I think Cal will push it v UCLA

[KWilt43atbuzz]

the Bruins 77th rated defense lends itself to running against them, if you have the horses and Kentucky does.

Guys like Leaf and Welsh will be lumbering up and down the court as Monk, Fox, Bam, Willis and Briscoe skate up and down the floor.

Cal is going to step on the gas v UCLA and run them silly.

 

[BBUK_anon]

Okay

 

[HexxenHammer]

As long as Cal doesn't take the air out of the ball and try to kill the clock late in the game, that could make for an interesting game.

Would be fun to see an epic barn burner like the 2012 Sweet 16 game vs Indiana.

 

[fisherscat]

On his radio show he said as much. Talked about the need to score at a decent clip to win most games in the tourney. They can play slower if they have to, but if they reach their average for rhe season you need to play pretty good D and that should be enough.

 

[TheApex]

Leaf didn't have any trouble getting up and down the first time, so not sure I agree with him lumbering up and down the floor. We just need to get stops, something that was far and few between last time.

 

[kyjeff1]

No, I don't believe UK will do much of that. I mean, the cats will take the opportunity if it's there, but our half court offense has become pretty efficient against good/great defenses.

UCLA has a subpar defense and Cal will challenge it in the half court.

Trying to wear out young guys is just not going to happen. They are all in great shape, but also, there are a ton of commercial breaks and time outs.

The best way to get those guys out of the game is foul trouble, and they are going to pick up some fouls trying to keep Fox, Monk, Bam and Briscoe out of the lane.

 

[cookscats]

I believe grinding it out at times and seeing if we can get UCLA in some foul trouble. In the last game the transition defense was not good.

 

[ORCAT]

I'm thinking Cal will try slowing down the pace this time against UCLA. That's playing into their strong suit and we've haven't really been playing at break neck speed for sometime now. Our defense has gotten so much better that it might be to our advantage to attempt to force UCLA to play halfcourt instead of just running up and down the whole game. Find out soon enough.

 

[UKDC80]

I believe grinding it out at times and seeing if we can get UCLA in some foul trouble. In the last game the transition defense was not good.

Yep. Monk/Fox need to drive at their bigs and get them in foul trouble if possible. May be a tall order because the refs are not calling a lot of fouls in this tourney. As seen last game when Fox was not getting any calls while attacking.

 

[Burly]

Not a good idea... UCLA has better players...make them grind

 

[Aike]

If we have a runout, we take it.

If not, we make them guard. Best way to get into their legs is to make them work on the defensive end.

The recognition and decision making of our backcourt will be key.

 

[UKGrad93]

Seems like it would be easier to slow down UCLA. Slowing them down could cause them to tighten up.

 

[KA4Prez_rivals78700]

You run when you can, but the game will be decided by the refs and half court execution. UK isn't winning if they just play the who can score more game.

 

[Bkocats]

Seems like it would be easier to slow down UCLA. Slowing them down could cause them to tighten up.

agreed
They're probably going to expect us to run, like the first time. Fox did a pretty decent job on Ball, before - allowed him 14 points, but forced 6 turnovers. And, Fox is a better defender now than he was then. I'm actually not as worried about Ball as I am Leaf and Alford (and Welsh, for that matter)

 

[Bluesnky]

We will probe for high percentage opportunities in transition and if it isn't there, pull it out and run the half court offense. I don't think UCLA can play 30 seconds of solid defense so something high percentage should be there either way.

Fox and Monk will be attacking the basket HARD when they do so. None of this double clutch scared of contact BS from the first game.

 

[Aike]

One of the main mistakes we have made much of the year has been starting the other team's fast break by missing long jumpers.

These are usually early shot clock, and often without proper ball movement.

Briscoe is probably the worst about this, but Fox and Monk are guilty as well.

You can't do this vs. UCLA. When in doubt, make an extra pass.

 

[UKDC80]

I know it's probably been said but, a major key, is you cannot let Alford get anything from the 3 point line. Giving up 15-20 points to him is devastating, to say the least. We need Dom to shut him down completely.

 

[Aike]

I know it's probably been said but, a major key, and maybe an overlooked one at that, is you cannot let Alford get anything from the 3 point line. Giving up 15-20 points to him is devastating, to say the least. We need Dom to shut him down completely.

Yeah, defensively it's as simple as knocking them off the three point line, and securing rebounds/50-50 balls.

Simple, but can we execute?

The other part of that is slowing their transition, and that starts with how we run our offense. Make them guard and get good shots, and their transition opportunities minimize.

 

[Dablueman]

I'm thinking Cal will try slowing down the pace this time against UCLA. That's playing into their strong suit and we've haven't really been playing at break neck speed for sometime now. Our defense has gotten so much better that it might be to our advantage to attempt to force UCLA to play halfcourt instead of just running up and down the whole game. Find out soon enough.

This may be Cal's best coaching job. He took a team that ran offense at the pace of an NBA all star game and made them into a deadly offensive half court team. I love when teams zone this tream now. Briscoe at the freethrow line and it's either 3 for Willis or oop for bam or Briscoe baseline drive either layup or wide open 3 from the corner. Cal has the unique ability with this team to attack what they give him and do it well. By running like crazy early he forced teams to change their defensive strategy and that forced him to teach our offense how to attack any defense. If UCLA crashes the boards and doesn't do like everyone else and have the whole team turn and Sprint back on D Cal will run their wheels off except now we can play defense, have our whole team, and rebound. That kinda game could get ugly for UCLA

nope look for Alford to be the one to slow it down probably play zone or try some stupid gimmick d. The reasons the games were close in league play is teams slowed us down but most sec teams play good d. Even Mike Anderson slowed the game down. I look for Alford to slow the game down and hope they are shooting well. Only thing is I don't think his bigs play a bit of d and two of them are sticks. SEC bigs even the young ones look like linebackers. So he doesn't have any one to guard Bam so he will have to zone and hope we don't shoot well

 

[Bkocats]

how effective do you all think the press would be?
I'm on the fence - they can throw over it, if need be, but if we can trap them in the corner...?

 

[kyjeff1]

how effective do you all think the press would be?
I'm on the fence - they can throw over it, if need be, but if we can trap them in the corner...?

I don't think pressing UCLA would end well for us, their guards are too good.
This UCLA team would shred West Virginia with the style they play.

 

[Dablueman]

how effective do you all think the press would be?
I'm on the fence - they can throw over it, if need be, but if we can trap them in the corner...?

I really really like this idea. Ball is not the ball handler he is given credit for. Fox in the first game pressured him full court at the beginning of the game. It frustrated Ball into a few turnovers and Alford started letting holiday bring it up and then pass it to ball.

 

[weatherbird]

I don't think pressing UCLA would end well for us, their guards are too good.
This UCLA team would shred West Virginia with the style they play.

I disagree a bit with not pressing them. In the first game, when we were aggressive on defense is when we made our runs. when we backed off a bit, that's when they killed us. They are a fantastic passing team, when given the time and space to make good decisions. Taking that time and space away from them could make them make bad decisions, as it did at times in the first game.

 

[Dablueman]

I don't think pressing UCLA would end well for us, their guards are too good.
This UCLA team would shred West Virginia with the style they play.

I disagree. They shoot well but are not exceptional ball handlers it's the bigs he can throw it to at half court that bother me as both are capable of taking a few dribbles and hit a three. In the first game Fox pressured ball into some mistakes and Alford is a push off machine and hawk is the best I have seen at drawing that call. I would give a look and see if it rattled then then back it off and let our guards pressure their man

 

[Bkocats]

I don't think pressing UCLA would end well for us, their guards are too good.
This UCLA team would shred West Virginia with the style they play.

couldn't hurt to ask, right?

I think it might work in spot situations, but not the whole game

 

[ganner918_rivals60369]

I believe grinding it out at times and seeing if we can get UCLA in some foul trouble. In the last game the transition defense was not good.

Yeah, we're good at scoring in transition but if the other team is as well, we're not very good at getting back to stop them. Our half court D is better than our transition D.

 

[kydmb99_rivals103809]

I'm glad you're not the coach. That's a terrible gameplan for UCLA.

 

[Dablueman]

Yeah, we're good at scoring in transition but if the other team is as well, we're not very good at getting back to stop them. Our half court D is better than our transition D.

I think our half court def has become exceptional but I don't think our transition d is bad it's much improved and with athletes we erase Ally oops and layups alot of teams can't. Arkansas and WSU tried to run Marshall kept trying to get his team to speed up but they couldn't.

 

[Dablueman]

I'm glad you're not the coach. That's a terrible gameplan for UCLA.

Wow based on? Pressing has nothing to do with a team being good shooting it has to do with how well they handle the ball. We forced 18 turn overs the first game and Fox gave ball fits pressuring him full court so maybe it's you we should be glad isn't coaching. If ur gonna insult a poster best make sure you back up ur reason especially a poster that everyone on here respects

 

[CatsPaws270]

I mean last time we were pushing with out much issue. If Bam finishes a few dunks and we block better, we would've beaten them in December. I think now we are rebounding and finishing much better, a way bigger low post presence than in December. Fox is healthy and UCLA's bad D is ripe for a breakout game from Monk.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

I disagree. They shoot well but are not exceptional ball handlers it's the bigs he can throw it to at half court that bother me as both are capable of taking a few dribbles and hit a three. In the first game Fox pressured ball into some mistakes and Alford is a push off machine and hawk is the best I have seen at drawing that call. I would give a look and see if it rattled then then back it off and let our guards pressure their man

Their guards are pretty solid at about 2.5/1 in ast/to margin. Pressing will also speed the pace of the game when I think Cal is going to want to make UCLA prove it against our better D. I do imagine we'll see some press just to keep them off balance but I don't believe Cal will or should depend on it throughout the game.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Leaf runs the floor very well actually

 

[ganner918_rivals60369]

I think our half court def has become exceptional but I don't think our transition d is bad it's much improved and with athletes we erase Ally oops and layups alot of teams can't. Arkansas and WSU tried to run Marshall kept trying to get his team to speed up but they couldn't.

One thing I notice is that Fox goes to the rim so hard in transition that he flies several feet past the end line and if the other team is grabbing the ball right out of the net and inbounding, he's now behind their fast break.

 

[kydmb99_rivals103809]

Wow based on? Pressing has nothing to do with a team being good shooting it has to do with how well they handle the ball. We forced 18 turn overs the first game and Fox gave ball fits pressuring him full court so maybe it's you we should be glad isn't coaching. If ur gonna insult a poster best make sure you back up ur reason especially a poster that everyone on here respects

So we ran, forced turnovers, got into an uptempo game with them last time... and we lost. Let's do that again!

We need to slow it down, stick to their shooters and force them to beat us by driving to the basketball. We're asking for diasaster if we try to try go uptempo with them. We're good at it but they're better.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

They need to turn over an older Leaf .

 

[TheOtherGreatOne]

If you don't run, run, and run some more you are taking away the biggest advantage we have and that is the speed of Fox. When you have his speed in your arsenal and you don't use it you are loosing the biggest advantage you have. Chase them off the 3 point line make them shoot 2's and don't give Welch those wide open 12 to 15 foot jumpers and we win, simple as that.

 

[Dablueman]

Their guards are pretty solid at about 2.5/1 in ast/to margin. Pressing will also speed the pace of the game when I think Cal is going to want to make UCLA prove it against our better D. I do imagine we'll see some press just to keep them off balance but I don't believe Cal will or should depend on it throughout the game.

No and I agree with you one hundred percent and i agree situational use. I do think Ball can be weak with the ball and that is why in the first game cal had Fox hound him into some early mistakes.

 

[StubbornPenny]

Cal said it himself: "DRIVE THE F***ING BALL!!!"

Fox, Monk, and Briscoe should attack the rim relentlessly and draw fouls. Bam should post and draw fouls. Couple that with forcing turnovers and we'll have the advantage.

 

[Dablueman]

So we ran, forced turnovers, got into an uptempo game with them last time... and we lost. Let's do that again!

We need to slow it down, stick to their shooters and force them to beat us by driving to the basketball. We're asking for diasaster if we try to try go uptempo with them. We're good at it but they're better.

Running isn't why we lost we put up 93 points on bad shooting and only lost by 5 we had bad shot selection and rushed our offense and we at the time could not guard the pic and roll or rebound we were young. If we just shoot our current averages the first game we win, Fox didn't get in foul trouble we prob win if Mulder played and Willis shot anywhere close to his percentage we win that first game going away. Pressuring UCLA isnt bad strategy doing it incorrectly is why we lost. Being out of position other mistakes.

 

[preacher_tom]

Let's just let Cal do it his way.