Kentucky Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Previews Kansas

... would say, ‘You know what, I don’t know, but wow what a game it was.’ We went to an overtime game down there last time we played them and that was in their building. We’re a different team and they’re different. I mean, they have the guards back, but they’re different. It’s just two programs trying to get better. I would imagine Bill is trying to figure out his team as I am trying to figure out our team.”. On the early release of NCAA Tournament seeding in February …. “No, I like transparency. So we don’t – on Selection Day, ‘Bang, you’re an eight seed. What? So now as you go you have an idea of where it is—just be transparent. I think all the things they’re trying to do where the No. 1 seeds get to pick where they’re going to play (is great). So if you’re the No. 1 (overall) seed, which region do you want to be in? Why do they have to pick it? Why can’t you pick it? What’s the difference? Well, it’s power. What? What’s right for the kids? Let them pick. You’re the No. 2 seed, where do you want to play? What region? ...

Fox Injury ‘discombobulated’ Kentucky; Timing Of Return Unclear

... style of play, and we have to adjust to it,” Isaac Humphries said. “That’s fine. We adjust on the run, and it’s all good.”. Kentucky center Isaac Humphries says being more aggressive helped him have a productive game last Saturday against South Carolina. Briscoe ‘at peace’. Earlier in the day, the United States Basketball Writers Association said Fox and UK teammate Malik Monk were on its midseason watch lists for National Player and Freshman awards. This led to a question about Briscoe’s contributions being overshadowed again, as they were by Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray last season. “It’s easier to talk about Malik and De’Aaron because they’re so athletic,” Payne said. “They’re so fast. They’re so dynamic. “Isaiah Briscoe stabilizes this team. He’s been great for us. He’s been a leader on and off the floor.”. Payne noted how much Briscoe has improved since last season. “Isaiah Briscoe is not the same basketball player,” ...

30 Years Ago, Navy’s David Robinson Arguably Had The Best Performance Rupp Arena Has Ever Seen

... coach would say later, “I thought that David deserved the applause of the Kentucky people who are real basketball followers.”. The crowd of more than 23,000 stood and applauded, along with a UK bench that included Sutton and freshman Rex Chapman, who countered Robinson’s gem with 22 points. The UK coach later said he had often asked a coach for permission to go into the opposing locker room to congratulate a player, but he had never stood and applauded an opposing player from the sideline. “I just thought it was a sensational individual performance,” Sutton said. Robinson, a future NBA Hall of Famer, was too disappointed by the loss to dwell much on his record-breaking performance and the ovation he received when he was called off the floor. But he did say, “I like this atmosphere, I really do. In my career, I’ve played better under these conditions — big crowd, against a good program, in a real good basketball atmosphere.”. Later, Robinson, decked out in ...

3 Things To Know From The Loss To Tennessee

... 4 spot. After a few good games from Wenyen Gabriel , Kentucky looked as though they had some consistency at that position. Unfortunately, that was not the case tonight. Gabriel struggled mightily, going just 1-6 from the field, 0-3 from 3-point range, and 0-2 from the free throw line. He did produce on the defensive end, recording 2 blocks and 9 rebounds, all of them defensive. Derek Willis did no better, going 1-5 from the field and 0-3 from 3-point range. The slightest contribution from the stretch fours would have made all the difference in such a close game. Hopefully the team isn’t back to square one when it comes to the forwards. It looked as though Gabriel was going to take command of that spot. Hopefully he’ll take control of it again. Tennessee shot extremely well. The Vols shot way better than anyone expected. On the year, they’ve shot 42% from the field and 33% from the 3-point line. Today, Tennessee shot 47% from the field and an even 50% from deep. The weird philosophy of “double-team random players” didn’t work all that well, but nonetheless, Tennessee was way hotter than you could’ve ...

Kentucky Can’t Get Out Of Its Own Way In 82-80 Loss At Tennessee

... shooting half), Hubbs dunked in transition to make it 39-32. UT fans roared as UK called time with 59.6 seconds left. Monk, who had gone to the bench less than a minute earlier after leaving the ball behind as he started a drive, was rushed back onto the floor. Kentucky’s intentions in the second half became clear almost immediately. The Cats fed Adebayo the ball in the post with its first possession. He scored easily to begin back-to-back UK scores that reduced the deficit to 41-38. Kentucky Coach John Calipari said he told a manager to wipe up a wet spot in front of bench where Malik Monk slipped and fell late in UK's 82-80 loss at Tennessee. To borrow a word from Associate Coach Kenny Payne, the Cats looked discombobulated. Wenyen Gabriel shoved Lew Evans, who flopped to encourage an offensive foul. Monk missed two more shots. Then Derek Willis threw up a weak flip shot. Tennessee led 50-40 with less than 16 minutes left. Five minutes later, Briscoe missed an uncontested layup after stealing the ball. He could have doubled UK’s ...

Kentucky Calls For Bam Adebayo To Find His Inner Demarcus Cousins

... proves that it’s possible to have too much of this good thing. UK wants Adebayo to post up stronger and, in basketball vernacular, “demand the ball.” Too often to suit UK coaches, his easy-going personality off the court appears in games. Associate coach Kenny Payne, who substituted for UK head coach John Calipari at Monday’s news conference, said Adebayo cannot simply wait patiently for the ball to arrive in the post. Ideally, the demands for the ball begin at Tennessee on Tuesday night. “We’ve got to get Bam to be more aggressive without a play being called” specifically for him,” Payne said. “Demand the ball when it’s not the play. We don’t have to force-feed you.”. I think if he had a little of De Marcus Cousins’ mentality, he changes the dynamic of the team. Every game I’m telling him to take over the game for us. Dominate the game for us. Don’t sit back, and five or six minutes (go by and) you don’t touch the ball and don’t say a word. ...

The Grind Has Not Been Kind To This Kentucky Basketball Team

... In a high-possession game, the Cats’ offensive fireworks can overcome some of the team’s defensive liabilities. Not so in a low-tempo game. You might be asking why is there all this harping on the UK defense? After all, don’t the advanced metrics argue that the Cats are one of the better defensive teams in the nation? Well, yes. Ken Pomeroy’s tempo-free stats rank Kentucky 12 th in defensive efficiency. There’s a difference between defensive numbers and getting a stop when you need one. Kentucky couldn’t get that stop at Tennessee when the Vols scored on nine of their last 10 possessions to pull out a two-point win. For Derek Willis, a good night takes a bad late turn. The Cats couldn’t get stops in the second half Saturday night when Kansas shot 58.8 percent from the floor. After missing all ...

Five Things To Know About The Kansas Jayhawks

... Sat. (ESPN). — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStats Info) January 27, 2017. 5. This is an important game for Kansas, too. While there is speculation that Kentucky needs a win over the Jayhawks to be in the running for a No. 1 seed come NCAA Tournament time, Kansas could used a win Saturday, as well. After a season-opening 103-99 overtime loss to Indiana in the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu, Kansas reeled off 17 straight victories. Several of those wins were close wins. The Jayhawks beat Duke 77-75; TCU 86-80; Kansas State 90-88 on a controversial layup at the end of the game; Iowa State 76-72. Tuesday’s trip to West Virginia was the first of a stretch when the Jayhawks play three straight ranked teams – No. 18 West Virginia; No. 4 Kentucky and No. 5 Baylor. The WVU game didn’t go so well. Actually, KU was within three points 64-61 after a Josh Jackson dunk with 7:16 left before Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers outscored the visitors 21-8 the rest of the way. Then after the trip to Lexington, Kansas returns home Wednesday night to face Baylor , who is tied with the Jayhawks atop the Big 12 standings at 7-1. Remember, ...

Don’t Count Out Uk For Five-star Recruit Kevin Knox, Who Visits This Weekend

... from five-star combo forwards PJ Washington and Jarred Vanderbilt — and Wenyen Gabriel could also return next season — but Calipari has stressed to Knox and his family that there’s plenty of room for him at Kentucky. The UK coach traveled to North Carolina to see Knox play just a few days after Vanderbilt’s commitment, and Knox’s father said Calipari has told them to look more at Monk’s role on this season’s team as an indication for how Knox would fit in with the Cats next season. “The way Kentucky plays, I’m sure they would figure it out. I know they would,” Daniels said. “But I don’t know Kevin’s mindset and how it would impact things from his point of view.”. It’s been tough for anyone in the recruiting world to get a good handle on which way Knox might be leaning. Kentucky is one of four finalists, along with Duke, North Carolina and Florida State, where both of his parents attended school and his father was a football standout in the 1990 s. He’s already taken official visits to Duke and FSU, and he’ll take the final such trip of his recruitment to UNC next weekend. “He hasn’t really shown his ...

Kentucky Basketball Previews Tennessee

... practicing and trying to get like that in practice, it came back and I’m starting to feel more comfortable with being aggressive and stuff like that.”. On his defensive development …. “I’m trying to just be active and stay in control and active on the ball-screen defense. Just bouncing and trying to be aggressive, again, on defense because you gotta be aggressive on defense as well. Trying to see both, both my man and the ball, and just trying to be aware of everything as opposed to just my guy and helping my teammates. I did have that little stint where I was just worried about my guy and not trusting myself that I can help and get back. Now I’ve gotten into it a bit and I’m comfortable with helping off my man. That’s what I’ve been working on, on defense.”. On what he remembered about last year’s game at Tennessee …. “I remember it being just a crazy atmosphere, obviously. I mean, everywhere we go it’s a crazy atmosphere. It was just a strange series of events that went down. We were up 20 and then – was it an overtime game? ...

Rapper Drake Details The Impact Calipari, Kentucky Basketball Has Had On Him

... like a father figure. It felt like this incredible feeling and at 26 years old, it made me go and reconnect with the teacher that I loved the most. Drake said he was motivated to graduate high school "in honor of what he saw at Lexington" under Calipari along with a desire to fulfill his mothers wishes - a retired teacher. When Drake completed his high school credits, Calipari even attended the graduation ceremony. But he didn't answer the question: Would Drake attend Kentucky as a high school recruit. "There's no doubt in my mind. I wouldn't have to do some big spectacle [ceremony] with choices of different caps on the table. I would just go straight to Kentucky," Drake said. "I'd have to play under you. That would be one of the greatest things that could ever happen in my life.". "My goal [in ...