UK Gets the “W” in an Ugly One Against Alabama, 66-55

AP

This season has been a lot of fun. Even when the ‘Cats aren’t firing on all cylinders, I’ve enjoyed it, which is such a welcome change from last year. However, tonight’s win over Alabama was one of the more unenjoyable games of the season to this point.

It started inauspisciously. The first 11 minutes of the game on ESPNU were pre-empted by the end of regulation and overtime of a game between Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason. I was reduced to keeping with UK by watching a little score box in the top right hand part of the screen and watching online gamecasts that lagged about 30 seconds behind the action. By the end, I found myself on the ESPN Contact Us page to let them know about my displeasure.

Unfortunately, it turned out that ESPN was keeping us from watching a choppy, low scoring game that lacked a signature UK run. Alabama did what they have been doing to many of their opponents: never allow them to get in any kind of an offensive flow. Alabama switched it up on defense, zoning Kentucky most of the game (both 2-3 and 3-2) and mixing some man and full court pressure. Alabama, as a team, is relatively incapable of arriving at an offensive rhythm themselves, so it turned into a series of ugly possessions.

Even though UK never really player very well, they won, and they won pretty comfortably. When I looked at the scoreboard at halftime, UK was up 31-24, and I felt like UK had played badly. Shots weren’t falling, John Wall was giving it away, and in general, UK lacked any kind of zeal. Hey, who knows, maybe they were outside making snow men all day.

Last year, when I thought UK played a poor first half, they were down double digits, no matter the opponent, not up seven. Such is life when you have size, speed, athleticism, and maybe the two best players in the conference.

The players I refer to are John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and they put up numbers that would suggest that may be true tonight. Wall posted his first 20 point game since the UConn game in Madison Square, scoring 22 points to go along with a career high 10 rebounds, giving him his first points/rebounds double-double. For a while, it looked as though Wall might get his first triple-double, committing turnovers seemingly every other possession in the first half. He finished with six.

DeMarcus Cousins also had a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards, his seventh consecutive such performance. When Cousins touched the ball, good things happened. He hit six of eight shots, got to the line eight more times, and had two assists. Cousins dealt with a defense that was centered around stopping him, which frustrated him at times, but he still got it done when it was available. His effort was lacking at times tonight, which I’m sure will be addressed before Saturday’s visit from Tennessee.

A lot of what UK got done offensively tonight was one on one, which is what Alabama intended. The ‘Cats had but ten assists against 16 turnovers, shooting about 45% on the game. UK also didn’t have the stroke going from the outside, hitting only 3-16. When UK is forced to play one on one like tonight, the outside shot just isn’t going to fall with the same frequency.

Wall and Cousins were the main options on offense, but Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe, and DeAndre Liggins chipped in, scoring 9, 8, and 8 respectively. Patterson’s shot wasn’t really falling today and he only had 4 boards, so John Calipari will likely be a little unhappy with his play.

DeAndre Liggins 8 point output was his second best total of the season, but more importantly, he blew his high for minutes played out of the water tonight, staying on the floor for 26 minutes, compared with 15 for Darnell Dodson, who got another start, and 8 for Darius Miller. With all those minutes, Liggins intensity suffered just a bit because he is used to played in the mid teens, but he is making a strong case as UK’s best option at the three. He is a balance between the overconfidence and assertiveness of Dodson and the timid play of Miller. Plus, he plays defense and rebounds (7 more tonight).

UK, as a team, was pretty good on the boards tonight, besting the Tide 42-35. However, the 14 offensive boards corralled by Alabama were the highest total by a UK opponent since the loss to South Carolina. Alabama has not been a great rebounding team, so the ‘Cats left a bit to be desired in this area.

All in all, a solid win for the ‘Cats when you consider that they shot the ball poorly, turned it over, and didn’t close out possessions like they should have. They did what they needed to in order to get the win and now can focus on Saturday’s ESPN Gameday game against the Vols, who were blasted by Vandy in Nashville tonight.