I truly believe we would have lost to Duke, Gonzaga, Florida and maybe even the Louisville game. Close tight games like those are the kind of games we lost the last few years.
If Cal was still our Coach, how many losses would we have ?
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100 percent guaranteed losses to Duke and Gonzaga. Would not have prepared or made adjustments in game like Pope did. Never would have seen a zone/man hybrid against the Zags. Would have flat out been out coached in those games.
Fla and Louisville at home are 50/50 whether he would have won. One thing I know for sure.... It would have resulted in final scores of 63-59 or similar style rock fights.
We would have had to watch DJ and Fland run around in that GD weave then throw up a wild prayer with 3 seconds left on the shot clock half the offensive sets.
Hard to say as it would have been a total different team and mindset.
But I say looses to.
1. Duke
2. Gonzaga
4. Ohio St
5. Florida
But I say looses to.
1. Duke
2. Gonzaga
4. Ohio St
5. Florida
We would have missed the tournament.
The question I keep running through my mind is how good would Pope's squad be if Big Z had stayed at Kentucky?
His game is perfect for Pope's system. He's probably be a top 20 pick if he had stayed here. Instead, he'll be back for a third season under Calipari at this rate.
The question I keep running through my mind is how good would Pope's squad be if Big Z had stayed at Kentucky?
His game is perfect for Pope's system. He's probably be a top 20 pick if he had stayed here. Instead, he'll be back for a third season under Calipari at this rate.
5 losses
Duke
Clemson
Gonzaga
Ohio State
Florida
Duke
Clemson
Gonzaga
Ohio State
Florida
At least 3 more for sure
The two losses we already have plus Duke, Gonzaga, and Florida
We are sitting at 9-5 right now with our best win being at home vs Louisville.
We are sitting at 9-5 right now with our best win being at home vs Louisville.
I agree. He would've found a way to beat UL but lose to every other team with a pulse.
If that were the case, we likely miss the tourney with as difficult as our SEC schedule is. We would've been lucky to be .500 in the SEC, which meant 8 or 9 more losses plus another loss in the SECT. 13 or 14 losses means you're probably on the outside looking in.
Assuming UK has the roster Ark currently has (although I don't know of Aidoo or Brazile come to UK), UK loses to Duke and Gonzaga, but I actually think they beat Clemson and OSU. Have no idea about UF, probably a loss if UF is able to play in the same manner they did on Sat.
At the least 4 more losses if not more. If Oakland can beat a Cal coached team then any school has a chance. One thing is certain: Pope can coach circles around Cal and he has assistants that actually can coach too.
Honestly wouldn’t mind if Z’s brother hit the portal and decided to come here and Z followed him next year. Z’s brother is actually the better of the two.
I don't see Cal winning @ Clemson either.
Give me Thiero out of the guys that left. That guy is a monster right now.
We’d be 9-5 or 8-6. Assuming Arky’s current roster being here, possibly even 7-7 and destined for a sub 500 SEC record. Probably a missed tourney.
The roster Cal had set to play this year, was probably going to he the weakest roster he had at UK.
Keep in mind, he had Quaintance signed and that guy wasn't going to do squat this year, but he would have taken a spot that a better player would have filled.
Would he have landed Brazille and Aidoo? Doubt it.
He'd probably still get Davis.
But, as always, there were injuries and I still don't think Johnell Davis is right.
I'm going to say 4 losses, I think he would have found a way to beat Florida. He was always good for pulling a rabbit out of his hat just when you think he can't win. But then he'd lose the next game.
Keep in mind, he had Quaintance signed and that guy wasn't going to do squat this year, but he would have taken a spot that a better player would have filled.
Would he have landed Brazille and Aidoo? Doubt it.
He'd probably still get Davis.
But, as always, there were injuries and I still don't think Johnell Davis is right.
I'm going to say 4 losses, I think he would have found a way to beat Florida. He was always good for pulling a rabbit out of his hat just when you think he can't win. But then he'd lose the next game.
Exactly...imagine Ark only without Thierro and forcefeeding JQ. Bottom 4 of the SEC.
I think that out of those 5 he'd have lucked into an Alabama '24 type game and won one of them, most likely Clemson.
I'm kinda torn..between Biz Z staying or not. On one hand he probably would have been good with Pope's system. On the other hand, I'm kinda glad Pooe got all new players that he wanted.
Honestly, I think we would have beaten Puke, Clemson, and possibly OSU.
Definitely losses to Zags (lack of pick & roll D--Ike scores 40) and Gators (lack of D on hot shooter--Clayton scores 50).
But...I watched some of the Arky-UT game and saw shot after shot after shot by Fland, and DJ getting beaten for a layup on a UT in-bounds play.
So maybe 5 losses.
Definitely losses to Zags (lack of pick & roll D--Ike scores 40) and Gators (lack of D on hot shooter--Clayton scores 50).
But...I watched some of the Arky-UT game and saw shot after shot after shot by Fland, and DJ getting beaten for a layup on a UT in-bounds play.
So maybe 5 losses.
All I know is that my love and interest for Kentucky basketball was getting close to being dangerously low under Cal. Feels like so much more positivity, energy, and momentum with Pope. Feels like Kentucky basketball again. Wins and losses just seem back to normal. In-game struggles don't seem insurmountable anymore. Feels like a team, a program again.
To answer the question, I honestly don't know if I'd care how many loses we had under Cal right now.
To answer the question, I honestly don't know if I'd care how many loses we had under Cal right now.
Florida beat UK in Rupp last year and that UK team had 2 lottery picks.
Gonzaga was 2-0 against Cal, one of those was in Lexington.
Duke owned Cal in the CC since the 11/2015 game.
Ohio State was 2-0 against Cal/UK in that 4 team event.
The thought of Cal beating Clemson in his first true road game of the season with the roster he would have had, gives me nightmares. I just don't see it.
Heck, given the recent losses to mid majors in Rupp, it's not far fetched to think WKU, or Lipscomb wouldn't get him.
He would have been a nice addition but probably at the cost of Williams or Garrison. I think it is possible/likely that Pope wanted a clean slate when it came to Cal players.
Makes you wonder just how that conversation went. Do you think CMP tried to put the hard sell on Big Z?
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Pope met with Z and tried to get him to stay.
I would take Z over Garrison. Z is a great passer and shooter. Run the offense through him and you suddenly gave great shooters at all five positions.
Maybe we can get him in the portal this spring. Stranger things have happened.
I'll be shocked if Z is ever a fist rounder. He doesn't have an athletic bone in his body.
He would do fine in popes system because pope is a great coach. But garrison is more valuable to this team than Z would have been. We don't need any more people hitting 3's, we need a guy who can grab a rebound.
That introduction of Pope at Rupp is something that I'll never forget. One of the greatest things I've ever witnessed, sports or not. And then to see a replay of it and things that I missed because hubby and I were so high up in the stadium. I remember going out to eat afterwards, and the vibe was just so completely different. It was clear to all that we were back to Kentucky basketball.
He'd have stepped away by now. That's how many, and that's how abd it would have gotten.
Unless he had his elite recruits.. but with this team, he'd have 5 losses by now and we'd be looking at missing the tournament.
Unless he had his elite recruits.. but with this team, he'd have 5 losses by now and we'd be looking at missing the tournament.
4-6 losses.
Duke
*Clemson (Could go either way)
Gonzaga
*Louisville (They wanted it bad, but Pope and the new team wanted it more. I doubt we would've had the fire if Cal was still here)
Ohio State (UK loves losing to Ohio State, I doubt the outcome changes here too)
Florida
The asterisked ones could go either way, but the other ones were definite losses under Cal.
Duke
*Clemson (Could go either way)
Gonzaga
*Louisville (They wanted it bad, but Pope and the new team wanted it more. I doubt we would've had the fire if Cal was still here)
Ohio State (UK loves losing to Ohio State, I doubt the outcome changes here too)
Florida
The asterisked ones could go either way, but the other ones were definite losses under Cal.
And Clemson. And maybe one other "WTF" loss in early December.
But yes, no way Cal would have pulled of Duke, FL or Gonzaga.
With the same roster it would be a 9-16 type season with Cal coaching.
Another twist on the question is what would Cal's record be with our current roster? We would have had at least 4-5 losses because Cal wouldn't have a clue how to install an offense as effective as Pope's.
This is what is see right here too maybe add Louisville to the list!
I think this would be our roster:
G Fland/Perry
G Wagner/Richmond
G Knox/Burks
F Thiero/Ivisic
F Quaintance/Cyril
Cal wouldn’t have gotten anyone of consequence in the portal with the Freshmen he had signed being promised most of the minutes.
6 Freshmen, 3 Sophomores, and a Junior.
Losses to Duke, Clemson, Gonzaga, Ohio St., and UF.
9-5, 0-1.
“We’re young. Blah, blah, blah.”
G Fland/Perry
G Wagner/Richmond
G Knox/Burks
F Thiero/Ivisic
F Quaintance/Cyril
Cal wouldn’t have gotten anyone of consequence in the portal with the Freshmen he had signed being promised most of the minutes.
6 Freshmen, 3 Sophomores, and a Junior.
Losses to Duke, Clemson, Gonzaga, Ohio St., and UF.
9-5, 0-1.
“We’re young. Blah, blah, blah.”