Some DeAndre Liggins Thoughts and UK by the Numbers – 1/18

Ugh. Another week long break between ‘Cats games. UK has a few extra days to prepare for Arkansas on Saturday after three tight games to start SEC play.

The break started today with the “Hoops for Haiti” telethon, which has eclipsed the $1,000,000 mark in funds raised with caller donations and matched funds. Cal has been unafraid of using his platform as UK basketball coach for a variety of purposes over the past eights, but this has to be the most worthy cause yet. Let’s just hope now that the money is used as effectively as possible for those who need it most. Here’s some video of the Three Amigos hanging out with a baby at the telethon today:

Before we get into my weekly look at UK by the Numbers, I have a few thoughts on UK sophomore swingman DeAndre Liggins, who was a key factor in the close win over Auburn. I think I speak for all UK when I say that I couldn’t be happier about his emergence.

Liggins’ started out as the first recruit that was Billy Gillispie’s alone. Patrick Patterson and Alex Legion committed to UK under Gillispie before Liggins, but Patterson was recruited for a long time by Tubby Smith and we all know how the Legion-UK marriage ended up. During the summer of 2007, Liggins announced his UK pledge, convincing us that we had returned to center stage of the recruiting world. Immediately, he became the future at point guard.

When he stepped on campus in 2008, we immediately became excited about his potential, but it was clear that he was a work in progress. Unfortunately, UK was in a position where they needed him to become the guy at point guard right away if the 2008-2009 was going to be any good at all.

UK’s trip to Las Vegas set the tone for the season. He played just two minutes in the first game against Kansas State, but UK miraculously pulled out a win. In that game, Liggins famously refused to reenter the game when Gillispie called his name. Normally, that kind of thing is a death knell for a player, but he was so desperately needed that Gillispie turned to him the next night, playing him 27 minutes against West Virginia. Liggins was largely responsible for UK winning that game.

"Do I really have listen to this dude?"

DeAndre played a bunch the next eight games, but he just didn’t quite fit the mold of point guard in a season where UK was probably a serviceable point guard away from being a pretty solid team. His minutes fluctuated and his turnovers ballooned and we were constantly frustrated by how he was used. In fact, it was many of Billy Gillispie’s decisions regarding Liggins that began to raise red flags about our ex-coach.

When he barely played down the stretch, we pretty much assumed that he was gone if Gillispie stayed. Really, it was a wonder he made it through his freshman year. When John Calipari came to UK, no one was sure he would stick around. We wondered about his grades and we wondered whether he would fit the dribble drive, but Liggins again survived, even garnering praise as “the most improved player” on UK as the season approached. We knew he wasn’t going to play point guard, but beyond that, we weren’t sure what his role was going to be.

Then, he didn’t even make cameo appearances in UK’s opening games. Speculation swirled. Was he in academic trouble? Was he in NCAA trouble? Had he failed a drug test? Would he be transferring at the end of the semester?

Then, Liggins got in during garbage time at IU. He was back. Then, he got in against Austin Peay while the outcome was still in doubt. The ovation he received upon entered the game was among the loudest of the season. Even now, eight games later, UK fans still shower him with cheers when he enters the game for the first time. As a matter of fact, I would argue that Liggins is the fan favorite of all ‘Cats not named Wall, Patterson, or Cousins.

DeAndre Liggins has been a survivor his entire life. He overcame an impossibly tough background to land a basketball scholarship at one of the top programs in the country. Things were difficult in another way once he arrived in Lexington. He played for a coach that could not find a way to relate to him or get across to him. Before Billy G’s fall from grace, we probably blamed that on DeAndre. However, as we found out about the way Billy Gillispie coached his team, I think we all began to sympathize with the players, Liggins in particular.

The way he survived “tryouts” under Calipari and was suspended to start the season only strengthened that underdog identity that we all came to support in Liggins. Now that DeAndre is not only playing consistently strong minutes, but also doing all the dirty work it takes to get those minutes (defense, rebounding, fitting in the offense), I don’t think we could be any happier for him. It’s hard to know what the future holds for Liggins, but he has a lot to proud for what he has accomplished to this point.

Individual Stats

John Wall – 6.9 assists per game (3rd nationally)
2.1 steals per game (t-52nd nationally)

Patrick Patterson – 63.0% field goal shooting (13th nationally)

DeMarcus Cousins – 9.3 rebounds per game (t-41st nationally)
1.8 blocks per game (t-79th nationally)

RPI

With the wins over Florida and Auburn, UK has now broken into the top ten of the RPI at #10, up from 13th last Sunday. The ‘Cats next opponent, Arkansas, has the worst RPI of any team left on the schdule, so UK’s strength of schedule, which currently sits at 108th, should only be going up after next weekend. That’s good because UK is currently behind most of the other #1 seed contenders in the RPI (Syracuse, Kansas, Texas, Villanova).

Ken Pomeroy

UK had a pretty good offensive week, moving up to 11th in the nation in offensive efficiency in KenPom’s rankings, but a rough week on defense, falling to 38th. The net result was a slight move up, from 14th to 12th. Among teams in the top 18, UK has the worst rating for defensive efficiency.

I really believe that UK has it in them to be an elite defensive team. You have seen it in stretches in some of UK’s big games, when they absolutely suffocate teams. However, those periods seem to always be counterbalanced by stretches when UK just doens’t close on shooters like they need to and allows lanes to the basket. We’ve heard a lot about how UK hasn’t been the kind of team that steps on teams’ throats when they get a lead, and I believe defense is where those lapses happen.