to know that if and when needed he can come in and give quality minutes at the very least. This team will be a contender by the end of the year. I'm just squackin. Forgive me.

    I guess Carl hasn't listened to CAL since practice started because he's "just squackin." But we are talking freshmen, CAL said they need to be tougher. Rebounding, was probably a shock to him but maybe not, because CAL loves to have a reason to blow freshmen off of their high horse. Carl, let Cal do the coaching, and you just keep squakin because that is your strong point, while Cal's is coaching.

    This post was edited by UKlaw82 on 11/11/2012 at 7:23 PM

    UKlaw82

  • With the possibility of being rebuked by UKlaw82 ill still go ahead and say this, Poythress needs to toughen up quite abit and stop hanging his head every time Cal chews his rear end out for doing something wrong. Jones his first year did that too until Cal had a heart to heart talk with him in private. He has so much talent and when he learns to keep playing hard all the time and not get down on himself everytime he does something wrong. I also have some concern about Harrow, he just doesnt seem to have what it takes to lead this team. Last year Teague was shaky at first but never did I have any doubts that he would develop into a really good PG, but I do have doubts about Harrow althogh Ihavent given up on him. The rebounding will be worked out in practice so Im not too worried about that. When we face a 2-3 zone I want to see how we handle that defense.

    sleepydog

  • Great win against a quality team on a neutral floor that had a very hostile crowd on national TV. This was the first game guys. Lots more to come. Some of these kids were lost and why wouldn't they be? This team is going to be very good.

    zcats

  • +1. I thought I was clear in my earlier post with what you reiterated for me.

    This team actually looked quite well for their first true game. Yes, rebounding was horrible. I know Harrow wasn't himself. Is there a ? there? Yes. All of that is relevant to the extent the these first two months matter. After Tuesday this team has some cupcakes to work on. It should be taken as a positive that they beat a likely tourney team for their first game on a HUGE open game stage.

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    Nate87

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