I have a very bad feeling about this game, so I can't promise that this live-blog will continue to the end.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Liveblogging the Warshington game
I was listening to the pre-game show on WLAP just now and heard that, according to the admirable Oscar Combs, UK is playing a team called "Warshington" tonight. I also learned that the Warshington crowd is apparently enraged at the Big Blue because they thought they were going to get Terrence Jones but then he changed his mind and went to UK. I wish every UK game didn't have to generate so much drama, but that's the way it is.
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Washington 4 - 0 Kentucky (19:11 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteWell, that's not good. Miller charged. The Huskies scored, stole the ball, and got a fast-break dunk. Calipari then called time.
Washington 6 - 11 Kentucky (15:40 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteThis is much better. The Huskies are not used to dealing with players as quick as UK's. They keep trying all these transition plays, and the Cats keep disrupting them, taking the ball, and attacking the other way. This could be quite a game.
Washington 10 - 21 Kentucky (11:48 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteFor the third game in a row, UK has opened with an explosive start -- this time they had an 0-18 run to take a 6-20 lead -- but UW appears to have adjusted to UK's speed, and the going should get tougher from here.
Knight, by the way, has been particularly spectacular. He already has 12 points.
Washington 17 - 23 Kentucky (8:32 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteAs I expected, UK's offense has stalled. Knight got called for a ticky-tack charge, so he's now on the bench with two fouls. UK's offense has degenerated into passing the ball around and shooting three's that don't go in. Calipari had to call another timeout.
Washington 17 - 23 Kentucky (7:17 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteVery ragged play on both ends. UK is really struggling with both Miller and Knight on the bench with two fouls each. Jones hasn't been able to get going. He has only two points.
Washington 24 - 26 Kentucky (3:36 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteKentucky has almost no offense left, although they are scrapping hard on defense. Jones is trying to score, and he keeps getting fouled, but UK simply cannot make free throws. They are 4-11 from the line in this game. I would complain about this, but it's been so long since UK was good at shooting free throws that I'm just used to this by now.
Washington 30 - 30 Kentucky (1:29 left in 1st half)
ReplyDeleteJones has kept UK in the game with some key free throws and a big basket, but no one else can score (UK is shooting 11-31 from the field) and UW has finally caught them.
Washington 35 - 34 Kentucky (Halftime)
ReplyDeleteFinally! The Cats have made it to halftime down only 1, thanks to a weird running shot by Lamb and a putback at the buzzer by Harrellson.
Both teams will like their chances in the second half. Washington was dominant in the last 10 minutes of the half, and they will believe that their defense can keep shutting down the Cats. UK will expect to do better once Miller and Knight return.
Washington 41 - 42 Kentucky (15:43 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteOh, this is nerve-wracking stuff. Each team is trying to do things that are beyond their capacity. UK is on top for now only because Josh Harrellson made what will probably be his only 3-point shot of the year.
Washington 43 - 46 (13:09 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteThe Cats are playing very hard on defense, and are making the occasional free throw on offense. If they could make a few shots, they could open up a little margin, but they haven't made any shots in a long time.
Washington 43 - 48 (11:24 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteMiller hit a huge runner in the lane, and Knight made a beautiful running layup that should have given UK a seven-point lead, but it was wiped out by a ludicrous traveling call. UW will have the ball when we come back.
Washington 50 - 54 Kentucky (8:30 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteUW made a nice comeback and had their point guard on the line with a chance to take the lead. But he missed both shots, and UK responded with two free throws by Jones and a beautiful layup by Knight. UW has called time.
Washington 52 - 56 Kentucky (7:51 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteMiller had a great steal and a layup -- which missed, and then turned into a runout for UW. Knight then responded with a great 18-foot jump shot -- and he was fouled. He has 18 points, and he will be on the line when we come back.
Washington 54 - 61 Kentucky (6:33 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteKnight made the FT, and after UW scored on a put-back, Knight drove the lane and made a great basket. Then Knight got a rebound and set up an excellent driving layup. UW called time again. They have two left.
Washington 57 - 64 Kentucky (3:49 left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteBoth teams are playing very hard, but without much result. UK's last possession consisted of a missed three-pointer (by Hood) followed by UW knocking the ball out of bounds, followed by Knight missing a three, followed by Hood getting the rebound, followed by Vargas missing a shot -- but he was fouled. And he will go to the line when we return.
Washington 67 - 69 Kentucky (47.3 seconds left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteThe officials called a ridiculous technical on Knight (for allegedly throwing an elbow) and a moving screen on Jones to help UW get back in the game. UK's defense has also broken down and is giving up too many layups. UK will have the ball.
Washington 67 - 69 Kentucky (36.4 seconds left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteLamb was fouled and will shoot two.
Washington 67 - 71 Kentucky (18.1 seconds left in 2d half)
ReplyDeleteLamb made both free throws. Isaiah Thomas shot a three, which missed, and Jones tied up the UW player on the rebound. The arrow went to UK, who inbounded the ball. Jones was fouled, and will go to the line.
Washington 67 - 74 Kentucky (Final)
ReplyDeleteJones made one of two free throws to make the score 67-72. Isaiah Thomas was fouled with 14 seconds left, but missed both FTs. Miller then made two FTs to end the scoring.
On the whole, this was a great, great win for a very young team. UW was hot, they had been playing well, they had a grudge against Jones, and UK still found a way to win. Knight was unstoppable; he had 24 points despite missing much of the first half with foul trouble. Jones took on the entire UW front line and finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Credit should also go to Harrellson, who can barely catch the ball but who still came up with 9 points and 14 rebounds. UK only made 3 of 17 from three-point range, but managed to out-rebound the taller Huskies 42-32.
So now we get UConn in the finals at 10 PM EST tomorrow night.
One final point. Although UW was much more experienced than UK, I thought the Cats played with much more intelligence and class than the Huskies, who took a lot of silly shots and made blatant efforts to bully the Cats. I am happy not to be rooting for the Huskies.
ReplyDeleteI apologize to Jones, who actually had 16 points and 17 rebounds. What a performance.
ReplyDeleteUK actually outrebounded UW 45-33.
i've dug into the personal archives to find proof of what i've been saying all along. two items, and here's the first:
ReplyDeleteSent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:06 AM
Subject: Re: Number 1,983
... every commentator who doesn't normally watch kentucky
immediately pegs Josh Harrellson as a slow-footed, farm-boy plodder ... the truth is that Harrellson is a
heck of an athlete; i think the only thing that separates him and Patterson,
for example, is Patterson's phenomenal intensity and confidence. ...
and:
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 10:01 AM
Subject: Re: YEAH!
i really think Josh Harrellson is going to have a fine season next year. ...
i stand by both comments.