Now that we have Saturday completed, it is time to acknowledge something out loud. The last 18 months of UK Athletics since the National Championship have pretty much sucked. There have been a couple of random highlights…the hiring of Mark Stoops was exciting, the huge crowd at the Spring Game was unique and beating Missouri for College Gameday had Rupp Arena rocking. But when we make highlight films for intro videos of UK Athletics’ events over the next few years, very little from June 2012-December 27, 2013 is going to find its way in the package. The end of the Joker era, the rebuilding process in football and the NIT year that we all hope to forget, spliced in with the “Year of the Cardinal,” made these 18 months painful for any Big Blue Nation member. Something needed to get us out of the funk and back to the more joyous rocking times around Lexington.
Then Saturday happened. Saturday was the type of day that makes being a Kentucky fan great. From the earliest moments, Rupp Arena had that special ambiance that happens when magic memories are on the horizon. Our KSR Pregame Show began three hours before tipoff in the Rupp Arena Food Court and from the very opening lines, the place was packed. A buzz permeated the building as we previewed UK/UL, with greats like Jack Givens, Kenny Walker, James Lee and Kyle Macy milling between Arby’s and Mr. Kang’s Chinese Food. If you have been fortunate enough to attend a number of games at Rupp Arena, you know when the place is going to be rocking, and as I walked onto the court a hour before the game, it was clear this was one of those special days. Every seat in the arena was filled 30 minutes before the start. Fans stood and watched the pregame activities with anticipation…they erupted every time the Cats ran out on the court and the building stayed energetic, even when nothign was taking place. The student section taunted the UL players with every missed shot during warmups and Rick Pitino received a hearty booing the moment he appeared through the tunnel. As every second ticked towards tipoff, the arena grew louder and it culminated in one of the best videos I have seen the UK folks ever do, a pre-game series of images from great wins over Louisville in the past from Rex to Cedric to Mash to Derek Anderson to Patrick Sparks to Jorts to Davis, culminating in a “what will be the next one?” question that caused the roof to nearly blow off the place. For all the complaints about the in-arena environment, the pre-game scene on Saturday was magical and exactly why we all love cheering on the Cats.
Once the game started, the excitement quickly switched over into nervousness. Louisville’s 8-0 run to start the game led many (myself included) to wonder if we were headed for another disappointing day, this time on our home court to our hated rival. But then slowly, things changed. The way Julius Randle played in the first half showcased why he is a projected Top Three pick. He was simply unguardable and he made a mockery out of every defender Louisville sent his way. Whether it was Harrell, Behanan, Mango, “Indefinitely Suspended” Akoy or (hilariously) Luke Hancock, Randle bullied them all, even as they desperately hung on his arms at every move. After the game Pitino said that no one in America was helped more by the new rules than Julius Randle, implying that he gets calls he does not deserve. The truth is actually in the other direction, as up close it is clear that Randle is fouled on nearly every drive to the basket and gets only a small percentage of the whistles. But the fact that he fights through the contact and can finish with such a soft touch is amazingly impressive. He is a beast and with every basket he made in that late first half run, the Rupp crowd clearly grew more confident, sensing a special performance was taking place.
Russ Smith’s dunk notwithstanding (that was mighty impressive), the first half went about as well as Kentucky fan could have imagined. But the second half followed the lead of the first, as UK began with a thud. Louisville scored quickly and Julius Randle pulled up with cramps, immediately changing Rupp Arena’s mood. As Randle passed me on the sidelines on his way to the locker room, I was hard pressed to think of a way Kentucky could win the game. Not only had Kentucky not finished games well all season, but the Cats had lost the best player on the floor, one who was having a dominant game. During the first timeout, while I was in the back trying to get information, I told Tom Leach and Mike Pratt that this was the time for the Twins and James Young to make names for themselves. Pratt agreed, and added that Alex Poythress would have to fill in Randle’s void as much as possible. And over the next 15 minutes of game play, that is what they all did. While not playing perfect (and missing WAYYYYYY too many free throws), the guards got to the basket, finished with authority and played admirable defense, to extend Kentucky’s lead and keep a cushion over the slumping Cards. Throughout that time frame, as fans in the stands wondered if Randle would return, Rupp Arena urged on UK with a passion that gave me chills. I looked up at one point, with six minutes to go and Kentucky clinging to a seven point lead and thought, “this is one of those games everyone here will remember.” Those brutal missed free throws caused the last six minutes to seemingly take 5 hours, but as the final seconds ticked down, Pitino grew angrier with the officials and the UK bench jumped with jubilation, it felt like an almost perfect night.
We all know that this team still has many questions to answer and it isn’t yet clear that they are capable of giving us #9. But for one night, they gave us the joy we have been waiting 18 months to recapture. Everyone on the court from the Twins to James Young to Alex Poythress to Willie Cauley-Stein to Dominique Hawkins played important roles and each of them stepped up to make big plays. After a week of listening to media members suggest that this could be the game that proved Pitino’s system was better than Calipari’s, the reality is that Calipari outcoached Pitino. Rick made no adjustments capable of getting his big men involved (especially when Randle went out) and was unable to take advantage as his guards looked perplexed when Cauley-Stein would switch on the pick and roll (simple scouting Rick…UK did it against Belmont and Boise). Calipari meanwhile allowed his perimeter players to revert back to their high school days, spacing the floor and getting to the basket, and had they made free throws, it could have been a double digit margin game. For a team coming off a national title, #1 in Kenpom.com efficiency and with boatloads of experience, to lose as they did, either the UK team is just better or Calipari got the better of Rick…you can choose which is the case.
Either way, the scene at Rupp after the game was special. As nearly the entire crowd hung on to watch, “My Old Kentucky Home” was sung and fans celebrated in the aisles. It was a reminder of how great games like this can be, even if you are like me, packing back and forth on the carpet. The Cats were joyous on the court and in the locker room and each seemed happy to give their fans this moment. After 18 months of difficulty, it felt like this grind-it-out win was a sign of the tide turning. Who knows what the rest of the season will bring, but Saturday suggests that good times are ahead. And when we look back upon them, and videos for future UK-UL games are created, Alex Poythress’s dagger dunk will be included and we can all remember a victory that was oh so sweet.
I am back to radio tomorrow from 10-noon…and I would suggest to you it is going to be much fun. Until then…
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
But last night’s game was a perfect exhibition of freshman frustration: for James Young, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Actually, to be fair, it started as the worst of times and quickly switched to the best of times before the woes of the
Like any Dickens novel, the ups and downs are frustrating. Nothing’s worse than disappointment after a bright spot. Enjoy that put-back? How about a botched in-bounds pass to follow it up. When he’s doing all the little things, he’s the quintessential “glue guy,” and his stat sheet proved it–18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and only a single turnover. He led the Cats in all three major categories. But as Mike DeCourcy (Sporting News) points out, sometimes less is more for the mercurial wing:
[Young] redefined his game in the second half against the Cards and operated as a complete basketball player, as a team player, as one who was willing to contribute whatever his team required to defeat a high-quality opponent.Young’s shift from “worst of” to “best of” made the difference in a game where Kentucky was missing its best player. He was allowed to be reckless when Julius Randle was there to clean everything up and make the half-court set look pretty. Or if not pretty, at least effective. But when Young became the go-to guy in the second half, the responsibility elicited a maturity that we could get used to. Smarter shots, tougher rebounding, better teammate–he was excellent.
Young averaged nearly a shot per minute in the first half, even as he made less than a quarter of them and his frontcourt teammates were connecting at better than an 80 percent rate. He shot only four times after the break, made two of them, and expended most of his energy making Louisville junior guard Chris Jones disappear at the opposite end of the floor.
With his oft-infuriating unpredictability, Young embodies his name. His play can be rash, hasty, and stubborn. But with the selflessness he displayed in the latter parts of last night’s season-spurring win, he just might merit yet another Dickens-ian allusion: Great Expectations.
If you have a UL fan in your life (and chances are you do…and if you don’t, meet one. Just like every conservative should have a liberal friend and vice versa, every UK fan should have one UL fan…if for no other reason than as an act of charity), then chances are that you have heard them complain that they were “jobbed” by the referees in Rupp Arena on Saturday. They of course are following the lead of their coach, who complained that the referees were “affected” by the Rupp Arena crowd and who took special offense to Tony Greene, who has refereed a number of UK-UL games. This led a writer on the prominent Louisville site, “Card Chronicle to suggest UL lost because of the officials in what may be the worst attempt at a logical article I have ever read in my life (a shame, because the site’s Editor Mike Rutherford is a tremendous writer who has to be shaking his head right now). This refrain is familiar and loud. The great Cardinals could not have lost because, oh I don’t know, they have no frontcourt play, shot the ball poorly and had no answer when Kentucky lost its best player for an entire half. No instead, the problem must have been with the cheating officials at dirty Rupp Arena.
Now while we all know this is silly, they don’t. So one of their own has had to say it for them. UL radio color guy Bob Valvano took to his Facebook page to diffuse the argument and asks UL fans to “try to be smarter than a turnip.” He writes:
Let’s start with the officials. Mark Whitehead, Tony Greene, and Doug Sirmons are three of THE best officials in college basketball.
They have all recently worked final fours, Greene one of the officials in the Louisville national championship win over Michigan just last year.
They aren’t assigned by UK, or by the SEC.
They did not unfairly influence the game. Sorry. They didn’t. They would have NO rational reason to do any such thing.
Try to be smarter than a turnip. Why would they risk their ENTIRE professional careers to cheat in this game?
Now, did they miss some calls? Of course they did! They do EVERY game. Basketball is BY FAR the hardest game to officiate…by far. Its not even close!
So when you cite isolated calls you’re not making any valid point.
The question is, are they in position? Are they trying to be consistent? Do they make sense?
They do and they did.
Fans cite the palming calls on Louisville. Because it is an unusual call, people got upset.
They miss the point…it was the right call, AND the official had warned the players involved earlier to be careful they were getting dangerously close to palming the ball. That’s good officiating.
The players ignored him. They called it…Rick Pitino nodded his head (if you noticed), telling his players it was a good call.
You cannot ignore the officials.
Lesson learned.
And of course he is correct. Blaming the officials is absurd. Kentucky was the better team on the court and controlled the game. There were missed calls (I thought a few tough ones went against UL early, but some late kept the Cards in the game), but they didn’t decide the outcome. The better team on Saturday won, and that is how it should be. If the teams play again, the result may be different. However the officials were not the root cause of the Card loss. Rick Pitino disagreed of course, but he has disagreed multiple times with officials (see this article, where he complains that the NCAA Tournament officials aren’t enough like the Big East officials and this article, where he laughably called the officials too “arrogant”, a trait that showcases Mr Humble has as little self-awareness as he does truth-telling ability.) As with most everything else, the fans that complain are following the lead of their coach, who has never met a loss that he couldn’t blame on others. Thankfully, Mr. Valvano disagreed.
To be fair, Valvano did not only write on the officials. He also took a thinly veiled shot at me. This is normal for Bob, as he does an afternoon radio show in Louisville listened to by literally tens of people, and when his best segment is not airing (the great “Whats in the Paper”, where he literally reads…what…is…in…the…paper. Riveting radio), he often takes shots at the “UK guy” who yaps too much. Valvano did not like the criticism I made of Pitino “skipping” his press conference and wrote:
As for UK fans who want to gripe about Pitino meeting the press outside his locker room instead of the podium…puh-leeze! There is a guy who caters to the haters in the local media (I use that word media loosely in this case), and he helps drive the hate bus. I know he emphatically reported this. But I have been to about 300 NBA games probably…EVERY one the media covers EXACTLY like Rick Pitino met with the media in Rupp. Exactly the same way. Every single game. So stop with the “he didn’t meet the media” thing. I know you love to hate, and create bad blood where it doesn’t exist, but it just annoys the rest of us with half a brain. He met the media. He talked. He gave UK the credit they deserved for a very good win. Just stop the bullshit.
While I am glad Mr. Valvano has covered “300 NBA games” (that is a lot of games Bob…congrats!), it has nothing to do with the point. At COLLEGE games at Kentucky and Louisville, the coach comes to a podium and addresses the media after the game. In NBA games, the media may do it differently, but the last time I checked, Rupp Arena was not the NBA. Pitino doesn’t do this in Lexington because he doesn’t want to take questions from the media not from his home city. So even though probably 100 media members were waiting for him at the podium, he stood outside his locker room where only a few reporters could speak to him (all guys who mysteriously knew he would be there and are the handpicked friends/co-authors of the coach) and he can thus avoid any tough questions. Case in point? Even though Pitino played Akoy Agua, a player that he previously said was “suspended indefinitely” and yet missed ZERO games, not one reporter asked him about the change of heart. Why didn’t they ask? Because those who would (such as UK guys or even neutrals like Lachlan Mclean) were stuck in the other room waiting at the podium.
Still yet, even with the shot at me, I applaud Mr. Valvano. In between the Candy Crush games and arguments over Duck Dynasty, his Facebook post did do one thing well. It told UL fans that those who complained were acting with the IQ of turnips. When one of your own says that…well, that should probably end the discussion.
From Tom Leach, the voice of the Wildcats…
How about some props for the head coach in Kentucky’s 73-66 win over Louisville?
Players win games but it’s the coach’s job to put them in the best position to succeed, both strategically and mentally, and I think John Calipari did some of his best work both within the game and leading up to it.
On the court, Calipari had to dramatically alter his
gameplan after losing a player who scored 17 points in the first half.
And since Julius Randle’s cramping issue didn’t surface until early in
the second half, Calipari did not have the luxury of making those
adjustments during a halftime break. And Cal kept his team focused on
how to win the game without the big man in the middle.
Andrew Harrison told reporters after the game that “coach didn’t really talk about it (Randle). He just coached the game.” And so his players just played the game to win it, rather than worry about the impact of losing it.
Louisville made six of its first 11 second-half
shots to wipe out a seven-point UK lead. But Kentucky played its best
defense of the season, forcing the Cardinals to miss 14 of their final
17 shots. In the kenpom.com metric of efficiency, holding an
opponent under one point-per-possession is a job well done. For the
first time in a matchup with a ranked opponent this season, the Wildcats
hit that mark, limiting UofL to 0.94 points-per-possession (and
Louisville was the nation’s top-ranked team in offensive efficiency
going into this game).
Kentucky had given up 80 or more points in back-to-back
games and since Calipari’s second season at UMass in 1990, he’s only had
one team give up 80-plus in THREE consecutive games. John Calipari’s
best teams have been able to get stops down the stretch of close games
and this UK team finally showed an ability to do that in a big game.
That’s a very important breakthrough.
Now, let’s look at how Calipari helped his team win this game before it was played.
Despite the high stakes and the looming BBN panic
over a potential fourth straight loss to a ranked foe, Calipari did not
break routine. He gave his players time off for Christmas as
he always has done. During shootaround Saturday morning, after a
session of working against Louisville’s full court press schemes,
Calipari told his players they couldn’t be more prepared to attack it if
they had two more weeks of practice. (And against a team ranked second
in the nation in the percentage of possessions on which it forces a
turnover, UK gave the ball away only 11 times, two fewer than
Louisville).
If Kentucky makes it to the national title game, it will be
the second-youngest team ever to do that and yet Calipari has put them
through a schedule ranked the 18th-toughst in the nation (compared to
Louisville’s, which was ranked 150th coming into o this matchup).
Kentucky was younger, yes, but it was battle-tested, which helped
negate any advantage the Cards had with their experience.
The Cats aren’t “there” yet. Calipari
often talked about “demonstrated performance” and UK must still show
this kind of mental toughness away from Rupp Arena. But this was a very
good win over a good team and let’s see how they build from it.
–listen to Tom each weekday morning at 9:06am eastern on “The Leach Report” radio network
–check out tomleachky.com for more of Tom’s coverage of the Cats and follow Tom on Twitter @tomleachky and @leachreport + via Facebook for “The Leach Report”
Great photo via @tarabilby
Have I mentioned that I’m fan-girling yet? We’ve already mentioned how great the crowd was yesterday, but fans of the Hunger Games movies will appreciate the gesture by the student section during Josh Hutcherson’s “Y” ceremony. Hutcherson, who plays half of the possibly-faux (gosh I hope not) “Star-Crossed Lover” duo in the popular movies, was given the Mockingjay salute by fans. Cool moment for folks who enjoy both Kentucky basketball and the Hunger Games movies, which are admittedly a lot of fun.
Folks in the Bluegrass weren’t the only ones watching yesterday’s rivalry game; with that much talent on the floor, you can expect NBA teams to send representatives to check out the players for themselves. Many did just that, and the reports they came back with were, well, less than scintillating. Not unfairly so, but honest in that “I’m your grandmother so I can be blunt and pick on the things you’re sensitive about” sort of way. These scouts were the middle-schoolers of the basketball critiquing word: they knew exactly where the soft spots were and weren’t afraid to poke at them. They spoke to Zagsblog post-game, and proffered the following scathing advice:
Julius Randle
He can score. He’s a beast inside. He’s hard to guard in college. He’s going to be guarded by the same size and more athletic guys in the NBA, but in college he’s unstoppable down there on the block. He’s gotta develop a mid-range game. He’s just not going to be able to bully his way to the rim at the NBA level every possession.Just keep driving left and driving left, spinning back left, they’re going to figure it out pretty quickly. He’s gotta develop a mid-range game, but as far as college he’s just a beast down there. You can’t guard him one-on-one in college.We’ve seen how quickly college coaches and players adapt to predictable go-to moves (check out his turnovers against Michigan State), and it’s hard to imagine that would get any easier in the professional game.
Harrisons
Both of them should stay. To me, I think both have regressed from where they were coming in with all the hype they had. Aaron’s a better shooter. They both struggle to guard perimeter quickness. They both are not consistent shot-makers. Andrew’s just OK. He’s never going to be able to break any NBA point guard down and at 6-5 you’re not going to be able to post him. I just think they should both stay in school. There’s nothing that either one of them brings that makes you say, ‘Wow, this guy is my point guard or my two guard of the future.’Both should stay? How would that impact next year? Tyler Ulis and Devin Booker are coming in at the 1 and 2 spots, but could depth at that position be a bad thing? How would the twins handle a sophomore year? Or are we stupid to even consider them coming back? Questions to consider going into conference play–we’ll have to see significant improvement for them to be guaranteed goners. On the plus side though, the “pouty attitude” problem was a non-issue for the scout, who says they’re clearly not bad kids, and it was never a factor.
James Young
James Young helped himself. The guy’s going to have to get stronger, but he’s a got a knack for scoring. He’s got a beautiful stroke. He can shoot the 3-ball. He’s got a bright future I think.Great news for Young, who started the game 0-6 and looked uncomfortable offensively.
Willie Cauley-Stein
What’s he do? He blocks some shots. He has no offensive game. You can’t even go to him. He doesn’t even look at the basket. He’s not even a threat. He’s just another big guy that can block some shots, run the floor. He can go out and guard on the floor a little bit. I think he can guard some 4′s, some 5′s out on the floor. But he’s a zero offensive threat.Ouch. That hurt my feelings. But to look at Willie this year compared to last year, and there’s been some improvement offensively. He has very limited range, but is developing around the rim with decent put-back and lob-catching ability, allowing a 63% field goal average. What he needs to do most is two-fold: improve his free throws and get a go-to move or three. Watch Julius Randle’s footwork, develop a hook-shot, something.
Pretty harsh all-around, though none of it really unfair. With Julius Randle almost certainly gone after this year, Cats fans and Calipari have to seriously wonder whether this scout’s opinions are shared by the rest of the NBA. If so, we might have a pretty crowded roster next year. Which isn’t really a bad thing, although we’d like to see players improve. Something to think about.
I decided to look back on the past few years and see just how big of an impact the Louisville game had on Kentucky in sustaining momentum after a big win against the Cardinals. Obviously, the varying difficulty of schedules each season has an impact on how well UK played following the match up with UofL, but for the most part, in Cal’s most successful seasons here at Kentucky, the Cats didn’t do much losing after the rivalry game.
2012-2013: two losses in their next five games
2011-2012: no losses rest of regular season
2010-2011: two losses in their next five games
2009-2010: two losses rest of regular season
2008-2009: no losses in the next five games
It’s time for Kentucky to go on a tear in conference play. We’re ready for ya, SEC.
@WilderTreadKSR
He’s not the biggest guy on the team. He’s not the fastest guy on the team. He’s not the most athletic guy on the team. He wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American; college coaches weren’t knocking his door down in high school; and there were 192 other basketball prospects ranked ahead of him in his graduating class. Hell, Coach Cal didn’t even get his name right after the Providence game. But, dammit, I love me some Dominique Hawkins.
The kid from Richmond, a lifelong fan of the Cats, has done more this season than any of us ever imagined. Expectations of him couldn’t have been lower entering the season; he was just the “Kentucky boy” we were thrilled to see get an offer, a guy we said “might” contribute by the time he’s a junior or senior.
But Dominique Hawkins didn’t settle for the local kid role when he was handed his University of Kentucky basketball jersey. Dominique Hawkins took his jersey and went to work, setting the example in the gym for those “one-and-done” guys in front of him. He wasn’t intimidated by his competition in practice when they all arrived on campus. He didn’t come to Lexington to hold a clipboard, grab a water, or collect the towels. Dominique Hawkins came here to play, and Dominique Hawkins is playing. He’s playing his ass off.
If you only go by box scores, no, Dominique Hawkins hasn’t made many contributions this season. He’s averaging 1.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists through 12 games. But if you watched those 12 games, you know Dominique Hawkins makes his presence known on both ends of the floor. Whether it’s D’ing up when the Harrisons aren’t, diving on the floor for a loose ball, or keeping the ball alive for someone else to grab an offensive rebound, Hawkins is doing all the little things that everyone should be doing. He plays with heart on every single possession, never taking a play off or resting back on his heels. We saw that again last night against Louisville, and all of us, his coach included, noticed.
“Dominique went in and made two or three plays just by
hustle next to the goal,” Coach Cal said in his postgame press
conference. “Now, why aren’t my 6’6′ guards doing that? He’s in there,
just fighting like crazy, and it’s a great lesson for us. You know,
because if we can get our whole team playing that way, we become pretty
good.”
“Pretty good” is an understatement. If the other, more talented guys
played with half of the energy and passion Dominique Hawkins exudes,
Kentucky is damn near unstoppable. That’s why we need to see more
Dominique Hawkins going forward. We need to see more Dominique Hawkins
from everyone.And as good as he’s been thus far, Hawkins is never going to win a game for Kentucky. It’s very unlikely he’ll ever see the starting lineup this year. He’s not going to lead the team in scoring and the offense will never flow through him. But, dammit, I love me some Dominique Hawkins.
I’d rather have Darius Miller’s old number, but we’ll work on it.
After playing, and losing to, three other ranked teams, the Cats finally picked up a dubya against a quality opponent, and it’s paying off according to early prognostications from CBS Sports. UK jumped up a few spots to #15, while Louisville fell quite a bit and is now sitting at #20. The dearth of quality opponents on UL’s schedule, and their lack of even a single signature win through the non-conference slate cast aspersions on the preseason hype, while Kentucky’s difficult schedule looks like it’s paying off now that the Cats are looking, playing, and fighting like a team.
Hard to choose between these two, for completely different reasons. Danny McBride might be the worst person imaginable, but is hysterical on Eastbound & Down. Disclaimer: don’t watch it around your family. Unless your family is lewd and vulgar or you want to get them out of your house. Meanwhile, the delicate Alison Brie is famous for entirely different reasons: while not as vulgar, she’s certainly a little bit prettier than Danny McBride, and used that to good effect on Mad Men and Community. Both brighten up a television lineup otherwise inundated with piss-poor reality TV, and both celebrate birthdays on the 29th. We already got them their presents, and it’s a win over Louisville. Speaking of which, on to the news…
Kentucky Beats Louisville, 73-66
After a year’s worth of misery, balance has been brought back to the Bluegrass as Kentucky gets basketball bragging rights over the filthy Cards. There’s a lot to take away, like great performances from Andrew Harrison and James Young, and continuing struggles at the free throw line, but those can wait until tomorrow. Or Monday. Whenever. Point is, we have a lot to be happy about tonight. Here’s some highlights, which are just as good reheated. Like an Arby’s sandwich.
Cats Responded Without Julius Randle
Beating Louisville is good. Closing out Louisville without Julius Randle for the crucial part of the second half is great. After leaving with cramps, a lineup consisting mostly of Andrew and Aaron Harrison, James Young, Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress put together some terrific minutes and played great defense in keeping their feet on the Cardinals’ throats. This team has to realize that each one of them is capable of playing good basketball, and they don’t have to rely on Randle’s dominance to win games. For Randle, it should take some of the pressure off of being “The Guy,” and keep the number of triple-teams down in future games. As worrying as it was to play without him, getting a W with him on the bench is great for this team.
Rupp Crowd Brought It
Rupp gets a lot of flack for pandering to the rich and famous rather than the “hardworking” students. But sometimes, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how much money your seat costs: everybody’s there to get excited. Today was one of those days, and I could heard the noise from all the way up in my nosebleed seat in 232. The noise was terrific, but we still need to work on the clapping. Plus, and this might be just me, but I think the “T” section in the C-A-T-S chant needs to get its act together. Consistently a half second late. But apart from that, “electric” is a great word for the atmosphere, and it showed. Louisville’s players (and the refs, if you ask Ricky P) were a little flustered, forcing the Cards into 4 more turnovers than they’re used to.
Pitino Elected Not to Have a Post-Game Press Conference
How many of you read “Pitino Erected” there, just out of habit? That’s understandable. But he pulled something of a whiny move by pulling out too early. Plus he left quickly tonight. Maybe he’ll have more to say on Monday, when he gets his hearing back. But even if he doesn’t, I think his team said plenty tonight.
Josh Hutcherson Put the “Y” in “DreamY”
There may or may not have been a loud fangirl contingency screaming around me in Section 232, and I may or may not have been the first person to shout “That’s Peeta!” when they showed Josh on the screen the first time. Some were asking were Josh Hopkins was, but for my money, Hutcherson has more momentum right now with Catching Fire so recently in theatres. Hutcherson posed with the eRupption Zone and tried to get a wave started from midcourt. Plus he looked so much taller without Jennifer Lawrence standing next to him. #TeamPeeta #SuckItGale
I won’t keep you any longer. Go celebrate. Crack open that New Year’s sherry a little early and go a little crazy. We’ve earned it.
Go freakin’ Cats.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
There are days that Rupp Arena just feels special. Today was that kind of day. From Saturday morning on, the area around Rupp buzzed with anxiety, and the crowd was one of the best I can ever remember. It’s been a long, long time since Kentucky fans have had something to really get excited about. With Louisville coming off the best year in their history, the Big Blue Nation was practically rabid for a win, and they got one. Tonight, a young team came into their own in front of 24,396 fans, the ninth-largest crowd in Rupp Arena history. Here’s my take on UK’s 73-66 win over the Cards:
1. Julius Randle only played one half, but he dominated it
Julius Randle came in to this game on a mission. Randle had 17 points in the first half off 7-8 shooting from the field. After balking at the big stage in Dallas and Chapel Hill, Julius was ready this time around, practically calling for the ball on occasion. He had one dunk early in the first half that practically brought the house down, and with the offense centered around him, the Cats looked superb.
Unfortunately, cramping issues sidelined Julius for all but four minutes in the second half. Julius went to the locker room in pain, but returned and tried to go in the game only to take himself out seconds later. After the game, Cal said that the trainers gave Julius three IV bags of fluid to get rid of his cramps, joking that the doctor was “squeezing it in” so he could return. Something tells me Julius will be receiving a large bunch of bananas before the next game.
2. Rupp Arena heard Alex roar
In Julius’ place, Alex Poythress turned in another impressive performance, putting up seven points and pulling down five rebounds. Even more, Alex played with aggression, throwing down a particularly nasty dunk with a roar through Rupp Arena. “Playing without Julius, I thought Alex was unbelievable,” Cal raved. “But he’s been doing it in practice. He’s never been like this.”
3. The guards were brilliant
If you had told me before the game that the Cats would be able to beat Louisville with Julius Randle on the bench, I would have laughed at you. However, UK’s guards stepped up to make that happen. James Young, Aaron Harrison, and Andrew Harrison played beyond their years, especially in the second half. After Russ Smith and Chris Jones lit it up in the first half, Andrew Harrison buckled down and took control in the second, looking as poised as he ever has as a Cat. Under Andrew’s hand, the Cats were able to finish off a top opponent, something they had failed to do thus far.
Now if he could just make his free throws…
4. The star of the game was James Young
While Randle’s first half was mighty, James Young was the reason the Cats won. Young started off cold, missing his six first shots, but connected for a big three on number seven. From there, he warmed up, finishing with 18 points and ten rebounds. What I love about James’ performance was that even when he was cold, he was doing things to help the team out, like rebound and hustle. His energy was infectious tonight.
5. “Look like a team. Play like a team. Fight like a team.”
Cal wrote those words on the board in the locker room before the game, and said it was the only game plan he gave to his players. What was the difference between the team that beat Louisville and the team that lost to Michigan State, Baylor, and North Carolina? They played together.
6. You can’t say enough about the crowd
I could write 1,0000,000 words about today’s crowd. I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of games in Rupp and the crowd today was the best it’s ever been. The eRupption Zone was packed an hour and a half before tip-off, and the students did their part, bringing in some truly hilarious signs. Even before the game started, there was a feeling in the air that Kentucky NEEDED this win, and the crowd did its best to help them get it. Rupp Arena is a special place on nights like tonight, and Cal acknowledged it afterwards, calling the crowd “nuts” for showing up an hour before tip:
7. Balance has been restored
In true Rick fashion, Pitino refused to do his postgame presser at the podium like everyone else and only took a few questions from reporters outside the locker room. When asked how his team handled the loud crowd, Pitino quipped that the “Referees were affected by it more than my players.” It’s only fitting that the Year of the Cardinal ended with a whine.
It’s good to be back.
There are days that Rupp Arena just feels special. Today was that kind of day. From Saturday morning on, the area around Rupp buzzed with anxiety, and the crowd was one of the best I can ever remember. It’s been a long, long time since Kentucky fans have had something to really get excited about. With Louisville coming off the best year in their history, the Big Blue Nation was practically rabid for a win, and they got one. Tonight, a young team came into their own in front of 24,396 fans, the ninth-largest crowd in Rupp Arena history. Here’s my take on UK’s 73-66 win over the Cards:
1. Julius Randle only played one half, but he dominated it
Julius Randle came in to this game on a mission. Randle had 17 points in the first half off 7-8 shooting from the field. After balking at the big stage in Dallas and Chapel Hill, Julius was ready this time around, practically calling for the ball on occasion. He had one dunk early in the first half that practically brought the house down, and with the offense centered around him, the Cats looked superb.
Unfortunately, cramping issues sidelined Julius for all but four minutes in the second half. Julius went to the locker room in pain, but returned and tried to go in the game only to take himself out seconds later. After the game, Cal said that the trainers gave Julius three IV bags of fluid to get rid of his cramps, joking that the doctor was “squeezing it in” so he could return. Something tells me Julius will be receiving a large bunch of bananas before the next game.
2. Rupp Arena heard Alex roar
In Julius’ place, Alex Poythress turned in another impressive performance, putting up seven points and pulling down five rebounds. Even more, Alex played with aggression, throwing down a particularly nasty dunk with a roar through Rupp Arena. “Playing without Julius, I thought Alex was unbelievable,” Cal raved. “But he’s been doing it in practice. He’s never been like this.”
3. The guards were brilliant
If you had told me before the game that the Cats would be able to beat Louisville with Julius Randle on the bench, I would have laughed at you. However, UK’s guards stepped up to make that happen. James Young, Aaron Harrison, and Andrew Harrison played beyond their years, especially in the second half. After Russ Smith and Chris Jones lit it up in the first half, Andrew Harrison buckled down and took control in the second, looking as poised as he ever has as a Cat. Under Andrew’s hand, the Cats were able to finish off a top opponent, something they had failed to do thus far.
Now if he could just make his free throws…
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
While Randle’s first half was mighty, James Young was the reason the Cats won. Young started off cold, missing his six first shots, but connected for a big three on number seven. From there, he warmed up, finishing with 18 points and ten rebounds. What I love about James’ performance was that even when he was cold, he was doing things to help the team out, like rebound and hustle. His energy was infectious tonight.
5. “Look like a team. Play like a team. Fight like a team.”
Cal wrote those words on the board in the locker room before the game, and said it was the only game plan he gave to his players. What was the difference between the team that beat Louisville and the team that lost to Michigan State, Baylor, and North Carolina? They played together.
“This team is becoming a good team. We haven’t been all year. Now we’re starting. Why? Because they knew if they didn’t play together, we wouldn’t have a shot.”James Young said that the Cats were “tired of losing” and fans should expect to see “a lot more” performances like today’s. Cal reminded reporters that “This is the youngest team I’ve ever coached” before adding “I thought we grew up today.”
6. You can’t say enough about the crowd
I could write 1,0000,000 words about today’s crowd. I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of games in Rupp and the crowd today was the best it’s ever been. The eRupption Zone was packed an hour and a half before tip-off, and the students did their part, bringing in some truly hilarious signs. Even before the game started, there was a feeling in the air that Kentucky NEEDED this win, and the crowd did its best to help them get it. Rupp Arena is a special place on nights like tonight, and Cal acknowledged it afterwards, calling the crowd “nuts” for showing up an hour before tip:
“The crowd was great. People are crazy. It was crazy. I mean, it’s nuts. I’m hoping they enjoyed it.”As James Young said after the game, the crowd “should be like that every time.”
Photo by David Scott
In true Rick fashion, Pitino refused to do his postgame presser at the podium like everyone else and only took a few questions from reporters outside the locker room. When asked how his team handled the loud crowd, Pitino quipped that the “Referees were affected by it more than my players.” It’s only fitting that the Year of the Cardinal ended with a whine.
It’s good to be back.
No Julius Randle in the second half.
56.3 percent from the free throw line for the game.
3-for-14 from the three-point line.
The ugliest final minute of basketball, possibly ever.
Still won the game.
When this team finally puts it all together…. Look out, world.
(Darrell Bird)
The Bluegrass Sports Commission (BSC) named James Young the Most Valuable Player of today’s men’s basketball game between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. The Wildcats won the game 73-66.Young’s 10 rebounds were a career-high, making it his first double-double as a Wildcat.
Young, a freshman, notched a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds to help lead his team to victory in one of college basketball’s biggest rivalries.
“We are proud to present this award to James,” said BSC Executive Director Terry Johnson. “In a very intense rivalry game, he stood out with an incredible all-around effort.”
Young will receive a trophy in recognition of his achievement.
Past winners of the award include:
Josh Harrellson (UK, 2010)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (UK, 2011)
Russ Smith (UofL, 2012)
Hell of a game, young fella.
Cats.
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