Gameday thread

TortElvisII

Heisman
May 7, 2010
51,679
96,916
66
I pity those Spartans in the 2nd half.

I want threes shot but not by power forwards and guys that should be slashing. This is a really really really really big disappointment. Did Oweh just mail it in?
 

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,154
17,133
67
I saw this look in Nashville against Alabama.

We didn’t even come out of the locker room there for the second half.

Maybe we just go ahead and get on the bus now too?
Half the team would leave now and just take the loss. AAU mentality, we have another game later this week. I think we will still make the NCAA, but as a 8-9 seed, nothing to see here. I doubt JQ or Lowe plays rest of the season. SMH
 

Seth_C

All-American
Mar 12, 2017
3,951
6,991
96
Because I DO believe we have the talent, I’m making zero excuses. Pope either fixes the defensive issues or he has to go — period. No waiting for “studs”, no blaming on “injuries”. Confronting the truth and being real.
Yeah, I agree. I’m not saying we have the talent to embarrass people but we absolutely have enough talent, if coached properly, that we should be competitive in every game we play.
 
May 27, 2007
31,028
23,786
113
And u know the alarming thing is we aren't competitive.

Like early season games if u win by a little great if u lose by a little that sucks but not the complete end of the world

It's not even being competitive. We look like a JV team out there. And it's a bit scary that we look this awful with players like Mo and Aberdeen that had a lot of success with their previous teams.
 

Jtf2217

Senior
Apr 20, 2024
283
608
93
My whole winter just got completely fvcted. basketball is the only thing that keeps me from slitting my throat during winter. Might pull for ST Johns just so my wife wont have to wake and see me in the recliner with a slit fvckin throat.
Easy there buddy while it sucks, basketball or any sport is no where near that important in the grand scheme
 
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One2Three

All-Conference
Nov 15, 2025
785
1,840
93
I hate this as a UK fan. I hate this for Pope. He's a nice man and I love his love for the program. I truly wanted this to work, but unless something DRASTICALLY changes he just isn't going to cut it here. IDGAF about OAD recruiting, it's everything else. Other coaches make it work without teams of OAD's and burger boys. This stage is too big for him and he's way too relaxed, period. Too soft. Lineups make no sense. Getting down big against good teams in big games is becoming far too common. Year one and that happens, fine. Year two, not so much. I could even chalk last week up to being early, against a in-state rival that's good, and on their home court. Tonight is inexcusable. You simply can't run a system built on 3's without guys that can make 3's while also giving up a gazillion points.
A nice man can’t coach Kentucky basketball. Never has, never will.
 

Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
44,324
94,222
113
At least Mitch's seat is gonna really start to warm up. Pope and Cal couldn't be further apart in terms of coaching and demeanor and here we are, running into issues. That points to their boss.
Mitch picked the cute little puppy up from the doggy store so that he could train the dog to be his guard dog, instead of bringing home the junkyard dog that's already bit off the hands of three or four Intruders that tried to break into the junkyard.

Mitch basically picked somebody like him to coach this program. Pope is the same guy who told his fans at BYU not to wear shirts when Texas came to play that read, "horns down."

That's a Mitch-type move if I've ever was one.
 

MidseasonTweak

Heisman
Mar 1, 2020
8,100
11,907
113
I feel like an idiot thinking this team could win 9.

We aren't talented, we also look poorly coached. Gutless, soulless garbage product. Last year's team was MILES better even WITH injuries.

A collection of role players and super duds - I'm finally admitting it.

No leader, no fire, no ******* nothing. Enough beautiful soul ********. Coach these damn kids to be even halfway average.

I mean seriously? Our offense is jacking up awful shots. No movement, no intelligence. Our defense is dreadful. Terrible rotations, screened out of everything. I wouldn't bet on us beating anyone good in our non-con. St. John's/Gonzaga are going to break this team lol. Holy ****.

Miserable, miserable product.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
42,404
75,099
113
Because I DO believe we have the talent, I’m making zero excuses. Pope either fixes the defensive issues or he has to go — period. No waiting for “studs”, no blaming on “injuries”. Confronting the truth and being real.
I have not seen much talent to be honest. The talent we have is super flawed in important aspects of the game. Noah can’t guard, JJ is too young and lost, Moreno has potential in about a year or two. Mo D looks regressed, Oweh doesn’t look the same. Our shooters don’t shoot. We have no PG. Our best player is hurt. Everyone else is MEH bench players.
 
Jul 30, 2024
4,032
7,067
113
I have not seen much talent to be honest. The talent we have is super flawed in important aspects of the game. Noah can’t guard, JJ is too young and lost, Moreno has potential in about a year or two. Mo D looks regressed, Oweh doesn’t look the same. Our shooters don’t shoot. We have no PG. Our best player is hurt. Everyone else is MEH bench players.
I’ll bet if we switched rosters, Tom Izzo would be smacking us even worse. That’s ok, we can blame it on not having “studs”, and waste even more time. I don’t want to die before we pass UCLA, but I guess it’s inevitable
 

Kyfan27

Junior
Jan 7, 2023
148
267
63
We have enough talent that's not the problem. I guess the pieces just don't fit and Pope doesn't know what to do. Why couldn't we have taken what we paid two or four players and just gotten Donovan Dent and Lendeborg. I think Pope over thought this roster in the off-season.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,224
59,752
113
This won’t solve Pope’s inefficiencies as a coach and recruiter.

I cant say thats all on Pope. Pro offense, nice guy, I dont know who wouldn't want to play for him to the point that we are whiffing on elite recruits over and over.. This reeks of Mitch's interference and not having all our ducks in a row when it comes to running what is now a professional basketball team.

I mean Hubert Davis is landing recruits we cant.
 
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One2Three

All-Conference
Nov 15, 2025
785
1,840
93
Pope will never get us #9. All National Championship winners can play defense.

I think all the top end coaches had no desire to jump into the pressure cooker of KY basketball. All schools pay millions in salary and why would Oates or Miller come here and live under the microscope of our fan base? Pope is just not our answer to maintain the level of winning that our fans demand. College basketball is much like the stock market, past performance has no bearing on future performance.
I keep hearing this, but it’s simply cope for Mitch Barnhart’s inability or refusal to hire a top coach.

Most likely Barnhart wanted a boy scout, a good Christian man who he could lord over. He wouldn’t get that if he hired someone like Calipari (who he didn’t hire).
 
Jun 30, 2025
293
460
63
I’m just trying to figure out where the expectations came from. The Oklahoma game last season? He was always inconsistent. Now that the pressure is on him to be the star he is absolutely wilting.
He was a good player last year. He wasn't like an All American or anything, but good nonetheless.

Going from good to dreadful is a steep drop.
 

Drogon

Senior
Mar 14, 2017
586
823
93
He played against UL and I didnt see much of a dramatic change. Dude is a sive on defense.

Isn't, wasn't healthy. Obviously has holes in his game. Guards didn't really defend very well that game. Theres no rim protector to erase mistakes. Different team if those guys are healthy and playing. Aberdeen and Chandler aren't guys who can break down their defender and make plays. They are guys who need to have shots setup for them. Bottom line is we won't truly know what we have until they are playing. Hopefully are playing.