The Leach Report: Basketball through four games and the loss to Missouri

John Calipari's task of trying to mold essentially a new team each season into a national title contender is similar to a thoroughbred trainer trying to win the Kentucky Derby. He or she gets a new horse as a two-year old and there's often about six months or so to get that horse in position to win the roses in the only chance it will have. Horses with great talent almost always run fast in the morning workouts and they often make it look easy in their races, when the competition is inferior. But eventually, the trainer wants to see that horse get "hooked" by a comparable rival, to learn about its will to win and how it handles some adversity. For Calipari, that time probably comes Tuesday night, when the young, talented Wildcats face Michigan State in Chicago. Through four games, here are some things I really like about this team: --the ability to switch on defense at every position. This helps Kentucky adapt to the new way the game is being officiated, as it does not put as great a premium on containing straight line drives to the basket--but it does demand great communication. --Julius Randle is a relentless rebounder. My broadcast partner, Mike Pratt, loves to see guys who rebound "outside the area," going to get the rebounds that don't just fall into their lap. Randle excels at this and it seems to be contagious, as Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress are much-improved in that area. --Andrew Harrison is the true quarterback on the floor Kentucky was missing last season. In terms of his inclination to set the table for others, Harrison might just be the most pure point guard Calipari has had at Kentucky and now he just needs to learn to play the way Calipari wants. The coach talked about this in the postgame interview, saying Harrison needs to blow by his man or move the ball to a teammate and now keep it in his hands quite so much. I'm really eager to see this matchup because a veteran team like Michigan State will expose what flaws the Cats have. Win or lose, they'll learn a lot but never underestimate the chances of that horse that has tons of talent. = = = If you're trying to upset a top 10 team, you must force them into mistakes or capitalize on unforced errors to score without having to drive the length of the field. Against Missouri, the UK football team's breakdowns in special teams play, a rarity this season, helped the Tigers to four touchdown drives that started inside the Cats' 45-yard line and that's a formula for what happened to the Cats on Saturday. Missouri is arguably the best team on Kentucky's schedule next to Alabama so the only way to really close the gap is what Mark Stoops and company are doing in recruiting. For now, the Wildcats must focus on what John Calipari means when he talks about holding onto the rope. Times are tough, a third straight losing season is now mathematically inevitable, but it's imperative for building the foundation for a brighter future that these Cats finish out this season with a resilient spirit That's the legacy for this senior class to leave behind. GAME-CHANGING PLAY(S) Missouri was the dominant team so no one play changed the course of this game. For Kentucky, two breakdowns with the punt--a block and a 13-yarder that set up Mizzou for two short-field scores--were crucial mistakes. Also, the Cats' inability to capitalize on an early Tiger fumble on the second kickoff of the game was a big missed opportunity. "WILDCAT PAW" HELMET STICKERS Jalen Whitlow. He did match his career-high with 225 passing yards and his coaches were impressed with how he performed with a sore shoulder that was aggravated during the game. Three games remain for Whitlow to stake a claim on the QB position or find himself in a three (or four)-for-all battle in the spring. --listen to Tom each weekday morning at 9:06am eastern on "The Leach Report" radio network; and follow him on twitter @tomleachky and via "The Leach Report" page on Facebook --check out tomleachky.com for more of Tom's coverage of the Cats