I really believe this is the key for this UK team. If you look at our early season results, what jumps out is not the offense, but the defense. I think we all know this, but it's easy to blame struggles on offense. And the revelation that our 2pt shooting in the last 3 or 4 games has been the worst in the country certainly adds fuel to the fire that our struggle is about the offense. But I really don't think that is the case. Looking back at our early season games, the thing that stands out is the defense...
11/14/14 vs. Grand Canyon TV Lexington, Ky. W, 85-45
11/16/14 vs. Buffalo TV Lexington, Ky. W, 71-52
11/18/14 vs. No. 5/5 Kansas TV Indianapolis, Ind. W, 72-40
11/21/14 vs. Boston University TV Lexington, Ky. W, 89-65
11/23/14 vs. Montana State TV Lexington, Ky. W, 86-28
11/25/14 vs. UT Arlington TV Lexington, Ky. W, 92-44
11/30/14 vs. No. rv/25 Providence TV Lexington, Ky. W, 58-38
12/05/14 vs. No. 6/7 Texas TV Lexington, Ky. W, 63-51
12/07/14 vs. Eastern Kentucky TV Lexington, Ky. W, 82-49
12/10/14 vs. Columbia TV Lexington, Ky. W, 56-46
12/13/14 vs. No. 21/18 North Carolina TV Lexington, Ky. W, 84-70
12/20/14 vs. UCLA TV Chicago, Ill. W, 83-44
12/27/14 at No. 4/4 Louisville TV Louisville, Ky. W, 58-50
Now, there were certainly some games where our defense lapsed or we didn't play with great intensity. We didn't play particularly well against Buffalo in the first half and our defense for the Boston U game was not great. But look at some of those other games- holding Kansas to 40, holding Providence to 38, holding Texas to 51, holding UCLA to 44, and holding Louisville to 50. These games were won by our defense.
Now, I think that our problem came during the holiday break when our Cats were working on their individual games and focusing on playing better offensively. The result was that our three point shooting improved by a significant amount. But the negative by-product was that we haven't been focusing on defense like we were early on.
After listening to comments from Calipari, Payne, Towns, and Lee, I think that message has been sent. They were all saying the same thing- "we are a defensive team." That is exactly what the focus needs to be. The moment we begin to think we can just outscore people will be the moment we lose. Actually, given the fact that the Cats were thinking that very thing against Ole Miss and TX A&M, we're fortunate to have remained unbeaten. Defense is our bread and butter.
And that defense will also fix the 2pt shooting stat that some have been focusing on as well. Better defense will lead to easy offense, fast breaks, 2 on 1, 3 on 2, drive and dish, ally-oops, and etc, which have been missing from the offense the last few games. If we return to that intensity defensively, we'll start seeing everything else fall into place. And now that our 3pt shooting has improved, we could see some real domination. That's the key in my opinion. I hope we see it tonight.
11/14/14 vs. Grand Canyon TV Lexington, Ky. W, 85-45
11/16/14 vs. Buffalo TV Lexington, Ky. W, 71-52
11/18/14 vs. No. 5/5 Kansas TV Indianapolis, Ind. W, 72-40
11/21/14 vs. Boston University TV Lexington, Ky. W, 89-65
11/23/14 vs. Montana State TV Lexington, Ky. W, 86-28
11/25/14 vs. UT Arlington TV Lexington, Ky. W, 92-44
11/30/14 vs. No. rv/25 Providence TV Lexington, Ky. W, 58-38
12/05/14 vs. No. 6/7 Texas TV Lexington, Ky. W, 63-51
12/07/14 vs. Eastern Kentucky TV Lexington, Ky. W, 82-49
12/10/14 vs. Columbia TV Lexington, Ky. W, 56-46
12/13/14 vs. No. 21/18 North Carolina TV Lexington, Ky. W, 84-70
12/20/14 vs. UCLA TV Chicago, Ill. W, 83-44
12/27/14 at No. 4/4 Louisville TV Louisville, Ky. W, 58-50
Now, there were certainly some games where our defense lapsed or we didn't play with great intensity. We didn't play particularly well against Buffalo in the first half and our defense for the Boston U game was not great. But look at some of those other games- holding Kansas to 40, holding Providence to 38, holding Texas to 51, holding UCLA to 44, and holding Louisville to 50. These games were won by our defense.
Now, I think that our problem came during the holiday break when our Cats were working on their individual games and focusing on playing better offensively. The result was that our three point shooting improved by a significant amount. But the negative by-product was that we haven't been focusing on defense like we were early on.
After listening to comments from Calipari, Payne, Towns, and Lee, I think that message has been sent. They were all saying the same thing- "we are a defensive team." That is exactly what the focus needs to be. The moment we begin to think we can just outscore people will be the moment we lose. Actually, given the fact that the Cats were thinking that very thing against Ole Miss and TX A&M, we're fortunate to have remained unbeaten. Defense is our bread and butter.
And that defense will also fix the 2pt shooting stat that some have been focusing on as well. Better defense will lead to easy offense, fast breaks, 2 on 1, 3 on 2, drive and dish, ally-oops, and etc, which have been missing from the offense the last few games. If we return to that intensity defensively, we'll start seeing everything else fall into place. And now that our 3pt shooting has improved, we could see some real domination. That's the key in my opinion. I hope we see it tonight.