Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
Julius Mays was a wildcard coming into the season. After being named 2nd-Team All-Conference and awarded the Horizon League’s Newcomer of the Year award last season at Wright State where he averaged 14.1 PPG, Kentucky fans didn’t know what to expect as the 5th year senior decided to transfer to Kentucky for his final season. Julius doesn’t jump extremely high, he doesn’t have the blazing speed of an Archie Goodwin or the lengthy wingspan of Nerlens Noel, but he does have an invaluable skill that can not be taught. Experience. On a team that has at times started 3 Freshman and 2 Sophomores, Mays is the wise veteran on a team full of baby-faced blue chip recruits.
One thing that most Kentucky fans knew of Julius’ game was that he could flat-out shoot. He shot over 42% from the 3PT line last season at Wright State and also connected on 83% of his FT attempts. But for some reason, throughout the course of the year Mays has struggled to find his shot, leaving Kyle Wiltjer as the team’s lone consistent outside threat, something that has severely hindered the Wildcats offense. During his roughest stretch of the year, an 9-game slide beginning with UK’s home loss to Baylor and ending with another home loss to Texas A&M, Mays shot a measly 12-49 from behind the arc, a 24.5% mark. During that stretch the Wildcats dropped 3 games while Mays’ minutes diminished, dropping from 39 minutes against Baylor to 23 against Texas A&M. The reason is simple, despite the leadership and other intangible components that Mays brings to the game, Kentucky simply can’t afford to have him on the floor if he’s only making 1 of every 4 shot attempts.
However, in the 7 games since which Kentucky has posted a 6-1 mark in, it seems that “Uncle Julius” has finally found the shot we’ve all anticipated seeing from him this season. Since the Tennessee game on January 15th, Mays has shot an astounding 19-32 from 3PT range, a 59.4% average, and has knocked down 2 or more 3′s in all but 1 of those games. Not only that, but he is now able to use his deadly pump fake to create open shots for himself inside the paint as well. Mays has now got the Kyle Wiltjer factor when it comes to shooting, meaning that every time the ball comes out of his hand I am expecting it to go in, which is a far cry from what I believed just a little over a month ago. Julius knocking down shots is important especially when he and Kyle Wiltjer are on the floor together, as we’ve seen from the beautiful 2-man game they’ve run together much more often lately. Having 2 consistent shooters on the court will open up the lanes for Archie and Ryan to attack the paint off the dribble by minimizing the amount of help opposing defenders can offer off of those 2.
I think I can speak for most Kentucky fans when I say I’m glad that Julius finally seems comfortable with his own shot and his own ability to make plays in the offense, averaging 12 PPG over the team’s last 5 games. With his improved shooting and veteran basketball IQ, that adds another dynamic to Kentucky’s offense and has helped take Kentucky from a fringe bubble team to a contender for the SEC Championship over the last month. Get your 3 goggles ready.
–@WillTottenKSR
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February 9th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
The 3 point shop should be banned from the game.
February 9th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
I’m no expert, but I think experience can be ‘taught’……
February 9th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
you know…. over time….. you learn and therefore gain experience….
February 9th, 2013 at 2:04 pm
Wisconsin just beat Michigan. They are now tied in the Big Ten standings. This was the 11 straight time Wisconsin has beat Michigan at home. The students rushed the court. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!
February 9th, 2013 at 2:13 pm
2. You can teach someone anything, but until they actually “experience” it themselves, they don’t have any “experience” in doing it. I’m glad you got the jist of the whole post, though.
February 9th, 2013 at 2:30 pm
5. +1
February 9th, 2013 at 2:33 pm
About the three point shot:
from Answers.com-
“The three point line was introduced because people believed a shot made at a far distance should be worth more points than a layup. Thus, the 3 point line was introduced.
The 3 point shot was introduced by the upstart ABL in 1961 (the league only survived a couple of years) and was brought back by the ABA in 1971 (along with the 30 second shot clock and the dunk) and adopted by the NBA after they merged in 1979-80. The NCAA allowed the Southern Conference to experiment with 3-pointers in 1980-81 and the rest of the College conferences followed suit within the next two seasons.”
from Wikipedia.com
“The NCAA adopted the 19-foot, 9-inch line nationally in 1986 despite a strong debate over whether the shot was a gimmick”.
Two of the most successful 3 point shooters in the ABA were Louie Dampier and Darel Carrier who played for the Kentucky Colonels. Among the first college coaches to embrace the 3 pointer was Rick Pitino, who utilized it to offset the weakened state of his team following the Eddie Sutton years. Of course that team was the Kentucky Wildcats.
Given these facts #1 is obviously anti-Kentucky in disliking the 3 pointer and needs to lend his/her wisdom to a different website. I wonder if #1 would be pleased to see the dunk fall to the wayside as well. In fact, let’s cut out the shot clock too. Dean Smith always wowed the crowds with the purity of the four corner offense.
February 9th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Mays is key to this teams success because of his hustle and experience…
February 9th, 2013 at 2:37 pm
This guy sucks.
February 9th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Cant find the game on tv. Anyone out there that can help. I cay get espn3 on internet
February 9th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
I am really good however. At being a Moron…
February 9th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
7. Dude #1 was makin fun of the troll oldschool. Don’t hurt yourself
February 9th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
The game is on WKYT
February 9th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
10. I see that it is coming on CBS in the BG area. I have Direct TV and do not get local channels. Fortunately, MSGHD, Channel 634 on DTV, is carrying the game and it is not blacked out.
February 9th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
#12 – I know that. The real oldschooll can’t write a post that short. I’m just killing time waiting for the game. Don’t worry, Copy and paste doesn’t hurt anything except my integrity.
February 10th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
The only thing I want to know today is did Tevin Lawson have a good weekend in the bluegrass, and is he going to be the cherry atop this miraculous 2013 recruiting class?