Pitiful

An all-around turd of a day ended with a thud as Kentucky was inept in a disasterous loss to North Carolina by 19 points. It is hard to know where to begin in dissecting the game, but this much is clear. As awful as UK was last game on defense, they ramped it up this week on offense. We saw: --- Turnovers that simply would not stop. Meeks and Harris both finished with six (to go with one assist each), Michael Porter either had one or attempted one on every possession and nearly every turnover led to a UNC fast break point or blown layup. --- The offense once again utilizing Patrick Patterson ineffectively. During the period where the game was essentially ended (aka the first ten minutes), Patterson touched the ball inside the three point line one time. He was 8-8 on his first eight shots, showcasing once again what would happen if he were to be given the ball. The guards inability or unwillingness to pass him the ball on the post is unacceptable. --- UK take the lead nationally in turnovers. --- An offense that at the beginning looked unable to get a shot off, much less a good look at the basket. Just as against VMI, see pressure and wilt.....the motto of the UK offense in 2008. --- Jodie Meeks shot approximately 300 times. I am actually ok with that, as if he isnt shooting, Michael Porter might be, but Jodie can you at least get some better looks? --- Liggins and Miller play very little. Stewart and Harrellson sniffed the floor and Galloway wasnt good enough to see the game. I will say what I used to say last year. Can you really tell me that Galloway is so bad that he isnt good enough to play IN THESE TWO GAMES? I mean spare me. --- a complete lack of inbound plays. UK's strategy on inbounds is to simply run to the man throwing in the ball and get trapped in the corner. It seems to be the UK playbook and it works well every time, leading to a consistent result.....a turnover. --- nothing that resembles an offensive flow. Tell me where you saw an offensive game strategy. Was our goal to get the ball inside? Was it to go inside-outside? Beat people off the dribble? Run a motion offense? Clear out our best players? None of those seemed to be a strategy. What seemed to be a strategy was let Jodie run around with the ball, maybe get it to Pat or throw it to Ramon to take it to the basket and hope for a layup or turnover. Better plays have been designed in rec leagues. I dont know what to say about these last two games. I thought the beginning to last season was bad, but we could excuse it as a new regime and low talent. This is just pitiful. While UNC is really good, this was a UNC team WITHOUT Hanbrough and Ginyard....and we were owned. The Cats were lucky to keep it under 30....the game was NEVER in doubt. These two performances havent just been losses, they have been disheartening, soul-killing losses. This team simply shouldnt be this bad and there is no excuse for what we have seen so far. Pack the VMI performance up with a UNC shelacking on a national television game and UK is the mock-worthy team of 2008-2009 so far. And get ready, as it will continue to come over the next few weeks. But we shouldnt cry bias....we deserve it, plain and simple. It may get better, and I hope it does. But this is simply pitiful.