Robert Morris Quick Hitters
In just a little white your Kentucky Wildcats will take to the floor in beautiful Moon Township, Pennsylvania (is it beautiful?) for the first game of the National Invitational Tournament. The Cats battle the 8th-seeded Colonials who are playing the biggest game in school history in a gym that holds just a little more than 3,000 people… For Kentucky, it’s one of the smallest events in a long time. It is safe to say this will be a humbling experience for Big Blue Nation and the team.
Here are a few quick hitters that you need to know before tip-off:
— Robert Morris scores 71.3 points per game (ranked 82nd nationally) but only shoots 43 percent (189th). The Colonials accomplish such a drastic gap between lackluster output and decent production by hoisting an absurd amount of three-pointers. Almost 23 per game, to be exact (15th).
— They do it for good reason, too. The Colonials don’t have a player taller than 6-8 on the roster that plays significant minutes. Inside post presence seems to be non-existent, which means they live and die by the three-ball.
— Robert Morris’ worst losses have come to Bryant (RPI No. 158), Savannah State (166), Quinnipiac (192), Central Connecticut State (199), and St. Francis (207). Its best wins would be over Ohio (67), and Mount St. Mary’s (121).
— Kentucky’s worst losses have come to Arkansas (RPI No. 95), Texas A&M (101), Vanderbilt (108), and Georgia (140). But has good wins over Florida (7), Missouri (36), and Maryland (56).
The game plan to beat the Colonials is simple: Close out on shooters and feed the ball in the paint to Willie Cauley-Stein, Kyle Wiltjer, and Alex Poythress. Kentucky should be able to score at will in the paint, and as long as the RMU shooters stay in check, this one should be in the bag.
A sign of things going downhill is poor transition defense leading to easy outside buckets, and a lack of awareness by the Cats on feeding the ball inside. The Colonials are going to make some shots, but if the Cats become lazy guarding the perimeter, that is where the three-ball will start to do serious damage. Same on the other end; becoming lazy and settling for jump shots on offense has the potential to kill the Cats. Keep pounding it inside and wear the Colonials down.
28 Comments for Robert Morris Quick Hitters
BTI, is that you? j/k man, good read.
On paper, the Cats should blow this team out by 40. But with this year’s team, who knows what will happen.
i love the “The game plan to beat the Colonials is simple: Close out on shooters and feed the ball in the paint…” lol, and that comes from your many years of coaching and scouting under multiple hall of fame coaches…..oh yeah, youre a young kid posting stuff on a blog while probably not get paid….never mind. You guys crack me up
Hood will get 20 and 10 if he gets the minutes. And he certainly deserves them more than some starters.
I would be shocked if RM didn’t play zone the entire game. Alex and Willie can have big games if they pass well to one another. I’m sure RM is okay with taking their chances at letting the Cats shoot 3’s as opposed to giving up easy baskets inside. On a side note, this post makes me feel more comfortable about the game tonight (knowing how inferior RM’s competition has been all season).
I’ve already started drinking.
You know, if I had looked at that stat line for UK just in passing, there is NO WAY I would think that team would be out of the NCAA tourney. Add to that defending national champs, second place in a power conference, and a fan base who will travel ANYWHERE in the country, and I think more and more that we got jobbed. Yes, we looked like doodoo against Vandy, but if we were a slightly different shade of blue, would this have happened? I think not!
Score at will in the paint? That’s a laugh. I’ve already started drinking too. Will Harrow cry again tonight? Will we?
RM will shoot 60% from 3 tonight. This Kentucky team cant/refuses to shut down anyone from 3, or anywhere else on the floor. We will be lucky to win this game. Kentucky team with no desire or will to win is not normal for Calipari teams. I wish we would have declined the NIT because it just another embarrassing performance on the way and most likely a loss.
we will look like the miami heat tonight, then our next game we will look like we picked a group of guys from the Y thats never played together and lose my 15
I’m a troll! If you can’t support the team then pick another. Fair Weather Fan! GEESE!
Dump the format!
http://www.policymic.com/articles/30367/ncaa-bracket-2013-some-of-the-best-teams-were-cheated-out-of-the-tournament
Cal knows that there is a potential for another bad loss, but Cal wants to prove a point that the delusional players, as he called them, will have to. After another bad loss, no one will get on Cal for running off some players.
Tim Kathlina – be warned….many UK fans and people close to the program believe this team plays excellent 3 pt defense. I know they don’t, and you know that, but we are in the minority
With the seating cap., this game WILL be one of ESPN highest rated viewed games. It is blacked out on espn3 for the major part of the country.
They have a better RPI than Georgia.
What do hissing birds have to do with the UK program?
and for a NIT game!
Feed the ball in the paint, just because we’re taller huh? That’s why were in the NIT, because Cal thought because UK was bigger they could just score all they wanted in the paint. All they have to do is zone them. Zones neutralize size, that’s what they’re designed to do.
#9 – You’re right. Kentucky has defended the 3 so poorly all year long. It could hurt them badly.
People who call disappointed fans “trolls” can just shut it. I have been a fan since 1975 and I can say anything I want about my beloved Cats. Although he had some good games, there have been times this year when Harrow almost made me miss Michael Porter. For those saying we deserve to be in the NCAA tourney, you are delusional. All we had to do was beat 10th-seeded Vandy on a neutral court, but we lost…by 16. I will cheer for the boys tonight like always, but that doesn’t mean it has not been a disappointing season.
Basktball season is over and yet you post this shit. Football has started how about you post somthing about that.
Is Stuart Hammer, author of this post, related to “The Hammer” Daryl Issacs?
So what will it be tonight on this site:
A “Live blog”
or
a “Live diary”
Vote here for the latter.
Some of you ‘temporary’ fans really piss me off. You are all doom-and-gloom for this game. WHEN we smoke these guys, you’ll just copy/paste/find/replace RMU with the next team. The ONLY team w/ a higher RPI than RMU that beat us was UGA, but lets be real, SOS for UGA was much better than RMU. This should be a route! UK by 30. Lets get on the damn wagon or STFU and lick a DUKE fan.
Meant: I Vote for the latter. sorry for the ambiguity.
On paper/screen we DO look like we could run them out of that gym, I hope Cal sticks a burr on their backside and MAKES them have some pride not to get beaten by a third tier team. GO CATS!!!!!!!!
#25 – Good call genius.