Should We Be Worried That UK Is Unbeaten?

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

OK, let me start by saying that I realize that the title of this post is absolutely ridiculous. However, I’ve been thinking a lot about how every time you hear John Calipari talk, he says something along the lines of “We’re 4-5″. Coach Cal obviously is trying to cut his team down to size to some extent.

Kentucky is 9-0 on the strength of some serious talent, a phenomenal will to win, and the seriously phenomenal John Wall. In some measure, these ‘Cats are unbeaten and #4 in the nation in spite of themselves.

For looong stretches in most every game to this point, UK looks lost when playing half court, five on five basketball. Possessions go by on offense without even getting a glimpse of a good look at the basket. Defensively, the ‘Cats can’t seem to position themselves, forgetting the concept of team defense entirely.

Teams aren’t supposed to win games with those kinds of stretches. John Wall just keeps doing what he does and UK just keeps winning close games.

I think Cal is legitimately worried that if UK keeps winning games against quality opponents like this, that they will never gain the perspective necessary to realize their full potential. The idea was for UK to jell as team before conference play and take a couple blows the mouth, peaking in February and March. Miami, Stanford, UNC, and UConn dished out a couple would be knockout blows, but to this point, UK has been able to absorb each and every one.

Don’t get me wrong, I think this team has shown that it responds very well to John Calipari (did you see Big Cuz sprint towards Calipari when Cal called him over late in the second half?), but I’m not sure if Cal thinks he has their full attention and focus yet. Wall is just talented enough and the squad as a whole is just gritty enough to pull off wins and maybe that’s enough to advance deep in March, but the last thing Cal wants is for them to think that it is.

UK is going to continue to be tested. Saturday’s trip to Assembly Hall will provide another new challenge and the SEC is much improved, but the more tests that this team passes, the better they think they are. Reader Quickdraw said it best I think when he said that UK is a good team with a great player right now, but they have work to do to become a great team.