Is it just me, or are we one of the most likely CAPABLE (not probable) teams to beat Kentucky.

Our bigs can compete, and our Guards CAN compete (may or may not depending on the day it seems)....

OK -- drinking too much koolaid.

I would take an 8 seed and 2nd round matchup with the Zags over the other 3 likely foes, all day long.

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 10:52 AM. Reason : .]

2/27/2015 10:51:35 AM

I'm OK with another crack at UVa too

2/27/2015 10:56:04 AM

^^I agree, of all the teams that could get an 8/9 seed I think we're probably best built to compete with UK. Kentucky gives so many teams problems because their endless supply of NBA-sized, athletic big men just erases anything at the basket...but most of our points don't come at the basket. Cat would need to be careful driving but he explodes by people and gets his shot up quick enough that he might be okay compared to most college guards who get nothing against them.

On the exterior? The Harrison twins aren't going to be able to smother both Cat and Lacey. We don't rely on offense from our bigs but we go four deep with guys who are big/athletic enough to battle down low - would need a similar performance as what we just did vs UNC.

Turner/Booker match up would be key and we'd still probably lose, but there are worse match ups.

2/27/2015 11:15:00 AM

Kentucky has to lose at some point, right?

2/27/2015 11:16:56 AM

Don't see it happening during the regular season. Probably in the Sweet 16 or Elite 8.

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 11:19 AM. Reason : .]

2/27/2015 11:18:50 AM

It's been a very long time since a team has gone undefeated in the regular and post season.

2/27/2015 11:20:35 AM

I think UVA is more likely to win it all

2/27/2015 11:24:44 AM

Quote :

"are we one of the most likely CAPABLE (not probable) teams to beat Kentucky?"

please calm that BOAST BOAST BOAST

2/27/2015 12:06:54 PM

This is the best part though. BOAST BOAST BOAST is better than BLAME BLAME BLAME.

2/27/2015 12:19:17 PM

kentucky? y'all niggas trollin'

2/27/2015 12:23:32 PM

Yeah, we'd have a chance, but I'd bet that Kentucky would destroy us.

Virginia or Gonzaga, on the other hand....

2/27/2015 12:25:41 PM

I'd be more worried about a potential rematch with Wofford

2/27/2015 12:26:13 PM

I don't think we'd get destroyed by Kentucky. They've had some tough games this year. And hey, they gotta guard us too, pal!

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 12:36 PM. Reason : goddammit I just need to quit]

2/27/2015 12:36:07 PM

We'll beat Kentucky to make the Sweet 16, then get blown out by Harvard or Tulsa or somebody shitty

2/27/2015 12:46:06 PM

Kentucky is good, full of talent, etc, but in all honestly if they were playing in the ACC they would not be undefeated. They're a good defensive team and like us they tend to play down to their opponent level that's why they went OT with Ole Miss and double OT with Texas A & M. Look at our two common opponents in UNChoke and Lousyville, we beat both opponents by roughly the same points, and Kentucky strength in schedule is not impressive, its currently 48 while Virginia is currently at #20 and has just one lost. In my opinion, being undefeated doesn't matter if you don't play tough competition, I think Virginia's resume is way more impressive at this point even with the lost.

2/27/2015 12:49:07 PM

True. And it's not like Virginia lost to an unranked nobody, they lost to Duke.

2/27/2015 12:51:17 PM

if we play more UVA-esque 'keep the score low and run out every shot clock' offense + shooting the ball well, then we can def beat Kentucky. Of course, they will have to make some mistakes and have droughts like UNC did on Tuesday... We still only pull that off 1 in 10 (or worse) times...

2/27/2015 12:53:33 PM

I mean...we're a very well rounded team.

- We've got depth in the front and back court.

- We've got shooters in Turner and Lacey (with guys who can hit wide open shots in Barber and the Martins)

- We've got a solid primary ball handler (Barber) and a great back-up (Lacey)

- We've got good penetrator/iso guys in Lacey and Barber

- We've got size and good post defenders. Excellent blocker in Anya and two strong and athletic guys in Freeman and Anya. Washington has flaws, but he has good length and has his blocks as well.

- We have few defensive shortcomings (Turner might be our worst defender, and he's really not that bad. We have no Scott Wood's and Tyler Lewis')

- We've got upperclassmen experience

With that being said...we don't have any Okafors or Kentucky's front line. We don't have Wisconsin's or Virginia's defense. And it's the tournament...so we can get cold and other teams can get hot. We'd also have to get hot to beat some of the top teams. But the bottom line that we don't have any glaring weaknesses. We are above average across the board. About the only thing we don't have is a good low-post scorer...but those are few and far between in college basketball to begin with.

I definitely just jinxed us.

2/27/2015 12:53:45 PM

Am i'm the only one who think Calipari looks like Gottfried? They both have that Italian look and they are also both good recruiters.

2/27/2015 12:55:04 PM

Personally, I think Kentucky's most dangerous game will be when they play the winner of the 8/9 game

I think they've been sleepwalking through the entire season & will be trying to turn it on when the tourney starts. But their tourney will start against a cupcake 16 seed, meaning that they'll be tuning out 10 minutes into that one again. If they face a disciplined team that isn't overwhelmed by their size in the 2nd round, then that's when I think they'd be most vulnerable. I do not think that we're a great matchup with Kentucky & would need them to have a bad shooting night to go along with Turner & Lacey having great nights

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 12:57 PM. Reason : spelling]

2/27/2015 12:56:52 PM

Doubting the team against UNC, UL, and Duke has worked in the past, so I'm going to continue to doubt them and say that UK will pull a Cosby on them

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 1:03 PM. Reason : Wrong team]

2/27/2015 1:02:50 PM

^^^ lol, you're onto something there. That 'slick-back polish' comes from spending time in major media organizations between coaching stints. Other than than, I see an italian looking guy and a german looking guy.

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 1:03 PM. Reason : carrots]

2/27/2015 1:03:13 PM

i'm pretty sure those calipari comparisons have been made since gottfried was hired

2/27/2015 1:07:14 PM

Quote :

"Turner might be is our worst defender, by far, and he's really not that REALLY bad."

ftfy

2/27/2015 1:34:29 PM

Thanks for the clarification and for continuing to shit on one of our better offensive players.

2/27/2015 1:41:53 PM

Who said anything about offense? I swear it's like some of you guys don't even watch the games. Or when you do, what are you looking at?

2/27/2015 1:45:27 PM

I watch the games, and I realize he's a pretty bad defender at times, and I didn't say otherwise.
I swear, it's like some of you don't understand reading comprehension
I just call people out sometimes for unnecessarily shitting on players on our team (it's understood that he's not a good defender).

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 1:59 PM. Reason : ]

2/27/2015 1:58:56 PM

I think it's fairly obvious that our players have different strengths. I'd much rather have Anya around the basket defending than shooting 3's, and I'd rather have Turner on offense than Anya. That said, both could stand to improve their games, and that's all I ask.

2/27/2015 2:03:58 PM

Y'all mother fuckers must have forgot what it looked like to watch Tyler Lewis and Scott Wood get blown by on every play. At least Wood had the length to get some solid blocks from behind...which he had a ton of opportunities for.

Turner has good size and decent athleticism. He's not the most fundamentally sound defender, but he's not horrible either. He just looks worse compared to the rest of our perimeter defenders...who are awesome.

2/27/2015 2:06:41 PM

Oh, great we get the sermon about "shitting on players" again

Prove me wrong, Ralston. Prove me wrong.

2/27/2015 2:53:09 PM

Gott and Cal sound the same too.

2/27/2015 3:29:13 PM

I just want to say that if TJ had stuck around, we would be serious title contenders this year. Don't get me wrong, I know it's all about the benjamins, but leaving early for the draft at the 14th spot, and playing in a third of the Suns games averaging 10 minutes and 4 points compared to being two-time ACC POY, going deep in the NCAA's, having a college diploma, and going top-7 in the draft seems to me like he made the wrong choice. Yes there could have been injuries, but whatever. This hasn't been debated in a while and all this beating Kentucky talk gott me thinking.

2/27/2015 3:44:38 PM

No one is beating Kentucky. If they lose it's because they beat themselves with stupid shots and turnovers or just come out slow. It won't be because of the other team's efforts.

With UVA on the other hand, we really can compete.

2/27/2015 3:55:17 PM

Lacey's production would certainly be lower. Would Cat be aggressive on offense or would he just dish it to TJ and stand around watching? If Turner or Abu got hot one game, would we keep going to them? If this was College Hoops 2K15 or something you'd definitely be right though.

Quote :

"No one is beating Kentucky. If they lose it's because they beat themselves with stupid shots and turnovers or just come out slow."

lol

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 3:55 PM. Reason : .]

2/27/2015 3:55:20 PM

Kentucky didn't look so great in their last game. They certainly aren't unsinkable.

2/27/2015 3:56:29 PM

But they still find a way to win. Sure we play to our opponents level, but more often than not we end up on the wrong side of the score. I can see us keeping it close, but not beating them unless they had a pretty bad day.

2/27/2015 3:58:23 PM

^^^^ they barely beat LSU while shooting ~45% and committing 8 turnovers. I don't think we would/will beat them, but they aren't completely invincible.

just because they've found a way to win so far doesn't mean they always will (see also: 2014 FSU football)

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 3:59 PM. Reason : ]

2/27/2015 3:58:50 PM

^I'd look at it as Kentucky only shot .456 from the field. .02 worse than their opponent, AND STILL WON.

And we're not Oregon.

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 4:01 PM. Reason : -]

2/27/2015 4:00:47 PM

We are the kind of team that can punk seemingly better opponents. We can be the this season's UConn. Brilliant guard play. Underrated coach. We can beat Kentucky 6 times out of 10.



LOL, the delusions of grandeur we have.

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 4:04 PM. Reason : ]

2/27/2015 4:03:57 PM

2 weeks ago most of you didn't think we were good enough to be an NIT team.

I did and still think we're a solid tournament team that could make the Sweet 16 if we get the right matchup. And Kentucky certainly isn't it.

2/27/2015 4:06:02 PM

Wow. WVU had a FG percentage like 10% worse than Texas the other night and still won by 7... crown em!

I clearly said that I didn't think we would beat Kentucky if we had the chance, so I don't get why you need to point out we're not equivalent to Oregon football. You said no one is beating Kentucky and there are a lot of teams that aren't NC State that they might have to play.

2/27/2015 4:07:54 PM

2/27/2015 4:09:14 PM

sportstalk is exciting again!

2/27/2015 4:22:05 PM

Quote :

"Oh, great we get the sermon about "shitting on players" again Prove me wrong, Ralston. Prove me wrong."

i just dislike a-holes and have never understood why people use the internet to talk shit about kids on the college team they supposedly support. Especially when those same players bring other positives to the table.... and Ralston isn't going to prove you wrong, he's never going to be a great defender. He may play marginally better on defense, but he is what he is: a decently athletic, long, three-point specialist.

end of sermon, amen.

2/27/2015 4:43:47 PM

TJ + Lacey would be sick but I doubt Cat makes the leap he has these last few games with TJ shouldering more of the load

2/27/2015 4:46:55 PM

Quote :

"want to say that if TJ had stuck around,"

This is a dumb game to play

What if Duke still had Parker and Hood? What if Cuse still had MCW, Ennis and Grant? What if Clemson still had KJ McDaniels? Pitt, Steven Adams; Miami, Larkin.....

Just be happy we had a player enough go early and be lottery and move on

[Edited on February 27, 2015 at 6:25 PM. Reason : A]

2/27/2015 6:20:37 PM

seconded

2/27/2015 6:35:37 PM

Lacey seems pretty committed to Gott, so him + Henderson is a realistic thing to consider. Our backcourt will be elite next year.

2/27/2015 7:55:00 PM

Id love to win out the regular season and 1-2 ACCT games and get on that 7 seed level.

That would be ideal.

2/28/2015 12:37:13 AM

Quote :

"Wow. WVU had a FG percentage like 10% worse than Texas the other night and still won by 7... crown em! I clearly said that I didn't think we would beat Kentucky if we had the chance, so I don't get why you need to point out we're not equivalent to Oregon football. You said no one is beating Kentucky and there are a lot of teams that aren't NC State that they might have to play."

You compared them to FSU football, and pointed out they lost eventually. But they lost to the best offense in the country. Kentucky IS the best offense in the country, so who's supposed to go in and beat them? NC State (or any team) very well could win against Kentucky, but like I was saying, it would be because Kentucky has a bad day and not because the other team performs well.

2/28/2015 2:41:09 AM