First TV timeout at 15:08, and Kentucky leads 9-5.
Vanderbilt has the SEC's leading scorer, a kid named Jenkins, and he zipped in a terrific three-pointer over defense just as I was starting to think UK might win by 75 points.
So far, it's good to see plenty of activity from Josh Harrelson, DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller.
12 minutes to go in the half, and I think UK might've just put together its best two and a half minutes of the season. Vanderbilt looks good, but the UK offense if fluid and inventive, and a Vanderbilt miss actually nearly made it to the floor amid four blocking-out UK rebounders. 17-11.
This Jenkins kid is going to be a problem all afternoon, however. He's really good, and he's clearly gassed to shoot down UK. Liggins has a big job to accomplish today.
7:53 to play in the first half, and UK will be going to the line with a 26-25 lead when we return from a TV timeout. Vanderbilt has hit five of eight three-point attempts. UK, meanwhile, has drawn six fouls (committing three)--including two each on Vanderbilt's starting center and one starting guard.
And, of the last nine fouls whistled in the first half, seven were called against Kentucky. So, there you go: 44-40, Commodores, at the half.
Just as the teams were headed to the locker rooms at half, CBS showed Coach Calipari talking with Doron Lamb about his lack of hustling back on defense after a steal-and-layup attempt by Vanderbilt in the last 30 seconds. (The Commodores scored on a putback when Lamb was beaten to the goal by a Vanderbilt player.) This was the second time in this game that Coach Calipari had talked to Lamb about this issue, and it's something he talked about Lamb working on in practice this week. Will be interesting to see what kind of second half the freshman has.
Vanderbilt is shooting better than 58 percent on field goals, and it's still requiring any number of jive foul calls to keep ahead. With 15:52 to play, the Commodores will be coming back from a TV timeout with two free throws coming and a 47-46 lead.
56-51 ... last eight Vanderbilt points all from Jenkins.
Liggins has lost his focus a bit in the last two or three minutes ... was upset y another foul call a little eariler, missed a three off a Jenkins make and then just picked up his fourth on a charge.
Knight scores and then comes back and draws a foul away from the ball: 56-53, 10:02.
This has been a heck of a two minutes from Liggins with four fouls. Can Kentucky sustain it once the officials take him out of the game here in the next 90 seconds or so? They'll be down Liggins and Miller.
Knight drive draws three defenders, and Big T is there for the weak-side jam: 63-61.
At the other end, Miller doesn't flash quickly enough out on Jenkins, and Jones fouls him. (Coach Calipari has shifted four-fouls Liggins on to someone else other than Jenkins.) Lamb back in, for Miller.
Three Jenkins free throws: 64-63, Vanderbilt, 6 minutes to go....
Liggins, scared of a charge, throws away to Harrelson, and then Jones is dribbling too much ... Coach Calipari calls time, with Vanderbilt's lead out to six ...
Liggins missed three, Lamb fouled on putback. 79-75, Lamb to have shots, 11.5 seconds to go ... no UK timesout remaining. Make and Vanderbilt timeout before the shot.
There's no way I would've done that, had I been Stallings.
81-77, Vanderbilt, final. No foul call on a desperation Jones three-pointer try.
The Commodores hit their last eight or nine free throws in a row.
I despise the SEC. I despise it. This completely cements my feeling that it is insane to root for any of these teams other than Kentucky under any circumstances. You go in to any of these gyms, and you get completely, completely hosed by the officials. And so then UK is going to roll into the NCAA tournament with a lesser seed because of Nashville, Oxford, Gainesville, Knoxville, Athens jive. I despise the SEC. I love UK; therefore, I despise the SEC. I see no other way.
For what it's worth, I thought this was UK's best road game of the year. It is almost impossible to overstate just how hard it is to beat Vandy at Memorial. John Wall & co did it last year, but they only won by two points on a day where Vandy was 2-20 from 3-point range -- and I will be surprised if UK ever plays another game in Memorial where Vandy goes 2-20 from 3-point range.
I used to think that these close losses might even out at some point, but UK just makes too many mistakes down the stretch every time.
As for the officiating, it is what it is. It's been this way my whole life, and yet UK has managed to win a lot of road games. This team just isn't sufficiently aggressive on the road. There were too many possessions where UK tried to make an extra pass (and threw the ball away) or failed to get a defensive rebound (and let Jenkins have another shot). In every one of these road games, UK has had the chance to open up a big early lead and take the officials and the crowd out of the game. (Today they were up 19-11 at one point.) But they just aren't good enough to put teams away on the road.
Finally, it should be acknowledged that John Jenkins is much better than anyone on UK's team.
First, Memorial Gym is by far the best gymnasium in the world.
Second, Number3Son had to root for Kentucky by himself this time, and he did a great job. He gave it everything he had, but Jenkins was too much for him.
What a delight to see a Vanderbilt air-ball 3-point on its own court!
ReplyDeleteFirst TV timeout at 15:08, and Kentucky leads 9-5.
ReplyDeleteVanderbilt has the SEC's leading scorer, a kid named Jenkins, and he zipped in a terrific three-pointer over defense just as I was starting to think UK might win by 75 points.
So far, it's good to see plenty of activity from Josh Harrelson, DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller.
12 minutes to go in the half, and I think UK might've just put together its best two and a half minutes of the season. Vanderbilt looks good, but the UK offense if fluid and inventive, and a Vanderbilt miss actually nearly made it to the floor amid four blocking-out UK rebounders. 17-11.
ReplyDeleteThis Jenkins kid is going to be a problem all afternoon, however. He's really good, and he's clearly gassed to shoot down UK. Liggins has a big job to accomplish today.
ReplyDeleteTHROW STALLINGS OUT! THROW HIM OUT!
ReplyDelete7:53 to play in the first half, and UK will be going to the line with a 26-25 lead when we return from a TV timeout. Vanderbilt has hit five of eight three-point attempts. UK, meanwhile, has drawn six fouls (committing three)--including two each on Vanderbilt's starting center and one starting guard.
ReplyDeleteGreat. So the officials call a technical on Liggins to calm down Stallings, and now Vanderbilt has the ball with 5:22 to play. Game tied at 31.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of the last nine fouls whistled in the first half, seven were called against Kentucky. So, there you go: 44-40, Commodores, at the half.
ReplyDeleteJust as the teams were headed to the locker rooms at half, CBS showed Coach Calipari talking with Doron Lamb about his lack of hustling back on defense after a steal-and-layup attempt by Vanderbilt in the last 30 seconds. (The Commodores scored on a putback when Lamb was beaten to the goal by a Vanderbilt player.) This was the second time in this game that Coach Calipari had talked to Lamb about this issue, and it's something he talked about Lamb working on in practice this week. Will be interesting to see what kind of second half the freshman has.
Vanderbilt is shooting better than 58 percent on field goals, and it's still requiring any number of jive foul calls to keep ahead. With 15:52 to play, the Commodores will be coming back from a TV timeout with two free throws coming and a 47-46 lead.
ReplyDeleteThis is why everybody hates Vanderbilt.
11:31 to play ... 54-51, Vanderbilt ... Miller's hurt.
ReplyDelete56-51 ... last eight Vanderbilt points all from Jenkins.
ReplyDeleteLiggins has lost his focus a bit in the last two or three minutes ... was upset y another foul call a little eariler, missed a three off a Jenkins make and then just picked up his fourth on a charge.
Knight scores and then comes back and draws a foul away from the ball: 56-53, 10:02.
The challenging thing for Lamb must be that the multiple-speeds thing is probably how he gets shots on offense, but it kills him on defense.
ReplyDelete9:29, and Kentucky has a chance to tie--but Knight, juiced, travels in transition. AAAAARRRRRRRRGH!
ReplyDeleteYEAH! LIGGINS COMES BACK ON THE FLOOR AND DRAWS A CHRAGE ON TAYLOR, fourth with 9:06! YEAH!
ReplyDeleteA left-hand bank from Jones. HE'S ELVIN HAYES, baby!
ReplyDeleteAND LIGGINS 3! 59-58, 7:38!
ReplyDeleteLIGGINS REBOUND ON JENKINS MISSED THREE!
Check out the images of Elvin Hayes, and then let your mind's eye do a mirror image. This is Terrence Jones.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a heck of a two minutes from Liggins with four fouls. Can Kentucky sustain it once the officials take him out of the game here in the next 90 seconds or so? They'll be down Liggins and Miller.
ReplyDelete61-5i, 7:16 to play.
Miller now back, for Lamb ... 7:02, 61-58.
ReplyDeleteKnight drive draws three defenders, and Big T is there for the weak-side jam: 63-61.
ReplyDeleteAt the other end, Miller doesn't flash quickly enough out on Jenkins, and Jones fouls him. (Coach Calipari has shifted four-fouls Liggins on to someone else other than Jenkins.) Lamb back in, for Miller.
Three Jenkins free throws: 64-63, Vanderbilt, 6 minutes to go....
Knight three, playing give-and-go with Harrelson: 66-64, Wildcats ... 6:20 ...
ReplyDeleteLamb defending Jenkins ...
Jones can't catch Knight's floating feed, and Jenkins threes over timid Liggins: 69-66, 4:23 ... timeout.
ReplyDelete71-66, this time it's Knight who is beaten by Jenkins.
ReplyDeleteJones rebounds Liggins three, puts it back and fouled!
TV timeout, 71-68, 3:29, and Jones is will have a free throw coming back.
UK is going to win this game.
Jones, 66-percent free-throw shooter on season, makes sixth of eight tries today: 71-69, 3:29.
ReplyDeleteLiggins, scared of a charge, throws away to Harrelson, and then Jones is dribbling too much ... Coach Calipari calls time, with Vanderbilt's lead out to six ...
ReplyDeleteJones drive, creates open three opp for Lamb--miss.
ReplyDeleteJones forces Vanderbilt turnover. UK timeout, still down six. 1:32 to go.
Jones 3, two Vanderbilt free throws ... 54.1 seconds, 77-72, and Stallings will take timeout.
ReplyDelete38.5, Knight 3: 77-75.
ReplyDeleteTinsley, 80-percent FT shooter, make and make: 79-75, 31.6.
ReplyDeleteLiggins missed three, Lamb fouled on putback. 79-75, Lamb to have shots, 11.5 seconds to go ... no UK timesout remaining. Make and Vanderbilt timeout before the shot.
ReplyDeleteThere's no way I would've done that, had I been Stallings.
Make: 79-77.
ReplyDeleteAnd then the officials elect not to call a foul on Vanderbilt.
This is exactly why everybody hates the Vanderbilts.
81-77, Vanderbilt, final. No foul call on a desperation Jones three-pointer try.
ReplyDeleteThe Commodores hit their last eight or nine free throws in a row.
I despise the SEC. I despise it. This completely cements my feeling that it is insane to root for any of these teams other than Kentucky under any circumstances. You go in to any of these gyms, and you get completely, completely hosed by the officials. And so then UK is going to roll into the NCAA tournament with a lesser seed because of Nashville, Oxford, Gainesville, Knoxville, Athens jive. I despise the SEC. I love UK; therefore, I despise the SEC. I see no other way.
And that said, Kentucky did not play perfectly, and that's what you've got to do when you go on the road in the SEC.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I thought this was UK's best road game of the year. It is almost impossible to overstate just how hard it is to beat Vandy at Memorial. John Wall & co did it last year, but they only won by two points on a day where Vandy was 2-20 from 3-point range -- and I will be surprised if UK ever plays another game in Memorial where Vandy goes 2-20 from 3-point range.
ReplyDeleteI used to think that these close losses might even out at some point, but UK just makes too many mistakes down the stretch every time.
As for the officiating, it is what it is. It's been this way my whole life, and yet UK has managed to win a lot of road games. This team just isn't sufficiently aggressive on the road. There were too many possessions where UK tried to make an extra pass (and threw the ball away) or failed to get a defensive rebound (and let Jenkins have another shot). In every one of these road games, UK has had the chance to open up a big early lead and take the officials and the crowd out of the game. (Today they were up 19-11 at one point.) But they just aren't good enough to put teams away on the road.
Finally, it should be acknowledged that John Jenkins is much better than anyone on UK's team.
Two other points:
ReplyDeleteFirst, Memorial Gym is by far the best gymnasium in the world.
Second, Number3Son had to root for Kentucky by himself this time, and he did a great job. He gave it everything he had, but Jenkins was too much for him.
I love UK.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope the gym at Vanderbilt gets bulldozed and replaced by a Pepsi bottler.
ReplyDeleteMan, I was a jerk in this game. Sorry.
ReplyDelete