Post UK-LSU Thoughts: Black Friday

One of the tell tale signs that a team is well coached and takes coaching well, is when they play an opponent for the second time in a year, they know what their opponent wants to do and they execute their game plan well. That’s pretty much exactly what LSU did in their 67-58 victory over UK that punched the ‘Cats NIT ticket once and for all.

LSU did not play particularly well. They shot under 40% and never really got into a groove offensively. However, they knew how to attack UK, especially on defense, and not surprisingly, UK was unable to ever do more than hang around against a more experienced and more talented LSU team.

Even though LSU does deserve praise for executing, it’s not like the gameplan was rocket science. Way too many UK games since late January have been lost the exact same way: bad defensive rebounding, bad three point defense, and an inability of anybody other than Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson to do anything offensively.

LSU relentlessly attacked the offensive boards. They grabbed 17 offensive rebounds compared with Kentucky’s 23 defensive rebounds. It really has gotten to the point that when I see a missed shot by a UK opponent, I feel like it’s pretty much a 50/50 ball. LSU’s offensive rebounding allowed them to put up 16 more shots than UK, and when you just aren’t a great offensive team, that’s nearly impossible to overcome.

UK played LSU pretty even most of the way, but LSU’s runs that made this game a comfortable one were punctuated by three point shots. They hit 8-21 on the game, and pretty much anytime UK got close, Bo Spencer or Marcus Thornton would drive a nail in the Big Blue coffin with a three ball…they hit 6 between today.

Offense was a struggle all day today. The only way UK ever made a run was by holding LSU scoreless for an extended amount of time, because there were scant possessions where UK got the in a position where they could create anything at all.

LSU keyed their defense on Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks, throwing multiple defenders at each. UK was unable to make LSU pay, as Patterson and Meeks turned the ball over 7 times between them. Jodie and Pat had one of their least productive games all season, and UK doesn’t have the weapons to overcome an off night by both of them.

Amazingly, Meeks and Patterson were limited to only 18 shots total. They have averaged 28.4 shots per game on the season, so LSU did a tremendous job on them.  UK failed to adjust, which I have written this season more times than I care to count.

I wish I could say I am surprised at the way this game went, but I have watched too much UK this year to be able to say that. The ‘Cats are just not a very good team. Watching Selection Sunday is certainly going to be strange, and even though I have NO expectations of UK making the Tournament, it’s not going to be any fun seeing all 65 teams revealed and UK not being one of them.

UK will find out officially what their NIT schedule will look like, and for the first time in my life, I’m actually going to care a little bit about the Tournament. Just because UK is going to miss the Tournament doesn’t mean that the Pinkie is going to ignore UK’s post-season, so you can expect a breakdown of UK’s draw when it is announced.

Also, late tonight I’ll be posting my recap of the other action in the SEC, as well previews of the two semi-finals tomorrow and predictions for each.