Fundamentals have killed us

[MbergCat]

I honestly think you’re a very good poster. This doesn’t change that. I just think it’s a weak thing to say with no merit and wanted to see it backed up with some valid points. Pope has done everything he can with the hand he’s been dealt, so I just truly don’t understand what more HE could do.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

He's been amazing this year. I just wish he was more of a disciplinarian. He seems to be more of a buddy to the players than a coach sometimes. He's the polar opposite of Cal. I think there's a solid middle ground there. When you've got kids trying to do too much, you've gotta shut it down.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

Anyone can do as they please, but it has to make sense. He had to play Garrison. Williams was battling and needed rest. Carr is broke down (see what I did there). Despite us playing without anything remotely similar to a pg, he’s done a fantastic job and has made remarkable adjustments to keep games close and win some huge one.

What would you do differently?

The correct answer was to let Garrison have Carr's minutes at the 4. I know Carr has been banged up, but he has been putrid in almost every game he's played in the last month. Garrison even has a better 3-point percentage than Carr.

 

[PoBilly]

I am not offended by any blame on the coach. Not sure if anyone could have pulled that game off with the team they had to fill out tonight. Not one guy beside the starting center can really run the offense. Perry not a PG. Noah or Brea not able to facilitate their own shots, they have to come in the offense. I would say Texas also played into our hands as well. They should have pressured our guards all night and let Williams go for 25 pts. Kept everyone else shut down. That would have been they way to play UK tonight. Again did not watch but read comments on here. I have not watched an SEC game in full this year. Just cannot do it. I do come here or hear from my brother how we are doing. Hopefully we get Robinson back soon and Butler can figure out how to play through a ton of pain to help out. If not we will see many more games like this over the next 3 weeks. Auburn (if no Butler and Robinson) will win by 30 in Rupp. Alabama will win by 20 at Bama. The other games will be toss ups. GO BIG BLUE!

 

[TTTblue24]

Gotta do the little things to win road games and win without your leader, we did neither tonight and made some real dumb plays & careless turnovers……again. Why does Carr & brea keep getting time when they gave us nothing, Carr did a little but still it’s painful to watch. Rather see Noah get Breas mins especially if it’s air ball 3s and we’ve got to stop these back door passes from Williams and garrison, a turnover almost every time.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

Perry isn't a pg? What do you people not understand? I'm not anti Pope, I think he's done a great job this year. I just think he dropped the ball tonight. It's amazing how many people are so offended by that.

Perry was a SG in high school. what part of watching him makes you think he is a PG ? There is a reason why Robinson was playing PG with Butler out. Im sorry but you just dont seem to have the ability to be reasonable. falling apart at the end of games is something teams with no pg or freshmen pg's tend to do and why teams with experienced pg's tend to make the right plays down the stretch. If you havent noticed that about the game of college basketball then step back from the computer, go think about it and cool off then go to sleep

 

[Anon1658882690]

Shh, you'll get crucified like I did for daring to question Pope.

My only gripe with him is him teaching defense.. Got zero complaints about his offense but he's gonna have to get rid of one of his assistants and hire a really good defensive coach.. Really don't know what any of his assistants do beside maybe recruit?

 

[WhiskeyCityCat]

Cry some more.

No…you

 

[MbergCat]

No…you

Nope, lol

 

[Burly]

I have several gripes - defensive rotations we give very little to zero help - our bigs after getting rebounds not throwing the ball to a guard or wing immediately they hold and hope they can bring it up them selves.

Blocking out on free throws lazy effort

Throwing the ball inbounds lots of times Willians acts like the ball is 400lb just rolls it at our guards feet

The hero passes from Garrison & Williams just make fundamental passes

Just frustrating because little things help win games like tonight

We are not a attention to detail team

 

[anon1751545683]

If we had been out played the whole game while playing with great effort and just came up short then the injury thing would hold weight.

But that’s not what happened.

We let an inferior team hang around all night because of sloppy play and then just gave it away in the last 4 minutes.

That’s not because of injuries.

Just have half as many dumb plays and we win easy.

 

[TTTblue24]

I can’t believe they finished the game on a 14-1 run until the last shot by OO when the game was decided, we did make some real stupid mistakes like the foul on the 3. These are D1 players and yeah some are better than others but our choke job at the end is shocking at best, our defensive rotation and lack there of has been alarming all season. We always let someone “go off” and last night we let 2 have season highs, they scored 58 of their points and we never once ran a double team to make someone else beat us.

 

[englishmajor]

Over the shoulder one handed passes by centers needs to be reigned in. I don't care if the PG is out or not.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

I've not questioned Pope one time this year.. But his strategy for this game was questionable.. Mainly where the **** was Noah at the end?

50/50 balls killed us all season till noah started getting clock. Hes on the bench and suddenly we cant come up with any and give away the game. Frustrating.

 

[fisherscatfan_rivals101526]

Yea, lane violations, missed free throws, not blocking out for rebounds, that will get you beat on the road for sure.

Neither one was a lane violation. Both times the ball hit the rim before Williams or Oweh crossed.

 

[megablue]

F#%$#@ing pitiful!!! Couldn't even execute a foul the last minute!

I have to agree with this. When the decision is made that best chance for winning depends on putting them on the line and pressuring them to make free throws, the execution for doing so was glaringly absent. Late game situations like this should be preached, understood and PRACTICED, so that execution occurs !! To my view, this is grade-school stuff. Not sure who's at fault, coaches or players, but the failure to promptly execute was glaring. Hopefully, they will learn from this ... they must.
GO CATS !!

 

[oldsports_]

Basic passes and of course not blocking out on the ft line, injuries or not this is unacceptable. If you’re a D1 player, these type mistakes can’t happen. If we lose this game, this would be a terrible loss regardless of injuries. We’ve had control of this game on several occasions & made some real stupid plays.

Not one single post from you after the Tennessee game regarding Pope or the team.
Get lost troll.

 

[fisherscatfan_rivals101526]

I have several gripes - defensive rotations we give very little to zero help - our bigs after getting rebounds not throwing the ball to a guard or wing immediately they hold and hope they can bring it up them selves.

Blocking out on free throws lazy effort

Throwing the ball inbounds lots of times Willians acts like the ball is 400lb just rolls it at our guards feet

The hero passes from Garrison & Williams just make fundamental passes

Just frustrating because little things help win games like tonight

We are not a attention to detail team

There are some issues that stand out. Amari was playing a great game until the last several minutes. Amari absolutely will not block out at the free throw lane. Watch the last several sets of FTs Texas took. He walks forward into the restricted arc like he’s just going to catch the ball out of the net. Assumes the free throw will be made with his hands way down.

The passing by the team can be so frustrating. Almost everyone at some point will just flip the ball lazily or hit their teammate below the waist.

If I were a guard and Amari threw me in bounds pass that made me pick it up off the floor it would piss me off. He does it a lot.

On offense our guys rarely run tight off of a screen.

For Pope to be such a numbers guy who gets deep into the weeds on certain aspects, his team sure seems to accept several things that could be cleaned up.

UK was in that game and could have easily won it despite all of the adversity but that is when 1-2 possessions can make the difference in stealing a win and getting a loss. With this many guys down, UK cannot afford to have frequent fundamental breakdowns. Shots are going to be missed. Guys are going to get taken off the bounce but damn block out on FTs.

 

[WallMash]

Shh, you'll get crucified like I did for daring to question Pope.

Noah was missing a layup and then getting the ball stolen in crunch time. Played like a Morehead freshman.

 

[megablue]

There are some issues that stand out. Amari was playing a great game until the last several minutes. Amari absolutely will not block out at the free throw lane. Watch the last several sets of FTs Texas took. He walks forward into the restricted arc like he’s just going to catch the ball out of the net. Assumes the free throw will be made with his hands way down.

The passing by the team can be so frustrating. Almost everyone at some point will just flip the ball lazily or hit their teammate below the waist.

If I were a guard and Amari threw me in bounds pass that made me pick it up off the floor it would piss me off. He does it a lot.

On offense our guys rarely run tight off of a screen.

For Pope to be such a numbers guy who gets deep into the weeds on certain aspects, his team sure seems to accept several things that could be cleaned up.

UK was in that game and could have easily won it despite all of the adversity but that is when 1-2 possessions can make the difference in stealing a win and getting a loss. With this many guys down, UK cannot afford to have frequent fundamental breakdowns. Shots are going to be missed. Guys are going to get taken off the bounce but damn block out on FTs.

"On offense our guys rarely run tight off of a screen."
Yes, I agree with you and see the same thing. We need to scrape off quality screens. Rarely, do I see us do this, if ever.
This can be cleaned up with emphasis in practice ... and should be.
GO CATS !!

 

[NociHTTP]

For a team without a superstar etc, you’d think we would be the most fundamentally sound team in the country but we are probably the worst.

That is what upsets me the most. I suppose I and others here set ourselves up for disappointment in thinking that because Pope came from Pitino's system, that the players would be fundamentally strong. That the players would kill to be out there on the floor.

 

[NociHTTP]

"On offense our guys rarely run tight off of a screen."
Yes, I agree with you and see the same thing. We need to scrape off quality screens. Rarely, do I see us do this, if ever.
This can be cleaned up with emphasis in practice ... and should be.
GO CATS !!

Yes. Way too many lazy, timid efforts at setting screens or utilizing them. Arkansas of all places set very solid screens.

 

[megablue]

That is what upsets me the most. I suppose I and others here set ourselves up for disappointment in thinking that because Pope came from Pitino's system, that the players would be fundamentally strong. That the players would kill to be out there on the floor.

I think Pope coaches more like he played, not like Pitino coached. Not a criticism, just my observation.

 

[TTTblue24]

Not one single post from you after the Tennessee game regarding Pope or the team.
Get lost troll.

Troll??? Lol, I post here all the time but don’t live on here like you so ead jackass. Pointing out basic fundamentals isn’t trolling, it’s the truth and read the board and listen to the call in post game show will confirm it. I didn’t ask for your opinion so here’s some message board advice, don’t agree with it……scroll on cause no one care what you think in your parents basement.

 

[kywildcats8]

Lmao come on man. Perry is a combo guard and not fit to run an offense as a freshman. He is not a true PG and anyone that watched him in high school knows this. What are we not understanding? You’re not explaining anything. Just empty blame on the coach because Garrison played too much and Pope didn’t make adjustments lol. It’s a lazy take at best.

Agree, Perry is not a PG but many people think he played that in high school- he did not- he can score/shoot well but a PG he is not

 

[UKortho]

Agree, Perry is not a PG but many people think he played that in high school- he did not- he can score/shoot well but a PG he is not

Reddick played point guard until they needed the best ball handler to ice the game- that was Perry.