Having Smart Girl on board definitely made a big difference, as she proved to be a very eager and enthusiastic supporter: "Stop him! Get that rebound! OH, YOU IDIOTS! MAKE THESE FREE THROWS!"
But I think UK also responded well to Coach Cal's criticisms. Kentucky is never going to be a good shooting team on the road -- they made only 3-13 three pointers today -- but they can grind these games out with good defense. As I've said, I think UK needs to hold teams below 60 points to win on the road, and that's what they did today. Liggins did a fabulous job on Carolina's point guard -- who is the key to their offense but who only had 8 points today. UK was outrebounded again -- 31 to 33 this time -- but, in general, Jones and Harrellson did a better job of preventing second-chance points. UK was also fortunate that the law of averages started to catch up with their opponents from three-point range. After a game in which Alabama -- who is normally a terrible 3-point shooting team -- made 7-13 from behind the arc, the Gamecocks could only make 3-18. UK also finally had a good night at the line, making 24-29, while Carolina made only 17-26.
I also want to give shout-outs to Brandon Knight and Darius Miller. Knight was only 2-5 from three-point range, but he still scored 23 points, including 9-10 from the line. And Miller played the sort of game we've all been wanting him to deliver: 39 minutes, 7-12 from the field, 3-3 from the line, 18 points, five rebounds. Given that everyone has to focus on stopping Knight, Jones, and Lamb, those running jump shots in the middle should be there for Miller all year -- if he can make them.
All in all, a very good win on the road -- and for the first time, this year's UK team has won a game that they couldn't win last year. We will hope for the same result in Knoxville.
I didn't get to dial in to this game until there was about 15 minutes to go. We had my daughter's second-annual birthday party at the Days Inn indoor-pool (excellent time with family and friends rolling in from as far away as Jasper, Ind.), and, then we joined the daughter and the wife's family for the game, after the wife and my family and I had returned tables and chairs to the church and CrockPots, gifts, etc. So we arrive for the game about 10 minutes after kickoff, but, alas, there's a message that the woman who was scheduled to lead the Children's Worship & Wonder service today is suddenly available and could one of us sub, and so Wife steps up but needs to go to the church to get set up. So, back out we went, and back home and back out we went again after we got to the church and I had misplaced the keys, and I ultimately didn't get redialed into the game until there was about 10 minutes to go. And, even then, with Wife busy preparing for today, my focus was mostly occupied with Daughter.
ReplyDeleteI thought ESPN's Jimmy Dykes was dead-on in his analysis of how good UK's spread, run-clock possession was after South Carolina had cut the lead to five with a minute and 10 seconds or whatever to play, and I'm thrilled to see that my main man, Darius Miller, scored some Heath Post love for his play.