‘Cats Win a Grinder: UK 71 UofL 62

If you were looking forward to watching this year’s installment of the Dream Game on ESPN Classic all week long, I would clear your schedule, because UK and UofL couldn’t quite translate remarkable intensity into comparable quality, as the ‘Cats managed to outlast the Cards, 71-62.

Before I get down to business, I need to take a quick break for a little patting of my own back.  In my Top Five Things to Watch post from Friday evening, I was pretty darn close to nailing the final score with my prediction of 73-65.

Anyway, sorry for the digression.

Basically any time you hear John Calipari talk, he makes the point that it’s essential at this juncture in the season to learn from every experience. There are plenty of those from today.

It started even before the tip, with reported chest to chest jawing between the two teams in the tunnel. I’m not sure how the two teams can be allowed to be in the same tunnel as one another, but regardless, both squads were riled up to start the game, which is exactly what UofL wanted.

The resulting chippy start allowed the game to get in no sort of rhythm whatsoever. Eric Bledsoe got yanked by Cal within just a few second, DeMarcus Cousins got sucked into taking a cheap shot on Jared Swopshire that fortunately only got him an unsportsmanlike technical foul. Hopefully, Cousins and Bledsoe can learn from that.

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Cousins and Bledsoe were able to collect themselves, which was quite fortunate, because UK does not win that game without those two. The Cards forced the ball out of John Wall’s hands, and Eric Bledsoe played within himself most of the way, finishing with 12 points despite the fact that outside shot wasn’t falling. Cousins was just a beast, playing 26 minutes, his second highest total of the year. He responded by scoring 18 points and grabbing every rebound that was anywhere near him (18 on the day). UK was outrebounded by one, and it would have been a LOT worse if not for Big Cuz, who has assured himself of a lifetime of hatred from UofL fans.

Also, the ‘Cats (and John Calipari) learned that they aren’t going to be able to run all over everybody. Even in games against UConn and UNC when the opponents worked hard to shut down the fast break, UK still managed to find open spaces in the open floor. Against an excellent Rick Pitino gameplan and excellent execution by the Cards, UK got almost nothing in what I call “semi-transition”.

Pitino made a point to take away the high outlet pass (where John Wall catches inbounds passes off of made field goals and outlets after rebounds already at half sprint), and they pretty much did it. By doing so, UofL was able to set up the press, when UK found out that they are very much a pressable team. UofL didn’t make enough shots (32.2%) to consistently set up the press, but when they did, UK made mistakes.

UK also learned that they can overcome almost anything (namely, John Wall doing almost nothing in the first half) by playing the kind of defense they did in the opening stanza. Yeah, UofL missed some shots, but UK played absolutely fantastic defense in holding them to 19 points, staking them to an eight point halftime lead.

UofL’s defense pretty much matched UK’s possession for possession in the first half. Like I said, they had a great gameplan and executed it to a ‘T’. UK also missed a bunch of shots that they typically hit (14.3% today compared with over 42% on the year).

You really have to credit UofL for their second half play as well. To overcome the brutal start from the field that they had and the 13 point deficit it created, and snag a 42-41 lead with just 9:51 left.

Then John Wall happened. It’s not anything that UK learned today, but when it comes down the stretch and UK needs a play, John Wall is going to make it. Think about it. He’s worn a UK uniform 15 times now, and he is five for five in big time clutch situations (Miami, Stanford, UConn, UNC, UofL). Even the best players have games where the big shot just doesn’t go for them, but to this point, John Wall has gotten it done every single time.

Against UofL, he reeled off six straight free throws the second that UofL took their only lead. Wall has played and will play much better games in a UK uniform, but when it comes time to make a big basket, it doesn’t really matter what Wall has done to that point, because he’s going to have the ball and he’s going to put himself in a position to make a play. Wall missed a couple free throws at the end, which will probably cause him to make a late night run to the gym tonight, but luckily the outcome was in hand by that point.

SEC play is coming up, with Georgia coming to town on Saturday. I’ll have a look at the SEC heading into conference play in the next couple days, so keep an eye out for that. 15-0 is really pretty amazing, so enjoy it ‘Cats fans, I know I will.