what's up with the UK worry?

[akaGatorhoops]

Originally Posted by CFITB

It's a simple fact that the ones that were referred to did not stick around to develop , they stuck around because they weren't guaranteed to play in the nba if they left.

I am failing to see how these actions are mutually exclusive. They were not nba ready. Hence, they returned to further develop their game, and hopefully become more viable nba players.

[REM08]

Originally Posted by akaGatorhoops

I am failing to see how these actions are mutually exclusive. They were not nba ready. Hence, they returned to further develop their game, and hopefully become more viable nba players.

I think the difference (and its just a matter of who reads into what I guess) is in the word "returned." It, depending how you read it, implies that there was a decision that was weighed and the player decided to forgoe the NBA for the time being and focus on returning and developing. This, whether it was for development or not, is what the 04's did. Its what players who are projected lottery picks do when they decide to return. The poster mentioned Wiltjer and Mays "returning" as UK examples of players who didn't decide to return, they didn't have a choice. They can't be compared to players that had different possibilities to weigh.

Again, some people imply this when they speak of players "deciding to stick around," while other posters I'm sure just mean it literally.

[BEH]

Originally Posted by GatorLurker

Early onset?

How about December 20, 1988: Indiana 75, UK 52.

No, I still have a good mind. I remember a lot of losses that year. The first year on probation after the NCAA ran all the scholy players off; however, 23 is not that bad. Plus that was the end of the great Bobby Knight teams at Indiana.

Florida has never beaten Kentucky by 20 based on my quick look at the record. They did it a couple times at 17 or 18, but I don't remember a 20 or worse score. Of course tomorrow night it may be the new record.

[The_Graygator]

Love Tuesday night games.

Hope we can get some decent reffing in this game knowing UK is the prima donna of the SEC in basketball (and I have seen us absolutely screwed in the arse at home by the refs against these guys before too). I sure as heck know we won't get a call in Lexington. Would love at least a split with these guys this season.

I think we win but having Yguette out worries me a little though.

[kygator]

Originally Posted by REM08

I think the difference (and its just a matter of who reads into what I guess) is in the word "returned." It, depending how you read it, implies that there was a decision that was weighed and the player decided to forgoe the NBA for the time being and focus on returning and developing. This, whether it was for development or not, is what the 04's did. Its what players who are projected lottery picks do when they decide to return. The poster mentioned Wiltjer and Mays "returning" as UK examples of players who didn't decide to return, they didn't have a choice. They can't be compared to players that had different possibilities to weigh.

Again, some people imply this when they speak of players "deciding to stick around," while other posters I'm sure just mean it literally.

Lottery picks aren't the only ones who have to weigh their options. In most cases, their decisions are the easiest and there isn't much deciding to do. Looking at Patrick Young's class, UK had a couple of similarly rated players in Doron Lamb and Stacey Poole. One decided to go to the NBA as a 2nd round pick and the other decided to transfer.

Florida has had plenty of players over the years who weighed their options and decided to transfer.

[REM08]

Originally Posted by kygator

Lottery picks aren't the only ones who have to weigh their options. In most cases, their decisions are the easiest and there isn't much deciding to do. Looking at Patrick Young's class, UK had a couple of similarly rated players in Doron Lamb and Stacey Poole. One decided to go to the NBA as a 2nd round pick and the other decided to transfer.

Florida has had plenty of players over the years who weighed their options and decided to transfer.

No doubt every player has, technically, some kind of decision to make. I was probably oversimplifying the all too common comparison of players who leave early for the NBA and players who don't - but weren't in the same situation.

[dailydoublecat]

If the NBA would just go with the 2 yr rule it would just make things so much better!! Im still trying to figure out why the nba players union is against this??

[gatorbogey]

i'd love to see it match baseball - you can go pro out of h.s., but if you go to college make a 3 year committment to it.

nba may have to make a solid investment in their development league but it would be worth it.

[GatorLurker]

Originally Posted by BEH

No, I still have a good mind.

Really?

[GatorLurker]

Originally Posted by BEH

Of course tomorrow night it may be the new record.

The game is not at Rupp tomorrow, Bert.

[bullish]

The Kentucky worry, well for starter's, we have lost the last 5 or 6 in a row to Kentucky. If Billy can't get them ready for the Kats, "Grits ain't groceries and Mona Lisa was a Man".

If we shoot lousy, like Arkansas, I think Scottie missed the first four or five uncontested shots, then Kentucky will spring another in a long line of Gators Rib Lickings! I feel we will win, but it will be close. For us to blow them out, which my gut says we will not, we would have to have both a good inside outside game with everybody hitting a high percentage. We have lost the best loose ball player in the conference in Will Y., this hurts but Casey, Michael, and Devon if Billy lets him on the court in a game like this, will have to produce.

Boynton's streaky shooting has to be on, Rosario has to be a good teammate, play defense and hit shots, Murph has to be golden which he has all year, but this game we will need at least 4-6 3's from him, Patrick has to play fearless, want the ball and let the freshman who is leading the nation in blocks, know that he played a man out there, hopefully Pat will get a lot of rebounds 10 and score at least 10, the NBA, the SEC brothers, the media, all hoops fans will be watching on Prime Time, ESPN 7:00pm, play with urgency from the opening tip, great defense and share the ball. Let's get the monkey off our backs! Let the nation know we have a mean bite!

[SmootyGator]

Originally Posted by bullish

Boynton's streaky shooting has to be on, Rosario has to be a good teammate, play defense and hit shots, Murph has to be golden which he has all year, but this game we will need at least 4-6 3's from him, Patrick has to play fearless, want the ball and let the freshman who is leading the nation in blocks, know that he played a man out there, hopefully Pat will get a lot of rebounds 10 and score at least 10, the NBA, the SEC brothers, the media, all hoops fans will be watching on Prime Time, ESPN 7:00pm, play with urgency from the opening tip, great defense and share the ball. Let's get the monkey off our backs! Let the nation know we have a mean bite!

Assuming that we do everything that you just said, and UK plays a normal game, we'll win by 25-30. I don't see what everyone is scared about. We are better than UK. If we play decent we will win. If we play like crap, we could lose. This is the same scenario as every game we play.

[maxgator]

Originally Posted by SmootyGator

Assuming that we do everything that you just said, and UK plays a normal game, we'll win by 25-30. I don't see what everyone is scared about. We are better than UK. If we play decent we will win. If we play like crap, we could lose. This is the same scenario as every game we play.

Then you should put some money on the game. Vegas lines are around 10.

Without Yeugette I don't see us beating any decent team by 20.

[jareduf]

I have a feeling that the Gators will be extra juiced for this one. This is the biggest game of the season ytd. If we are hitting our 3's than watch out. If we are not, we may be in for a grind it out nail-biter.

Boyton is a mystery at this point. I will say that he has really rushed some shots lately. Until he has nailed a 3 in a game, he should not be taking difficult shots. He has also gotten some clean looks. He is shooting at the same % he did his sophmore yr. What an added dimension he could be if he can get it going.

[Colin]

Keys to this game:

1 -- How do we attack the rim against the best shot blocker we've faced this season? Pat and Murph's hook shots and the floaters by the guards will be tough to make against Noel.

2 -- Can we defend the three point line? UK has a great shooter in Wiltjer. Who will defend him? He's tall.

3 -- Can we shoot well from 3? Having watched UK, I feel like our ball movement will create open shots, because their defense (outside of Noel) isn't great.

[dalwood13]

Originally Posted by Colin

Keys to this game:

1 -- How do we attack the rim against the best shot blocker we've faced this season? Pat and Murph's hook shots and the floaters by the guards will be tough to make against Noel.

2 -- Can we defend the three point line? UK has a great shooter in Wiltjer. Who will defend him? He's tall.

3 -- Can we shoot well from 3? Having watched UK, I feel like our ball movement will create open shots, because their defense (outside of Noel) isn't great.

1- Pat has always been good against top tier big men and he is good at using his body to clear enough space for those hook shots. Noel hasn't faced anyone as physical as Young. Should be a great matchup. I would be shocked to see Noel on Murphy much, because it would either take Noel away from the basket or give Murph great looks from the arc, which would be great for UF. If Murphy posts on Wiltjier and Noel comes to help, Pat could get some easy dunks.

2- Maybe we should just have Casey give Wiltjier another up close look at his manhood to set the tone.


3- Ball movement is key. I feel like Scottie has been shooting too much the last few games. Early in the year he was too passive but he needs to get back to that happy medium. We've been settling for worse shots lately. Keep moving the ball and get great looks. Kentucky is not a great defensive team, if you play fundamentally sound basketball you will get good shots and we've got the shooters to make them pay.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by SmootyGator

Assuming that we do everything that you just said, and UK plays a normal game, we'll win by 25-30. I don't see what everyone is scared about. We are better than UK. If we play decent we will win. If we play like crap, we could lose. This is the same scenario as every game we play.

So true. We act as if Kentucky has no weaknesses. Their point guard play, offensive effectiveness in the post, shot creation for others, and perimeter shooting are all relatively weak. Great shotblocking and rebounding team, a ton of outstanding individual scores and athletes, and good defensive scheme with a coach who insists on playing that end of the floor, to be sure, but enough areas a good team can exploit.

We have our weaknesses, but we have some real matchup advantages, too. They will have to adjust their rotation entirely to deal with the floor spacing we have when Murphy is at the five or Frazier is at the four. Their shotblocking will hardly be a factor if Noel and Cauley-Stein are stuck on a shooter at 20+ feet.

We also defend the ball very well, both in our perimeter on-ball defense and our frontcourt help. They won't get a ton of uncontested layups because no one rotated over or picked a handler up off a screen. They will have to hit contested jumpers and execute in the half court very patiently to score at a moderately effective rate.

[HALLGATOR]

Kenny is due for a good game from outside. He is 3-19 from behind the arc in the last three games.

[ufgator4ever]

I never bet on gator games, but sans yeguette 10 points seems like an easy ky bet.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

Originally Posted by rserina

So true. We act as if Kentucky has no weaknesses. Their point guard play, offensive effectiveness in the post, shot creation for others, and perimeter shooting are all relatively weak. Great shotblocking and rebounding team, a ton of outstanding individual scores and athletes, and good defensive scheme with a coach who insists on playing that end of the floor, to be sure, but enough areas a good team can exploit.

We have our weaknesses, but we have some real matchup advantages, too. They will have to adjust their rotation entirely to deal with the floor spacing we have when Murphy is at the five or Frazier is at the four. Their shotblocking will hardly be a factor if Noel and Cauley-Stein are stuck on a shooter at 20+ feet.

We also defend the ball very well, both in our perimeter on-ball defense and our frontcourt help. They won't get a ton of uncontested layups because no one rotated over or picked a handler up off a screen. They will have to hit contested jumpers and execute in the half court very patiently to score at a moderately effective rate.

Agreed.

I think we have several advantages, even without WY.

It will be very interesting to see what happens when we have to go small with Pat taking a rest. Will Noel stay on Murph? I'm not sure how that would work out for UK with Murph being so good on the perimeter. It could certainly clear out the middle for penetration. Goodwin is certainly not a premier defender and I could see Scottie getting into him and frustrating him a bit, possibly forcing him into some of the poor shots he was taking earlier in the year.

Noel has improved offensively, but he still has a ways to go and Pat has a big body to make things difficult. We need him, obviously, to stay out of foul trouble.

I really like KB and/or Scottie on Harrow. I think Harrow is the weakest link on this squad and I could see some full court pressure giving him some difficulties.

I realize we have some things to contend with as well, but I certainly think we are around a 10 point favorite for a reason.

I think one of the other posters said it best...if we play decent, we should win. If we don't, it will be a dog fight.

I just have a really strong gut feeling that KB and Casey have better games than as of late. KB is due and Casey has some matchups that should favor his athleticism and ability to get to the rim.