Let's Talk Kentucky

This might be setting up pretty nice. Kentucky on a high high after a lucky shot gets them to OT and wins. Now they know that Jefferson is unlikely to play and their confidence is suddenly through the roof. Their overconfidence could play right into our hands if our guys play even half as well as yesterday. Yeah, I know, I'm just coping, what else can we do for 24 hrs lol, but they're very beatable even without JJ if ISU plays well.
 
im going to try to keep my negativity to myself but tomorrow scares me. im just having flashbacks of the ole miss game from last year.

need the team that came out against AZ, but we wont have JJ

I’m not saying Iowa State won’t lose by 12. But they had a lot of problems a year ago. While everyone talks about length being Iowa State’s kryptonite, that team had basically no perimeter defense with Gilbert out and Lipsey at 40% at best. It’s really hard to defend against any team when you’re rarely keeping guards in front, and aren’t able to get them off their spots or disrupt passes. Gilbert’s absence also hurt the offense, and Lipsey’s strengths as a floor general didn’t really complement Jones’ as a creator, so it kind of felt like every offensive possession was a mystery box. Jackson and Chatfield had plenty of size, but Ole Miss’ bigger guys were more mobile

Toure is a dawg whose legs are the reason Lipsey is as healthy as he can be right now, so you’re already much better off there than last season. And Batemon isn’t any worse a defender than Jones. Buchanan and Pleta have their work cut out for them, but for all we know Jefferson would’ve gotten two fouls early and Iowa State would’ve had to rely on the other two to defend the post anyway

Having not played a P4 schedule, I thought Santa Clara had a few too many defensive possessions they guarded for about 24 seconds, but a Kentucky player got open and they didn’t really even try to close out. I know Kentucky doesn’t light it up, but if they get some shots to fall it softens up the interior for their giants to get more comfortable. All that said, Santa Clara mostly matched their physicality and should’ve won

I think it will come down to staying in front of Oweh—which Santa Clara did pretty well—and how good Kentucky’s interior passing is. I don’t know that their bigs are going to start posting up just because Iowa State’s down one forward, but rotations will have to be sharp because your help defender down there will be smaller. I thought Momcilovic had some nice contests down low yesterday
 
Lol he pronounces it correctly, he just enunciates both syllables so loudly and distinctly like he's talking to an old guy with a hearing aid.
Yeah, it's not hyphenated old man... turn that heating aid up! LoL
 
Agreed

For sure

Ok, I see where you're coming from.

What? ! Strong disagree. If we should make it that far (which I think is possible), not having Jefferson would make us huge underdogs.
Michigan turns the ball over a lot and they’re down a key guard. I actually think we matchup well with Michigan if we are to get that far.
 
Kentucky is very dangerous they have beat 5 ranked teams this year and had three pretty close losses to Florida. Without JJ it's going to be tough.
 
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ISU is not ruling out JJ so even if there is no chance, KY has to plan for him. Watching that game, we don’t trap a whole lot, don’t need to, so defense won’t show much. We also have everyone canning 3s except batemon. So now they have to watch for even Toure out there shooting so Milan may not get covered as well.

The ball was flowing a little more but we also did a poor job of telegraphing our passes and TSU was jumping routes.

Yeah I don't know if ISU gets the same clip from 3 but the threat imo is very real which helps.

Agree on the telegraph passes (that's a patience thing) and imo the defense was a bit leaky including on transition which I also think is in favor of ISU's staff to find plenty to correct despite the huge margin.

In a weird way I'm looking more forward to tomorrow than the 1st round just out of curiosity for how things go.
 
They’re an undisciplined bunch of underachievers. I guarantee you they think they’re going to have a cake walk with Jefferson out. Doesn’t matter how much their staff tells them otherwise.

Air completely went out of the building today and we proceeded to crush Tenn States spirit. Game was over about 4 minutes after JJ went down.

Kentucky was in an emotional roller coaster of a game for different reasons. I think all of this lines up for them to be unfocused and complacent- which has been their downfall all ywar. It’s not a lack of talent.
Their game with Santa Clara was played at a fast pace too which Santa Clara prefers,.and UK got a lot of open looks as a result of that game pace.

IMO our trapping D will give them fits and really limit the wide open looks they had Fri.

And even with all those great looks, UK shot 36% from 3 and needed a lucky miracle shot to win vs a 10 seed.
 
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UK reminds me a lot of Kansas last year where they have a ton of talent but there is no team cohesion. You just hold your breath when you play them and pray that this ain’t the game that they suddenly figure it out.
 
Oweh is much like JJ. He likes to drive to the hoop and draw fouls. Hopefully he is guarded closely and Buchanan/Pleta don’t get extra fouls. The Kentucky defense makes a lot of shot blocks - from every position . Not sure how to avoid that- better screens or wider spacing I guess.