IMHO The turning point in the game came when

Rainmaker

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May 13, 2015
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Noah unfortunately went down with the ankle injury, Aberdeen moved to the point and Chandler went back to his natural position. The offense opened up and everyone got involved.
Agreed, Pope trying to force Noah as a square peg in a round hole. Love Noah, but he isn’t a starter or major contributor. Don’t shoot the messenger just facts.
 

ZaytovenCat

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Apr 25, 2013
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Noah going out didn’t turn things around. Also we will absolutely need him to have a chance at a title. He might be more comfortable and better served in a sixth man role where he can just be a shooter/energy/rebound guy similar to last year but with a bigger role.
 

IL_Wildcat

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Jul 10, 2025
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Unless Noah is making threes, he really doesn't need to be on the floor very much. I hate to say that because I love the guy. I love that he is 100% Kentucky. He clearly gives great effort. He just lacks quickness and athleticism to defend quick guy or to create space and get good looks. And when he does get a good look, it's been bricks. He seems like a guy who is a 3pt contest star but a gameday dud. I really do hope I'm wrong on that and he proves me wrong.

But to the OP, I agree. I hated to see Noah go down because we've been so snake bit already on this team, like a MASH unit. But, we're just better without him. Aberdeen is a better point than Chandler and Chandler is better at the 2.

Having said all of that, I can't emphasize enough just how much I hope I'm wrong about Noah. I love the guy. He MUST make shots to be on the floor. Maybe when we get Jalend Lowe back and healthy, he will be able to create open looks for Noah. He just struggles creating open looks.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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I dint understand why Noah is starting. Anyone care to enlighten?
We have a team that looks to be challenged from deep. Noah provides the potential of a shot maker (hasn’t worked out so far). Also, he is a player who doesn’t need the ball, which is perfect for a lineup which includes Oweh, Lowe and Garrison. Once he starts to make a few, I think this decision makes perfect sense. Notice that the second unit would kind of have the same type of balance, where Kam Williams would essentially play the same 3&D role for that unit.
 

Possum

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Noah going out didn’t turn things around. Also we will absolutely need him to have a chance at a title. He might be more comfortable and better served in a sixth man role where he can just be a shooter/energy/rebound guy similar to last year but with a bigger role.
Noah’s stat line in 9 minutes
0 pts
0 assists
2 rebs

Take off your blue colored glasses. The game most definitely turned around after he exited. And furthermore, your assessment that we will need him to have a chance at title is laughable. He will not be in the rotation in March.
 
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May 27, 2007
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You must have been watching a different hane than he rest of us. It’s quite simple to figure out. Noah playing, we score 26 points. Noah on the bench, we score 51

Noah’s stat line in 9 minutes
0 pts
0 assists
2 rebs

Take off your blue colored glasses. The game most definitely turned around after he exited. And furthermore, your assessment that we will need him to have a chance at title is laughable. He will not be in the rotation in March.

I'm not going to debate whether or not we are better off with Noah than without but correleation doesn't equal causation.

There's many reasons why we did better when he went out, the majority of them not having anything to do with Noah whatsoever.

Again not to say we are better/not better without Noah, just pointing out you can't look at this and say well player A is in we do this and when player A is out we do this and conclude it's entirely that guys fault. Noah could have played the entire 2nd half and we could have still won by the same exact margin we did.
 
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Possum

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I'm not going to debate whether or not we are better off with Noah than without but correleation doesn't equal causation.

There's many reasons why we did better when he went out, the majority of them not having anything to do with Noah whatsoever.

Again not to say we are better/not better without Noah, just pointing out you can't look at this and say well player A is in we do this and when player A is out we do this and conclude it's entirely that guys fault. Noah could have played the entire 2nd half and we could have still won by the same exact margin we

Ok
 
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Skyguyb27

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Feb 12, 2008
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Noah really hasn’t brought anything to the team this year so far if we are counting the exhibitions and tonight. I’m glad he didn’t get hurt badly but he has no business being in games until 8th or 9th man up and even then if he’s cold he isn’t bringing anything to the team. Having said that, I think he can and will do better but until he gets through the funk I think his minutes need to go way down.
 

IL_Wildcat

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Jul 10, 2025
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It’s less about Noah and more about having an actual PG on the court.
I really do hope this proves to be the answer. I have no doubt Jalen Lowe will be able to create good looks for everyone, including Noah. But if he has to create for himself, even off screens and especially if he has to create shots one on one, he struggles. So, Lowe may make all the difference. I really hope so.
 

Possum

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The fact that we’re talking about the turning point of the game against a team like Nicholls is a concern in itself.
Well it IS a game and it was the first game without our starting point guard. So, yeah there is a discussion to be had. If you recall, it took a last second shot by John Wall to beat Miami of Ohio in his first college game.
 

chasingwildcat

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We have a team that looks to be challenged from deep. Noah provides the potential of a shot maker (hasn’t worked out so far). Also, he is a player who doesn’t need the ball, which is perfect for a lineup which includes Oweh, Lowe and Garrison. Once he starts to make a few, I think this decision makes perfect sense. Notice that the second unit would kind of have the same type of balance, where Kam Williams would essentially play the same 3&D role for that unit.
This roster is built by "data" and "theory"

But now both Noah and Kam can not shoot

This causes lots of problem for us
 

chasingwildcat

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did we not watch him hit big threes in games last year?

shooters go through rough stretches.

Chandler was barely hitting the rim in blue / white and against perdue.
Playing as starter and playing as backup guy are different

He needs time to adjust, if he can not handle the starter role, backup is more natural for him to shine
 
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Btoddisabish

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Playing as starter and playing as backup guy are different

He needs time to adjust, if he can not handle the starter role, backup is more natural for him to shine
He is a starter with the injury situation. When everyone is healthy id imagine he drops to below 10 minutes per
 

Kentucky15

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This roster is built by "data" and "theory"

But now both Noah and Kam can not shoot

This causes lots of problem for us
True. It’s causing the bulk of the problem. Too many are worried about things that will be fixed when our PG can break down the defense and our roster is healthy. No need in being worried about the team because they’re still learning to play together and learn the system. If they’ve never played together they can’t gel out of the gate.

But Cam looking like Scam is a real, valid mf, concern. Only because he’s never played in a system like this with guys just as good as he is at every position. There’s no guarantee that translates. Without Cam hitting at a high%, I’m afraid. We’ll have to wait and see. But there is no guarantee that happens because again he’s never produced against a league like that. We need our PG back to see more and please God get JQ back. That’s when we’ve got too many weapons to contain.

Noah will find his stroke.
 

KFuqua

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Agreed, Pope trying to force Noah as a square peg in a round hole. Love Noah, but he isn’t a starter or major contributor. Don’t shoot the messenger just facts.
Seems like I just saw a bunch of people saying this about Chandler yesterday. Noah will be good here; it just may take a little time.
 

Runt#1969

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Much truth and facts here. I concur. It was apparent after Noah went out, and with Aberdeen in, it just changed the feel and look. Noah will get that stroke going.
 

JwUKFan11

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Well it IS a game and it was the first game without our starting point guard. So, yeah there is a discussion to be had. If you recall, it took a last second shot by John Wall to beat Miami of Ohio in his first college game.
That was supposed to be a result of having all freshman and Cal as the coach. If we are going to struggle against similar opponents with experienced players and a supposed staff of offensive gurus we are in trouble.
 
May 27, 2007
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We didn't struggle tho.

We won by 26 in a game where given our ranking and their ranking we were projected to win by 29. We had stretches where we looked like absolute crap but overall we did what we should have done.

We did exactly as expected and we did so only shooting 26% from 3. We won't have many nights we shoot that poorly from three.
 

Kentucky15

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That was supposed to be a result of having all freshman and Cal as the coach. If we are going to struggle against similar opponents with experienced players and a supposed staff of offensive gurus we are in trouble.

Nah that was the result of having an entirely new roster that had never played together.

Again, Pope’s offense takes time to learn and the guys on this team have never really played together. When you see a basketball team standing around looking at each other lost as we did in the first half, that’s the result of being hesitant because you’re not quite sure what to do. Then Mark said they haven’t worked on much offense yet. It’s case closed. No Pg, a team that hasn’t learned each other and not much offensive implementation to this point.

These guys might as well all be freshman coming in. They’ve never played together and are in an entirely new system. There’s no way to come out guns blazing and firing on all cylinders. Pope made some offense adjustments and they came out strong. I’m not concerned with missing shots at this point it’s too early and they’re figuring each other out. Shooting takes rhythm and they don’t have that yet. Now Cam? We have no way of knowing if his game is going to translate but it’s early for him too so we just need to give it some time.

and also, we almost covered. So it’s not as bad as many are making it when put in context.
 

LineSkiCat14

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Aug 5, 2015
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The issue I sort of see is this continued emphasis on in-state recruiting, and expecting it to be something it isn't. Noah was a 3-star recruit, those type of players shouldn't be getting more than spot minutes at a school like Kentucky.. whether he was a fan favorite or not.

Bold prediction (which maybe isn't so bold): he transfers after this season. Similar to Perry, and likely what Reed would have eventually done if he wasn't able to get into the NBA/wasn't actually a legit player.

Nothing against Noah, but if you wouldn't recruit the 120th ranked player from California, than you shouldn't be doing it from KY, a state that's very much lagging behind in terms fo producing basketball talent.