Sparty/KU & Duke/UK

[UFSECKINGS]

Who y'all got tonight? I'm going with RockChalk Jayhawk and the Dukies.

[REM08]

I'll take MSU and Duke. Think MSU will come out mad about last weeks loss and think Kentucky's current ranking has much more to do with the future than the present. Also no Ryan Harrow could hurt. Fun night for this early in the year though!

[UFSECKINGS]

Agreed. Should be a fun night. Game 1 is surprisingly higher scoring than I thought it would be this far.

[REM08]

Apparently neither Kansas nor MSU recruit a player unless he looks like he's well into his thirties.

[gatorex]

When did Kid n Play sign with UK?

[alietigator]

There is nothing worse than the man crush dick vitale has on Cal. And I thought he had it bad for Coach K.

[gatordavisl]

I don't follow the draft, so it's interesting to watch all these new players drafted by the Kitties. They are, no doubt, talented. We'll see how their perimeter defense matches up against the Gator shooters. Hope there is something to exploit on the perimeter.

[HALLGATOR]

I'm thinking the experience factor is going to come into play tonight with Kentucky/Duke.

[dailydoublecat]

This is a fun game to watch. It is November so a win or a loss isn't that important as long as your team gets better. We will be pretty good in March but anything this team can give us is a cherry on top.
Jeff

[REM08]

^^^ Agreed. Have to see growth and progress as the SEC part of the schedule approaches. Win or lose, we're seeing things that are getting exposed. Areas for practice to say the least.

Loved Cal's comment at the half though.

[HALLGATOR]

Duke's shooting percentage is bad

[alietigator]

UKs kids are talented, but I hope no one is expecting dominance the way they had last year. This time last year, UK was almost as good as they were at the end of the year. PG play is the big lacking area. Overall athleticism leading to the amazing defense of last year is not on the same level by any means.

[dailydoublecat]

We will struggle early but be damn good late in the year.

[gatordavisl]

It's oh so nice to see Uk struggle against a smart team. Diaper dandies can only be so good.

[HALLGATOR]

Anthony Davis was a huge difference maker last year. His loss can't be underestimated.

[dailydoublecat]

Duke kicking our asses lol. Interested to see if we fight or if it gets worse

[REM08]

UKs kids are talented, but I hope no one is expecting dominance the way they had last year. This time last year, UK was almost as good as they were at the end of the year. PG play is the big lacking area. Overall athleticism leading to the amazing defense of last year is not on the same level by any means.

Dead on post except for that second sentence. Last years november team was a mess, especially at point guard. Would get trounced by the April team. Freshmen laden teams have more room to grow than older teams.

[gogators73]

Glad to see Kentucky is beatable this year. This group definitely doesn't have the same feel. Only the 2nd game in but I remember watching that UK group last year and could tell they'd be special.

[REM08]

It's oh so nice to see Uk struggle against a smart team. Diaper dandies can only be so good.

Its november against a top 10 team that starts 3 seniors and a junior. Im yet to be surprised.

[dailydoublecat]

This is why college basketball is the best. I love these November and December games!! We are right where we should be early in the year. I'm happy!!

[alietigator]

Dead on post except for that second sentence. Last years november team was a mess, especially at point guard. Would get trounced by the April team. Freshmen laden teams have more room to grow than older teams.

It took Teague a month, but it was pretty early, even against KU in November they were so athletic. Another huge factor is lack of Darius miller. Countless games when a team was about to take the lead or got some momentum, Miller would squash it off the bench. That doesn't exist this year.

[gatordavisl]

Its november against a top 10 team that starts 3 seniors and a junior. Im yet to be surprised. There is a better location for excuses. Plenty of distaste for the kitties here. You should get used to it. 68-63 right now. Go Dukeez.

[gatordavisl]

Traaaaavel. Just about done for the kitz with :40 left. Can Thornton ice it? Yep. Ha-ha kitties.

[HALLGATOR]

Plumlee fouls out after a good game.

[HALLGATOR]

Duke committing dumb fouls right now

[gatordavisl]

And it's a loss to Duke. Bwa-higgy-hoddy-ha-ha!

[dailydoublecat]

Nice nice game!! Congrats to Duke. I love where we are right now. This is going to be a fun year.
Jeff

[HALLGATOR]

I hate this point of a game. No action, just foul after foul.

[HALLGATOR]

Duke wins it 75-68

[dailydoublecat]

There is a better location for excuses. Plenty of distaste for the kitties here. You should get used to it. 68-63 right now. Go Dukeez.

No excuses here at all. We will be fine later in the year. Glad your happy. I am too

[BengermanV]

I've never been able to wrap my head around the idea of having a bunch of new players every year (I'm more someone who gets invested in the players and the coach rather than the program itself) but the more I think about it, the more I'm certain that UK fans are invested in their players no matter what year they are because Basketball really is a year around sport for them. It was weird seeing all those Freshies running around today when that Kentucky team last year became such a headline last year.

Anyway, on topic, I agree with REM. Kentucky wasn't going to win this game here in November, but if this game were in March I'd bet it would have been a whole different story. Had to be expected when UK was going up against a veteran team and had almost no experience available themselves. All the same, it's great that it's college basketball season and I can't wait for another year of madness!

[REM08]

There is a better location for excuses. Plenty of distaste for the kitties here. You should get used to it. 68-63 right now. Go Dukeez.

No problem with the distaste - thats what rivalries are about. If anything makes me feel good about where UK basketball stands its that you can possibly get so happy about this game. I'm not sure Auburn upsetting Georgia in football last week would have elicited such joy!

[dailydoublecat]

Bengerman I couldn't have said it better!! Looking forward to another great year of hoops!!

[gatordavisl]

No excuses here at all. We will be fine later in the year. Glad your happy. I am tooAnd Kittie fans should refrain from offering excuses. Will be interesting to see to what extent the katz "will be fine" when they have very little time to develop cohesion. Yep - most Gator fans will revel in your team's failures, Jeff. You had a great draft, but very few holdovers/veteran players.

[REM08]

I've never been able to wrap my head around the idea of having a bunch of new players every year (I'm more someone who gets invested in the players and the coach rather than the program itself) but the more I think about it, the more I'm certain that UK fans are invested in their players no matter what year they are because Basketball really is a year around sport for them. It was weird seeing all those Freshies running around today when that Kentucky team last year became such a headline last year.

Anyway, on topic, I agree with REM. Kentucky wasn't going to win this game here in November, but if this game were in March I'd bet it would have been a whole different story. Had to be expected when UK was going up against a veteran team and had almost no experience available themselves. All the same, it's great that it's college basketball season and I can't wait for another year of madness!

Amen. Wish years like this (with big games early) were more common. Looking forward to the game tomorrow night!

[gatordavisl]

No problem with the distaste - thats what rivalries are about. If anything makes me feel good about where UK basketball stands its that you can possibly get so happy about this game. Glad to provide your lone good feeling about tonight's failure. There will be many more failures when the kitz must rely upon a bunch of pups in the long haul. Wait for conference season.

[BengermanV]

Amen. Wish years like this (with big games early) were more common. Looking forward to the game tomorrow night!

Same here my friend. Glad to see you and Jeff still around NBN for another season!

[dailydoublecat]

And Kittie fans should refrain from offering excuses. Will be interesting to see to what extent the katz "will be fine" when they have very little time to develop cohesion. Yep - most Gator fans will revel in your team's failures, Jeff. You had a great draft, but very few holdovers/veteran players.

It is a very long season plenty of time to get cohesion. We have Wiltjer and that's it from last years team. I will take talent over experience every time. We will be damn good in March and the great thing is in college basketball we will find out if I'm right or wrong.
Jeff

[madgator]

2 absolute difference makers I saw today. Guys that can take teams up the next level.

Keith Appling. Kansas was certainly the better team in that game. This guy flat out won that game for Michigan St.

and Alex Poythress....good lord this kid is good.


all in all. after watching 3 teams that are ranked ahead of UF in the preseason polls. I see no reason why we can't compete for a title this year. None of these teams looked clearly ahead of us either by today's standard or on an improvement curve.


Let's get excited Gators!


and as a side note....this group of UK freshman are not last years group. face it, cats. you caught lightning in a bottle last year. this 1 and done thing just isn't going to work out golden every year.

[born2beagator]

Always good to start the season with a Kitten loss. Heres to many more :)

Screw Kentucky

[born2beagator]

Nice nice game!! Congrats to Duke. I love where we are right now. This is going to be a fun year.
Jeff

If it means the NCAA finally catches Calimari with his hand in the cookie jar, and Kitten fans jump off a bridge, I agree.

[DuPontGator]

No excuses here at all. We will be fine later in the year. Glad your happy. I am too

Fake... I bet you're still kicking the poor dog.

[austingtr]

Seriously.
Sorry I missed the games, I was in recital. Happy to see that KY lost :)

[swampgas44]

Duke vs. Kentucky = A game with no team to cheer for. :sick:

[gatordd]

Poythress' potential is absurd.. don't shoot me for saying this but he has a young LeBron's body... He could become a great one.

[Dreamliner]

I don't get it. Duke beats KY without its best player ... and all the pundits want to talk about is how good KY looked.

[dailydoublecat]

Fake... I bet you're still kicking the poor dog.

Not at all, you know that I consider the basketball season a journey. IN fact I sat and relaxed and watched it on the couch without saying a word. I dont stand and watch games until February.

Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

If it means the NCAA finally catches Calimari with his hand in the cookie jar, and Kitten fans jump off a bridge, I agree.

LOL you may get your wish one day. If we had to go thru probation again, that was a fun time as well--I LOVED the PITINO years!

Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

I don't get it. Duke beats KY without its best player ... and all the pundits want to talk about is how good KY looked.

Who was Duke missing from their roster? The Kentucky team was down 14 and fought back--I was very very proud adn happy with where we are in November. We will get our asses kicked a few more times this year, but we will be scary in march and that is what Im excited about!

Jeff

[ih8danoles]

i'm not fooled by these kittens' false claims of being happy. They fully expected to win tonight. Cal openly stated on his little soap opera that his next main goal is to have an undefeated season, looks like he'll have to hope for a better group of freshman next year.

[REM08]

i'm not fooled by these kittens' false claims of being happy. They fully expected to win tonight. Cal openly stated on his little soap opera that his next main goal is to have an undefeated season, looks like he'll have to hope for a better group of freshman next year.

Cal has never made that statement in ANY way connected to this year. He's mentioned 100+ times that UK could very well start this season 0 and 2.

Keep in mind that, as ridiculous as the expectations of UK fans can be, they're coming off of a title. Also, most fans realize this team is returning far less than Cal's previous three squads. Don't see many mentions of the fact that Kentucky went into last nights game without a point guard.

If things still look like this in March, you won't see the same positivity from UK fans that you're seeing now.

[Dreamliner]

Who was Duke missing from their roster? The Kentucky team was down 14 and fought back--I was very very proud adn happy with where we are in November. We will get our asses kicked a few more times this year, but we will be scary in march and that is what Im excited about!

Jeff

Yahoo News said Duke was missing it's best player, don't know who. I only saw a portion of the game but it had a feeling of Duke being in control. Given all that, I thought it was odd that there was more talk about KY looking good (while losing) than about Duke looking good (without its best player).

[REM08]

Yahoo News said Duke was missing it's best player, don't know who. I only saw a portion of the game but it had a feeling of Duke being in control. Given all that, I thought it was odd that there was more talk about KY looking good (while losing) than about Duke looking good (without its best player).

Thats laughable if they did. Its Marshall Plumlee that missed the game yesterday. He redshirted last season. He was ranked 36th, 68th and 79th in his recruiting class. He's not projected to start this year. I cannot fathom how anyone could think he's their best player. Whatever impact this had on the game was more than offset by Kentucky not having their starting (and only) point guard.

[g8tr96]

Cal has never made that statement in ANY way connected to this year. He's mentioned 100+ times that UK could very well start this season 0 and 2.

Keep in mind that, as ridiculous as the expectations of UK fans can be, they're coming off of a title. Also, most fans realize this team is returning far less than Cal's previous three squads. Don't see many mentions of the fact that Kentucky went into last nights game without a point guard.

If things still look like this in March, you won't see the same positivity from UK fans that you're seeing now.


That is exactly what the UK fan gets/deserves by riding the coattails of the one-n-dones. If UK didn't do the one-n-done thingy, they could possibly be going after a B2B title this year.

[REM08]

That is exactly what the UK fan gets/deserves by riding the coattails of the one-n-dones. If UK didn't do the one-n-done thingy, they could possibly be going after a B2B title this year.

Thats easy to say, but we could also very easily not be coming off of a title in the first place without the one-and-dones. People who rail against OADs don't seem to understand that the alternative isn't necessarily dominating year after year with veteran players. Cal's been at UK 3 years and is criticized for doing the one-and-done thing. Yet, only two other teams in the entire country have won a title during that time period. Who should UK fans want to trade places with exactly? 3 years, 3 elite eights, 2 final fours and a national championship. Tell me what team has had it better? Duke won a title in the last 3 years (without one and dones). Were they working towards back to back titles? Nope. They lost in the sweetsixteen and then the first round (embarrassment) in the next two years.

UK doesn't have a dominant team this year by any means. But its a team that will be dangerous in March and will have a good seed. Maybe they flame out early (which we see veteran teams do all the time) or maybe they land in the final four again. Next year UK will have a MUCH better team than this year despite the turnover.

Hate on the one-and-dones all you want, but the data doesn't support it being any less effective at consistently fielding a team with a chance at winning a title. Granted its a small sample size, but it actually shows the opposite.

[dailydoublecat]

That is exactly what the UK fan gets/deserves by riding the coattails of the one-n-dones. If UK didn't do the one-n-done thingy, they could possibly be going after a B2B title this year.

I have absolutely no problems with the one and done. It is up to the coach to continue to reel in top tiered talent every year if you recruit the best of the best. It was in all of those players best interested to go to the NBA and not risk getting hurt.

Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

i'm not fooled by these kittens' false claims of being happy. They fully expected to win tonight. Cal openly stated on his little soap opera that his next main goal is to have an undefeated season, looks like he'll have to hope for a better group of freshman next year.

You are correct and I think we will have those next year and have a bigtime shot at that--time will tell.

Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

i'm not fooled by these kittens' false claims of being happy. They fully expected to win tonight. Cal openly stated on his little soap opera that his next main goal is to have an undefeated season, looks like he'll have to hope for a better group of freshman next year.

Some Kentucky fans are probably made, but they are they unrealistic idiots that give other UK fans a bad name. Sometimes it is good getting your butt beat, just dont make it a habit!

Jeff

[Osiris_DPM]

You are correct and I think we will have those next year and have a bigtime shot at that--time will tell.

Jeff

Well you will be facing an uphill battle. In order to do so, you will likely have to face the "other" most talented team in the country 3 times.

How ironic that being in the SEC -- a conference many say isn't a basketball conference -- may be the very thing that keeps UK's most talented team in years from going undefeated. lol

[HALLGATOR]

Who was Kentucky missing last night?

[REM08]

Who was Kentucky missing last night?

Ryan Harrow. Transfer who sat out last year, starting PG. Has flu like symptoms that aren't going away. Sounds like mono to me.

[HALLGATOR]

Thanks. He may have one of those bad strain of bugs which are out there this year. They don't want to let go once you get them.

[gatordavisl]

BTW - I made the mistake of PUI last night (minor martini binge), so to our UK visitors - I meant no offense to you. Just your team :wink:

[dailydoublecat]

Harrow not being there made no difference in my opinion. The Cats were not going to win. Plummer and Curry were too good. Honestly I have no idea what Harrow will bring to the team. He is a big x factor. I don't know if Harrow has IT. I hope he proves me wrong.
Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

BTW - I made the mistake of PUI last night (minor martini binge), so to our UK visitors - I meant no offense to you. Just your team :wink:

No offense taken. We got our butts beat you should enjoy that. You will see us get beat many more times this year!
Jeff

[dailydoublecat]

Well you will be facing an uphill battle. In order to do so, you will likely have to face the "other" most talented team in the country 3 times.

How ironic that being in the SEC -- a conference many say isn't a basketball conference -- may be the very thing that keeps UK's most talented team in years from going undefeated. lol

True. Florida is going to be something else! I'm not big on this undefeated stuff I think your team needs a few butt whippings during the year!
Jeff

[StrangeGator]

No offense taken. We got our butts beat you should enjoy that. You will see us get beat many more times this year!
Jeff

More so early than late. I see Kentucky improving a lot down the stretch. Still tons of talent, but less of an identity, which they had right away last year, in spite of the inexperience. I think they'll be a serious contender by tournament time.