Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
More of this, please
On Tuesday night, we saw how ugly Kentucky’s offense can be when it’s not clicking. The Cats went fifteen minutes without a single field goal despite its two best shooters, Kyle Wiltjer and Julius Mays, lighting it up from the outside in the first half. The problem? The Cats didn’t go back to Wiltjer and Mays in the second half, choosing instead to try to get points in the paint, something which proved to be difficult due to Archie Goodwin’s poor shot selection and an unexpectedly strong Alabama post presence.
In the first half, Mays and Wiltjer shot a combined 3-5 from behind the arc. In the second, Mays was 2-2 from three-point range. Wiltjer didn’t even attempt a three in the second half and was only 1-2 from the floor after scoring 11 points in the first half. When everything else was failing, why didn’t the Cats get it to Mays, who was obviously on fire, or Wiltjer, who was pretty much the only player capable of scoring? The shot charts don’t lie. (Click to enlarge.)
[powered by WordPress.]
Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
9 queries. 0.312 seconds
January 24th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Can Noel not shoot a lick outside of the baby hook or a dunk? I have not even seen him attempt a jump shot…Anybody else?
January 24th, 2013 at 2:07 pm
apparently he cannot and the lack of a post offensive threat is a big problem with the overall offense.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
I think Cal told the team before the season started to imitate the lakers because of all the talent coming in and being over shadowed by laker teams in the past. Little did he know they would continue to act like them through their struggles as well.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Come on guys the poison on this team is and has been pretty much Goodwin and to a lesser degree Poytress. I am all for putting them both on the bench with WCS, Noel, Wiltger, Harrow and Mays as the starters. Has that combo Ever been on the floor? Gotta have teamwork or it’s NIT time for the Cats. Goodwin just has no clue what teamwork is as he seems to only care bout being a hero.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
I just wish Nerlens would try a couple of 4-6foot shots a game to keep the defense honest. He catches it at the key and turns his back to the basket to try to find a guard immediately.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
He won’t be that usefull in the NBA if he never takes a shot
January 24th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
The shot charts can’t be correct. I know Wiltjer made at least one bucket in the paint in the second half. But the point is still valid, throwing it up and hoping for a foul is not going to get it done.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
#7, especially on the road in the SEC. And I’m not whining about the lack of calls for UK, it doesn’t matter that much who the road team is, in the SEC, the refs generally don’t have the backbone to call a lot of fouls against the home team.
Goodwin and Harrow better be working hard on that pull-up J in the lane – that, and finding an open teammate when the defense collapses on them.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
#7 – Wilter did make a layup, look at the top of the ‘floor’ of 2nd half under ‘layups’ #33 is there. That is probably the one you are thinking (he basically traveled as he jumped up to make the layup).
January 24th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
A review of the game video what was obvious: Grant’s adjustment and emphasis in second half was to not let Wiltjer defeat his team, thus the shading, double-teaming and close, physical perimeter defense. Cats took what was available.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
To sum up, Kentucky just isn’t very good. If Mays and Wiltjer are your best offensive options then… 2nd round NIT will be a good finish.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:32 pm
This is the same Julius Mays that transferred from a 15-16 NC State team because he couldn’t get playing time behind Farnold Degand and Javier Gonzales. Now he’s UK’s 2nd best scoring threat. N-I-T!
January 24th, 2013 at 2:42 pm
Mays and Wiltjer were simply out of position to catch those passes Harrow and Goodwin were throwing off the backboard to them every time down the court.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
The only people in position to catch those passes would have been the popcorn vendors.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Some players get nervous and throw the ball away. Some players get nervous and throw the ball at the basket. Hummm…. we may have some of both.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
On the ESPN board for Duke/Miami game…. Some of our fans are just dumb…. By the way, this was just posted… No respone to anyone and not provoked
tdc200 — BBN has a right to come on anyones blog and talk trash because: 1) We are the current National Champ 2) The winningest program in the history of college basketball and 3) 8 National Titles, GO BIG BLUE!!!!!!!!!!! BBN TILL I DIE!!!!!!!!!!!! …more
User ID:http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/tdc200
6 Minutes Ago· Like· Reply· Quote· Flag
January 24th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
less of that, please. mays got hot one game…otherwise he’s garbage. his shooting % is terrible and he puts up too many shots as it is.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Will, Julius Mays didn’t play at NC State. just an FYI that would be Ryan Harrow. Julius Mays came to us from Wichita State.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Greg, Julius Mays didn’t play at Wichita State. just an FYI that would be ? Julius Mays came to us from Wright State.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Greg think before you speak. Julius Mays was at NC State first and then went to Wright State before transferring here.
January 24th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Gosh damn stop talking about this game smh
January 24th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
G18 & 19) Julius Mays did play at NC State. He was 3rd string, then transferred to Wright St.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009%E2%80%9310_NC_State_Wolfpack_men's_basketball_team#2009.E2.80.9310_Roster
January 24th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
The shot charts make it clear that a lot of this loss is on Cal. No adjustments in the second half to the game plan, apparently.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
18. Look it up. He went to nc state and transfered to wright st not Wichita state
January 24th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Can I get a Time Out… I do put this one on Cal. Use your timeouts to refocus your team. If used properly you wont need them at the end of the game when up 12 pts….
Last years team was mentally tough enough to battle through issues, we have seen enough to know this team is not mentally tough and could propably go all half without scoring.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
It doesn’t matter if Goodwin goes 1 on 5 and gets fouled , cuz he can’t even hit a Free Throw.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Alabama did what well coached teams do, they made adjustments at halftime to prevent UK from being able to continue to do the things that were successful in the fist half (i.e. Mays & Wiltjer getting shots).
January 24th, 2013 at 3:15 pm
If you double team someone they really cant shoot it. You can’t rely on one player TT, at some point the rest of the team has to step up, particularly goodwin and poythress
January 24th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
This “analysis” makes no sense. In the first half UK hit 3 of 6 3-point attempts, and as pointed out, 3 of 5 by Mays/Wiltjer. Remember the number 3. For the “theory” being proposed to make any sense, one would expect UK to be 0-0 or something in the second half. Was that the case? No. They were 2-3, both by Mays. Now, you can argue we didn’t shoot enough 3-pointers overall, but you can’t argue we lost because we suddenly stopped going to those players that were “on fire.” As for Wiltjer, it appears he took 8 shots in the first half and 2 in the second, but he touched the ball quite a bit in the final five minutes or so. Furthermore, Kyle had 2 assists in the game, both in the second half. My point is that he was more involved in the offense than is implied in the “analysis” above.
Also, it’s not true that the focus of UK’s offense changed (“choosing instead to try to get points in the paint”). It appears the UK took 22 non-three point shots in the first half and 21 in the second, a huge difference of…1.
Should Mays/Wiltjer have shot more in the second half from the perimeter? Perhaps. But this not that UK went away from players who were “on fire” in the first half unless the definition of on fire is different than mine. The fact is that they should have more across the entire game, not just the second half.
Finally, let’s not forget that Bama really bellied-up on Wiltjer in the second half everytime he caught the ball on the perimeter. That may have had some impact on his ability to shoot as well.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:21 pm
No free throws Noel. No inside threat at all on O
all defensive player of the year though, also first team all america all
because D Don t get me wrong, thats all good
This is why Kyle is picking it up on O inside, Cal has com to the realzation that
Noel is no back to the basket threat except on putbacks and allyoops
January 24th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Poythress is a woman. He’s not aggressive, he plays weak, he shows no emotion, and he plays halfway scared at times. Until he grows a pair of testicles and plays like he’s capable, we’re not going anywhere. Our team is as good as Poythress wants to make us. I’m not sure it’s possible for the kid to get pissed off, so I’m hoping he wonders onto my comments here and it triggers his pissed off gene. I’m not blaming anything on Wiltjer or Mays. They’re both doing what they’re capable of doing. Even Harrow, he’s done a great job since he’s returned from his “illness” in my opinion.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
This one is on Cal. I love him and I know he learns just like the players do. That is not a problem. One thing I do wonder about is why Wiltjer, Harrow and Poythress get hung out to dry publicly, but Goodwin apparently is not deserving of correction? He never, ever makes the play I assume he is going to make. That is not a good thing. If I see him keep it one more time on a three on one or two on one break I am going to lose it.
January 24th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
UK has no one that can shoot the ball (maybe Wiltjer) and they don’t go to him! Every other school recruits shooters except UK. Why didn’t Wiltjer and Mays shoot in the second half instead of Goodwin and Harrow?
January 24th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
#1 – Absolutely correct. Davis could shoot from anywhere on the floor. All Noel can do is dunk. Kudos to Mrs. Tyler Thompson for pointing that out. Cal doesn’t like 3s. He says rebounds go long, so stop shooting them. Ridiclous thing to do when your team is hitting them. Instead he wants to go inside where they’re just waiting to steal or block it.
January 24th, 2013 at 8:23 pm
#34 – Does Cal actually say that about three pointers?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Are you serious????
January 24th, 2013 at 9:25 pm
35 – I was watching the Calipari show last week and he did actually say that. He believed that Cauley-Stein, and Noel can capture EVERY offensive rebound.