Jack 'Goose' Givens gives candid takes on Kentucky's struggles, from Oweh to Garrison

When Jack “Goose” Givens talks basketball, we listen. Not only does the Kentucky legend know more about the sport than we could ever dream to, but he also has access to the Cats’ practices as part of his role as color commentator for the UK Sports Network. After Kentucky’s 83-66 loss to Michigan State on Tuesday night, Givens shared his thoughts on what’s wrong with the team right now. They’re worth revisiting as we wait for the Cats to put things back together.

Defense

Of all the (on-court) issues facing Kentucky, defense is the biggest — which is especially worrisome because that was supposed to be one of this team’s biggest strengths. Those struggles were on full display in New York, with Michigan State, which was 13-60 from the three-point line coming into the game, shooting 11-22 from deep, many of those shots uncontested. Givens gave Kentucky credit for showing some defensive intensity during its second-half run, but it should have been there from the jump.

“Just like in the Louisville game, that defense that you’re talking about that makes the other team feel uncomfortable didn’t come until midway through the second half. I mean, that is way too late. The game has already been established as to how it’s going to be played. As far as the other team, they’ve gotten their confidence. They’ve got all the confidence.”

Intensity/Continuity

It’s no secret that Kentucky’s struggling to find continuity right now. Mark Pope played 19 different five-man combinations vs. Michigan State to take the total through five games this season to 70. Part of that is trying to find a solution at point guard while Jaland Lowe is out, but what stands out most to Givens right now is the dropoff in intensity when Kentucky subs in different guys.

“I mean, not even close to fitting together. The continuity from one unit to the next has not been there to this point. And what I mean by that is, you start five guys, obviously, and then you start working other guys in. And at some point, you’re going to have to get to where you don’t lose a whole lot by working guys in, and that comes with time. So I’m not that concerned about that part of it, because Kentucky will do that.

“What I’m talking about is on the other end of the floor, man, when you have to come in with that same energy from start to finish to make those teams feel uncomfortable, but to be a defensive team that they’re going to have to be, they’re not there yet. So you’re not seeing continuity on either end of the floor.”

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Otega Oweh

Givens’ most interesting observations to me were about Otega Oweh. Oweh has looked far from the SEC Preseason Player of the Year so far, especially in Kentucky’s two biggest games. In the Louisville and Michigan State losses, Oweh shot a combined 8-25 from the floor and turned the ball over six times. Givens believes Oweh is thinking too much now when he gets the ball.

“If you go back a year, Otega caught the ball and reacted. He didn’t spend time thinking. Now he’s catching the ball — and I think now I’m not in his head, and I don’t want to get there. I mean, and if I’m wrong about this, I accept that — but he catches it now, and he’s thinking, ‘Am I open?’ That’s his first thought. ‘Am I open?’ And then he makes a decision about what he wants to do. The couple of times when he caught the ball, his mind was already made up. ‘I’m going to the hole.’ There was nothing they could do with it. It’s just being instinctive and doing what you do.”

Givens noted a play late in the Michigan State game where Collin Chandler drove the lane and kicked it out to Oweh, who hit a three. He wants to see Oweh show that patience instead of trying to force his own plays.

“If he wants a three, wait. Three times a half, it’s going to work its way around to you, and you’ll get that high percentage shot…It’s going to find you. But he’s catching it, he’s thinking it, ‘Oh, I’m not open now. I got to go.’ Well, that gives the defense a chance to catch up.”

Brandon Garrison

Givens echoed what everyone in Big Blue Nation is saying when it comes to the frontcourt: Brandon Garrison either needs to step up or sit down. Garrison had his worst game of the season vs. Michigan State, finishing with just two points, four rebounds, and two assists in 20 minutes. With Malachi Moreno playing well and Jayden Quaintance’s return from ACL surgery on the horizon, Givens noted that Garrison’s minutes could be numbered.

“You look at Brandon Garrison, and then you look at his plus-minus, and he had the worst plus-minus [in the first half]. So I bring that up just simply because when [Jayden Quaintance] gets back, and you know he’s going to have to get some minutes. I mean, you know that’s going to happen. He deserves. He’s the man.

“For Mark and his staff, you look at those numbers, and you think, Well, my goodness, I want Brandon Garrison out there and backing up or playing the five, but how do I not have [Malachi] Moreno out there when he’s been as good as he’s been? So something’s going to have to happen in that little mix right there, because somebody’s going to lose some minutes, as you know, unless you play two bigs together. So it’s going to be interesting, but we really do need more out of Garrison, man. I mean, Kentucky expects that.”