JUSTIN ROWLAND:
I'd say Tennessee is a bad matchup for Kentucky, but the Wildcats beat this team 107-79 earlier this year. One of the issues is Tennessee is playing its best basketball at the right time and Kentucky does not appear to be doing the same. That doesn't mean they can't get it together with the Big Dance starting but it's a concern. It's a concern that Kellan Grady can't get open and it's hitting. It's concerning that Kentucky is now 2-5 against top-20 defenses (KenPom). There are reasons to be concerned and this isn't a team that you'd take against the whole field, but I still feel like it's a contender. Tennessee really neutralized Oscar as much as most teams can and was the more physical, aggressive, assertive team at every position on the court. UK had no answer for Kennedy Chandler. UT's backcourt was better. Rick Barnes has Calipari's number. How many more things can we say after a game like that? Kentucky's offense has been too good to be that inept on offense. The Vols were a little tougher and a little better. UK should be a 2 seed in a pretty wide-open NCAA Tournament.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
This may have been Kentucky's worst offensive performance of the season. Much of that credit should go to Tennessee, which is legitimately one of the toughest defensive squads in the nation. But much of what we saw today was self-inflicted. I thought Kentucky had horrific shot selection. John Calipari didn't completely agree with that assessment in his postgame press conference, so maybe I need to go back and watch some of those again. But I thought the Cats looked panicked at times and settled for a lot of jumpers instead of attacking the basket. When the Cats did get good looks, the guards could not get anything to fall. It all resulted in a season-low 22 points at halftime and a third straight game under 80 points (first time this season) for an offensive club that has been among the nation's best all year long. Again, lots of credit to Rick Barnes, who seems to have the mojo over his "dear, dear friend" from the Bluegrass State. After watching this today, UK has to pray its NCAA region does not include physical teams along the lines of a Tennessee or Texas Tech.
DAVID SISK:
Tennessee is the better team. There are certain games in which the Kentucky perimeters have not been able to create a shot. The Volunteer’s defense has caused problems the last two games. Rick Barnes has made great adjustments with his group. He has gone to more of a three-guard look, and it has greatly improved their quickness. They have also improved their depth to nine to ten quality players. Kentucky could make nothing from outside because no shots were uncontested. It just seems this team has not been able to get back to its old ways since the injuries. Kentucky badly needs Kellan Grady and some of the others to get back to their 3-point shooting ways once the Big Dance begins.
I'd say Tennessee is a bad matchup for Kentucky, but the Wildcats beat this team 107-79 earlier this year. One of the issues is Tennessee is playing its best basketball at the right time and Kentucky does not appear to be doing the same. That doesn't mean they can't get it together with the Big Dance starting but it's a concern. It's a concern that Kellan Grady can't get open and it's hitting. It's concerning that Kentucky is now 2-5 against top-20 defenses (KenPom). There are reasons to be concerned and this isn't a team that you'd take against the whole field, but I still feel like it's a contender. Tennessee really neutralized Oscar as much as most teams can and was the more physical, aggressive, assertive team at every position on the court. UK had no answer for Kennedy Chandler. UT's backcourt was better. Rick Barnes has Calipari's number. How many more things can we say after a game like that? Kentucky's offense has been too good to be that inept on offense. The Vols were a little tougher and a little better. UK should be a 2 seed in a pretty wide-open NCAA Tournament.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
This may have been Kentucky's worst offensive performance of the season. Much of that credit should go to Tennessee, which is legitimately one of the toughest defensive squads in the nation. But much of what we saw today was self-inflicted. I thought Kentucky had horrific shot selection. John Calipari didn't completely agree with that assessment in his postgame press conference, so maybe I need to go back and watch some of those again. But I thought the Cats looked panicked at times and settled for a lot of jumpers instead of attacking the basket. When the Cats did get good looks, the guards could not get anything to fall. It all resulted in a season-low 22 points at halftime and a third straight game under 80 points (first time this season) for an offensive club that has been among the nation's best all year long. Again, lots of credit to Rick Barnes, who seems to have the mojo over his "dear, dear friend" from the Bluegrass State. After watching this today, UK has to pray its NCAA region does not include physical teams along the lines of a Tennessee or Texas Tech.
DAVID SISK:
Tennessee is the better team. There are certain games in which the Kentucky perimeters have not been able to create a shot. The Volunteer’s defense has caused problems the last two games. Rick Barnes has made great adjustments with his group. He has gone to more of a three-guard look, and it has greatly improved their quickness. They have also improved their depth to nine to ten quality players. Kentucky could make nothing from outside because no shots were uncontested. It just seems this team has not been able to get back to its old ways since the injuries. Kentucky badly needs Kellan Grady and some of the others to get back to their 3-point shooting ways once the Big Dance begins.
