Time to put a good one on 'em from start to finish...defend the 3 ball better.....I'm feeling an 88-66 kind of game is coming...same way Duke walloped NC State......our D will be intense!
UK has played poorly against Florida
- Thread starter CatBallou252
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Donovan is a good coach. The Gators are healthy. 3rd time seeing the Cats. I expect a tough, close, grinder of a game. Unless we are ultra-motivated...
I wish I could share the enthusiam, but we have zero talent in the middle, and you guys might have the best middle rotation since Georgetown in the early 90s.
Help is on the way. I just just wish Chris Walker didn't play like Uwe Blab.
UK will be ready especially since some on this Gator team members have run their mouths. Lexington South will be full-full of UK fans and a better atmosphere better than a home game. These are the most passionate UK fans and it will be deafening in the house today! GBB
If you consider saying Kentucky is "beatable" as an example of our team running our mouths, sure. I think that was a the most cocky thing any of our players said. That being said, I don't think anyone has said anything that Kentucky will be pinning to a board and slapping on their way out to the arena.
I don't think Kentucky has played poorly so much as Florida has done some things to hurt us.
Kentucky has some issues with pick-and-pops. Finney-Smith was getting clean on those in both games using the same action as Georgia was using with Djurisic.
We've also had some trouble against their double teams in the post. Dakari had a stretch Saturday where he really was baffled.
Clean those things up and we can win this game by 20 with our personnel against theirs. But Donovan has found some things and pulled some tricks out of the Mark Fox playbook, and it worked against us in some ways except for the very end of the game in Rupp.
I look for us to fix some of that stuff and win this game a little easier.
Kentucky has some issues with pick-and-pops. Finney-Smith was getting clean on those in both games using the same action as Georgia was using with Djurisic.
We've also had some trouble against their double teams in the post. Dakari had a stretch Saturday where he really was baffled.
Clean those things up and we can win this game by 20 with our personnel against theirs. But Donovan has found some things and pulled some tricks out of the Mark Fox playbook, and it worked against us in some ways except for the very end of the game in Rupp.
I look for us to fix some of that stuff and win this game a little easier.
I would like to see us play some zone to stop the penetration... not exclusively... but the only reason the Florida games have been remotely competitive is that they've been allowed to get in the lane and to the rim. THAT is by far more my concern than then bombing from 3 land. Of course any team that gets hot from 3 is hard to beat, but I'd rather make that adjustment than just let them get to the rim like we have in the past. PLEASE ZONE SOME.
This is Florida's national championship game, and the possible end of their train wreck of a season. They will be motivated beyond measure.
This will NOT be a blowout.
This will NOT be a blowout.
We've played 31 games. We've won 31 games. I've seen zone on maybe four possessions all year.
I highly doubt Cal changes up what we usually do. Hill got off some in the game but I'm okay with giving him tough twos. The only way they beat us is if Finney-Smith and Frazier light up from three. The zone invites people into doing that unless you really practice it and know what you're doing.
You are right - nothing indicates we will likely play any/much zone - but I was wishing. The few times we have been in tight games (A & M, Ole Miss and somewhat Florida), there was a lot of penetration and finishing at the rim. That said - I think our offense is playing much better than those earlier games - so we are not suffering in the half court as a few times in the past - but when I think of teams we have had a hard time against in the past (in particular UCONN with Kemba and Shabazz) we have too often let quick guards hurt us without making the needed adjustment. Yes - we are 31-0 and no one is knocking on my door asking advice - and I'd LOVE to see us run the table - but this is the one defensive weakness I have seen from time to time. IF IF IF the guys are fully engaged on defense though... it doesn't matter if we zone or not. Either way - go CATS and pound the gators!
I am sorry but there is no excuse whatsoever for a coach not to have his team prepared to play a different defense. Duke frustrated the crap out of NC state last night with the different defensive looks they kept throwing at them and kept them out of an offensive rhythm the whole game. If we fail to win the championship this year because we live or die with our man to man defense then that is all on Cal. We have lost two championships already because of coaching and a third this year would be tough to take.
For the record I am not saying if we don't win it all this year it is automatically Cal's fault, I am saying it will be his fault if we lose because he fails to ever try a different defense when our man to man is not getting it done. Would love to go undefeated but I could care less if we lose today, tomorrow or Sunday so Cal gets a pass for the next several days on coaching from me but I expect him to pull out all stops if necessary when the NCAAT starts.
Duke plays zone because they can't guard people man-to-man.
Much different with Kentucky who has put up a historically good field goal percentage defense.
I tend to think zones are way more complicated AT THIS LEVEL than people think. In high school you throw them out there and kids tend to get confused. But at this level coaches can really exploit you if you aren't playing the zone correctly, and what generally happens is the three-point line becomes this enormous albatross. In any other era I agree that you'd have this toolbox where you threw different looks at other teams, but because of the monumental danger of the three, playing a bad zone gets you into this situation where you open yourself up to letting weaker teams hang with you.
And the times I've seen Cal run a zone out there have often been punctuated with wide open three-pointers.
That shot is still too easy in the college game. The zone urges teams to shoot it. Unless you're really versed in it and you're working on it daily in practice, it's just freighted with a ton of risk.
Now if I were a high school coach, I'd change defenses like mad. But it's a much different deal at this level.
This post was edited on 3/13 10:20 AM by Joneslab
Much different with Kentucky who has put up a historically good field goal percentage defense.
I tend to think zones are way more complicated AT THIS LEVEL than people think. In high school you throw them out there and kids tend to get confused. But at this level coaches can really exploit you if you aren't playing the zone correctly, and what generally happens is the three-point line becomes this enormous albatross. In any other era I agree that you'd have this toolbox where you threw different looks at other teams, but because of the monumental danger of the three, playing a bad zone gets you into this situation where you open yourself up to letting weaker teams hang with you.
And the times I've seen Cal run a zone out there have often been punctuated with wide open three-pointers.
That shot is still too easy in the college game. The zone urges teams to shoot it. Unless you're really versed in it and you're working on it daily in practice, it's just freighted with a ton of risk.
Now if I were a high school coach, I'd change defenses like mad. But it's a much different deal at this level.
This post was edited on 3/13 10:20 AM by Joneslab
I'm just hoping UK has finally remembered how to switch and contain dribble penetration. No team did that better against us than UF.
My last weigh in on this - I think we all have the same goal - a "W" - just may not agree on defense. Again - if the guys are locked in - nothing matters. But the concern of getting burned from 3 instead can turn into getting burned in the lane. Florida - i just checked, is not a great 3 point team and even so - you are correct that Finney-Smith and Frazier are the main if not only threats. I would just like to see the adjustment from time to time once we have let a team to the rim 5 or 6 straight times. Florida is the king of the under the basket dish pass once the man help comes and leaves someone open (not that they ever get called for 3 seconds in the lane for this...) I just think with a team of our length, a match up zone would be beneficial in the mix IF the lane is getting CONSISTENTLY exposed. Not to oversimplify because there are trade-offs, but a team as smart, athletic and lengthy as ours SHOULD be able to pull off and effective, disruptive zone from time to time. Plus Hill goes right a vast majority of the time.... so please defend it! Again - we are same team here - so go CATS! Either way just pound the Gators.
Posted by Gatorbait05
If you consider saying Kentucky is "beatable" as an example of our team running our mouths, sure. I think that was a the most cocky thing any of our players said. That being said, I don't think anyone has said anything that Kentucky will be pinning to a board and slapping on their way out to the arena.
Florida freshman Devin Robinson couldn't wait to dunk over Willie Cauley-Stein Making ESPN's top 10 plays of the game down in Gainesville. We need Willie to be fired up! I think the freshman should try It and not talk about it!
This post was edited on 3/13 10:44 AM by railroadkat_1
If you consider saying Kentucky is "beatable" as an example of our team running our mouths, sure. I think that was a the most cocky thing any of our players said. That being said, I don't think anyone has said anything that Kentucky will be pinning to a board and slapping on their way out to the arena.
Florida freshman Devin Robinson couldn't wait to dunk over Willie Cauley-Stein Making ESPN's top 10 plays of the game down in Gainesville. We need Willie to be fired up! I think the freshman should try It and not talk about it!
This post was edited on 3/13 10:44 AM by railroadkat_1
Good post, struggler, and I agree. I admit I was calling for a zone against Georgia simply because we couldn't figure out what they were doing. (And finally Cal did go to it.)
But with a team this good on defense I'm not sure you tinker. Yes Florida hurt us in the last game...but we held them to 50 points. I'm not sure messing with what we generally do is the right way to go about it.
The Duke analogy used above is just a far different thing. That team almost had no choice but to go to the zone, and I still think their defense is going to get them beat in the tournament.
But with a team this good on defense I'm not sure you tinker. Yes Florida hurt us in the last game...but we held them to 50 points. I'm not sure messing with what we generally do is the right way to go about it.
The Duke analogy used above is just a far different thing. That team almost had no choice but to go to the zone, and I still think their defense is going to get them beat in the tournament.
I am not suggesting to play zone the whole game or even anywhere close to it. While a wide open three is not the ideal shot to give up it is certainly a much tougher shot for an opponent to make than a wide open layup or dunk which in certain games we have given up a vast number of those. Having implemented a zone look into our repertoire could have made this team even more dangerous than they are. We simply have too much length and even great three point shooters will struggle trying to shoot over that. I am not as accurate as I use to be but I can still knock down shots from the outside better than most, but stick a player on me that is 3-4 inches taller I have a tough time shooting over them and keeping my accuracy.
I'm sooo glad you are willing to give Cal a pass, I'm sure he really appreciates that. And you are blaming Cal for our loss in the Championship last year? Were we even supposed to be there? Last time I checked players make shots and free throws, not Cal. We have a historic defense and you are basically saying Cal doesn't know how to coach defense. GTFO with that.
Don't even try to justify anything with Duke. Duke's defense is horrible, I'd be trying something else too.
I don't think we have played poorly against UF,we just haven't played well.Maybe that is a credit to them(not unlike UGA)One could make the case that UF is due to see the Cat team that they haven't seen yet.
I think already having played a game helps UF as does the fact that this is the second time the teams have played in a week and the 3rd meeting of the year.If you remember we nearly got them the third time last year.
I hope the fact that they haven't seen the really good Cats is just too much for them,but if it comes down to the wire I don't like this game.
This post was edited on 3/13 10:57 AM by docholiday51
I think already having played a game helps UF as does the fact that this is the second time the teams have played in a week and the 3rd meeting of the year.If you remember we nearly got them the third time last year.
I hope the fact that they haven't seen the really good Cats is just too much for them,but if it comes down to the wire I don't like this game.
This post was edited on 3/13 10:57 AM by docholiday51
That's how I see it as well. The only advantage Kasey and cheese have is quickness. Don't extend the D past the three point line and invite them to drive. Sag back and let them take shots which neither have proven they can do at a high percentage. I think UF can keep it close for awhile but will tire late against the Cats fresh legs.
Absurd. There is an excuse: opportunity cost. Practice time is finite. Cal always has young teams, which means the teams have to start with the basics in a way more experienced teams do not have to do. Coaches add wrinkles to their teams in layers. Playing zone is easy to do. Playing zone well is not.
So, sure, we didn't have a zone ready for the title game last year. Even assuming that would have made the difference (did you watch our offense?), the cost of having a good zone is less time to practice something else. There's a chaos theory problem in knowing how things would have turned out if time was spent on a zone, and UK might have not have even been in the title game at all. Maybe whatever time to establish an effective zone would have taken away, at the margins, from something else and UK loses to UL. Or Michigan. Or Wichita State. Or Wisconsin.
thank you for your insightful post I learned soooo much. I have walked the sidelines as a coach, can you say the same and I am not talking about volunteer work for your kids team. Would most likely be coaching college today on some level had I chose to stay on that career path but opted not to. And yes I do blame Cal for our loss to UConn last year. You remember how the talking heads at halftime was praising Cal for his switch to zone to get UK back in the game last year before the first half? I sure do as I was screaming for it before the first TV timeout. Instead we did not make that change until the five minute mark of the first half and already down by 16 points.
As I have stated in other threads, the blueprint in how to beat UConn had been laid but yet ignored. UK should have won the championship game last year easily. Also should never have lost to West Virginia in 2010. We let a poor ball handling team walk the ball up the floor and dictate the tempo the entire game until (wait for it.....) we were down double digits with 6-7 minutes to go before we tried turning up the pressure and get back in the game. Our strategy lost that game, not West Virginia's surprisingly good outside shooting coupled with our poor shooting.
So I will not GTFO, and I do expect a man, who receives a seven figure paycheck every year, to be able to recognize when adjustments are necessary and need to be made. It is called being a COACH.... Comprende?
31-0 dumbass...which is why you're not coaching. Go back to working on your Cinnabon employee schedule.
This post was edited on 3/13 11:48 AM by CatDaddy4daWin
What really frustrates me as a UF fan is that Frazier has essentially been out for 1.5 of the 2 games we played. Frazier is our best player as well. He played in the first half of the first game and really hurt Kentucky. The free-throws in that first game for UF were absolutely terrible as well. Of course that has been a problem all year. That and missing wide open 3's that Kentucky has let up.
Yeah, UF can get points inside against UK. They have done it all year in 3 games now. They just can't shoot from outside. Brick after brick on great looks.
As I expected you have nothing insightful to add so you retort to 31-0 and insults. Own my own company jackass and sitting at the country club watching the game and watching Florida score at will at the rim against out historically good defense. Florida has hit one perimeter shot today.
