Normally, I don't live-blog UK games, because in the past live-blogging on this site has proven to be an incredible jinx. But I ignore superstition during the NIT, because the games just don't really matter all that much. So tonight we will be commenting on tonight's game between the University of Kentucky Wildcats (21-11) and the Robert Morris Colonials (23-10). Ironically enough, the game is being played in Coach Cal's hometown of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, because that is where Robert Morris is located. The Colonials' gym, the Sewall Center, seats 3,056. I understand that the game couldn't be played in Lexington because there's some other tournament going on there later in the week. But it seems to me that the teams could have drawn a bigger crowd -- and made a lot more money -- by playing at Marshall County High School.
Ken Pomeroy thinks UK is going to win this game 71-66. That would be very exciting, as UK hasn't scored 70 points in a game since February 27, when they played Mississippi State. But Pomeroy's analysis of UK has been terrible ever since Nerlens Noel's injury. In UK's last four games, he thought the Cats would beat Arkansas, Georgia, and Vandy, and lose to Florida. In fact, they did just the opposite.
Vegas has UK favored by 4 and says that the over-under is 141. That would work out to something like a 72-68 UK win.
Personally, I'm picking the Colonials -- unless their coach has never heard of game film or a zone defense. As Vanderbilt showed, UK is an incredibly easy team to defend -- you give Harrow and Goodwin all the shots they want, and the Cats don't usually bother with offensive rebounds. The Cats also don't defend the three-point shot or get very many defensive rebounds. So I'm thinking that Robert Morris wins something like 62-52.
Further observations in the comments.
The Cats are starting Harrow, Goodwin, Cauley-Stein, Mays, and Poythress.
ReplyDeleteUK wins the tip.
I had totally forgotten about Ryan Harrow, and, at this moment, I still can't remember the first name of "Mays."
DeleteUK's first possession ends with Harrow taking a three-point shot. He is a terrible three-point shooter, so of course he misses.
ReplyDeleteThe Colonials quickly score to take a 2-0 lead.
Cauley-Stein then throws the ball away, and the Colonials race down to the other end, where they are fouled.
That 62-52 prediction is looking pretty optimistic for UK.
Let me tell you something. It's one thing to write with a sense of despair about an event has happened. And it's another thing to write about an event with a sense of despair. And then there's writing about something as it happens with a gathering sense of despair. But to anticipate, experience and reflect on an event with a sense of unwavering despair from soup to nuts is a most uncommon fourth thing altogether.
DeleteUK doesn't guard the three -- why should they, they can't hit them -- but Robert Morris can, and they are up 5-0.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long it will take UK to score?
Cauley-Stein throws it away again, and RM hits another basket to go up 7-0 with 17:32 left in the first half.
ReplyDeleteUK calls time.
The Colonial crowd is going nuts -- as they should. But at this rate, even they are going to get bored pretty soon.
After the timeout, Wiltjer enters the game.
ReplyDeleteSoon afterward, Goodwin is called for over-and-back, and Robert Morris takes over again.
ReplyDeleteCauley-Stein leaves the proceedings.
It occurs to me that this will probably be Mays's last college game. UK should just let him shoot almost every time.
ReplyDeleteWhat if he literally took every shot? Would it be possible for him to score 50 points?
With 16:15 to go in the first half, UK still hasn't scored.
ReplyDeleteUK messes around for about 20 seconds, after which RM just steals the ball from Poythress, runs to the other end, scores, and is fouled. The Colonials lead 9-0 with 15 1/2 minutes to go in the first half, and they will be going to the line to make it ten.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty certain that this is, in fact, the greatest day of Jerry Tipton's life. And it's not yet over. The way things are going, it seems likely that one of the following could happen:
ReplyDelete1. Two UK players get in a fight with each other.
2. Calipari is ejected from the game.
3. UK fails to score 40 points.
RM hits the free throw to go up 10-0. The result is no longer in doubt, we're just waiting on the final margin.
ReplyDeletePolson scores to put UK on the board just before the 15 minute mark.
But RM quickly scores at the other end to make it 12-2.
Polson scores again to make it 12-4.
ReplyDeleteWhat if Polson took every shot for the rest of the game? Could he go for 40?
RM quickly makes it 14-4. UK just isn't playing defense at all. When RM has the ball, it looks like an exhibition game.
Poythress, who I actually like, gets a dunk to make the score 14-6. RM finally shoots an airball which goes out of bounds, so UK gets the rebound by default.
ReplyDeleteThe Cats draw to within 14-8, but RM hits a three -- UK doesn't defend the three -- and it's 17-8.
Polson tries to drive along the baseline, but of course he steps out of bounds. I would love to know how many times UK has done that this year.
Why does UK do that thing where their guards go into the back court and go up the floor with the other team as they bring the ball up the court? It's not a full court press, and it never results in a turnover. It just seems like a big waste of time. I would love to know why they do it.
ReplyDeleteRM commits a turnover, but they lead 17-8 with 11:53 left in the first half. TV timeout.
ReplyDeleteUK is actually shooting 57.1 percent from the field (4-7), but they have a ton of turnovers.
The Colonials are 7-11 for 63.6 percent.
Now ESPN is doing a little feature on how Moon Township is Calipari's hometown. He was student council president at Moon Area High school. Good for him.
ReplyDeleteHarrow hits a three-pointer!!!!!
The Cats are down 17-11.
The Cats hold, but the ball goes to Goodwin, who does that thing where he tries to drive through four guys and eventually just throws the ball off the backboard.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, it doesn't work.
RM comes back. WCS blocks their shot, but of course the Colonials get the ball. Harrow commits a shooting foul, so RM goes to the line.
They make both shots, and are up 19-11 with 10:42 left.
Harrow shoots another three -- and misses. But WCS gets the rebound and scores. 19-13.
ReplyDeleteTurnover on RM.
ReplyDeleteActually, it was Poythress who missed that last three.
Goodwin tries that play where he attempts to dribble past three guys on the baseline. As usual, his shot is blocked and RM goes the other way.
But then the Colonials commit another turnover. This game is really one for the ages.
UK actually runs a play where Polson penetrates and gets the ball to WCS for a dunk. 19-15.
ReplyDeleteRM misses.
WCS throws the ball away again. RM ball with 8:18 left.
ReplyDeleteWith 7:54 left, Goodwin is called for a foul out on the floor. TV timeout.
I like those Buick commercials with Shaq. I always liked Shaq, even when he was at LSU. I used to pick LSU to go to the final four every year because of Shaq, but Dale Brown always found a way to mess it up.
ReplyDeleteIf Shaq had played for any good coach, he would have won multiple national titles in college. He was that good.
That 1992 UK team that lost to Duke in the Greatest Game Ever Played? Shaq's LSU team beat them 74-53. Shaq had 20 points and 20 rebounds, and it looked like he was playing a bunch of high school guys.
ReplyDeleteAfter the TV timeout, RM hits another 3. (UK doesn't defend the 3.
ReplyDeleteColonials lead 22-15.
UK comes back and has Jon Hood shoot a 3, which misses.
But RM commits a turnover.
On the next possession, Polson is fouled.
ReplyDeleteThe RM coach looks pensive.
Oh, shut up, RM coach. You have been given one of the greatest gifts ever. Just enjoy your day in the sun.
Polson misses the first FT, but makes the second. 22-16.
If UK doesn't get going here, they're not going to score 52 points. But maybe they'll some easy baskets down the stretch.
ReplyDeleteSome really bad basketball now. RM misses a three, gets the rebound, misses another three, UK gets the rebound, Harrow tries to drive to the basket over three guys, and commits a charge.
Then RM turns it over again.
WCS is hammered just as he was about to score -- and the refs call an intentional foul!
ReplyDeleteThat's good, because WCS can't shoot free throws. Sure enough, he misses them both. But at least UK gets the ball again.
The first 20 seconds of every UK possession are given over to a whole series of passes out beyond the three-point line that literally accomplish nothing. I don't know why they even bother.
ReplyDeleteEventually, Goodwin just takes the ball and drives to the basket. He's fouled, and makes both FT's. RM leads 22-18 with 5:03 left.
But the Colonials quickly make another jumper to go up 24-18.
And then Goodwin gets behind the defense for a dunk. 24-20.
RM misses, and on UK's next possession Goodwin is fouled again. He makes the first FT, and then makes the second. 24-22.
ReplyDeleteWith 3:52 left, Poythress ties up a RM player, but the arrow belongs to the Colonials, and they will have the ball after the TV timeout. They still lead 24-22.
ReplyDeleteRobert Morris has cooled off. They are now 9-20 (45 percent) from the field, including 3-8 from three point range. They are also 3-3 from the line.
ReplyDeleteUK is 8-14 from the field, including 1-4 from three-point range. They are 5-8 from the line.
After the timeout, RM misses a three-pointer. Goodwin gets the ball, dribbles the length of the court without passing, and draws another foul.
ReplyDeleteThis is too much for the folks in Moon Township, who start throwing things on the floor. The RM coach urges them to stop.
Goodwin makes both FT's, and we are tied.
ESPN shows a very sullen collection of UK fans stuck in one corner of the gym.
ReplyDeleteRM misses again, and Poythress gets the rebound. UK gets the ball to WCS, who misses, but the ball goes out off of RM.
On the subsequent possession, Mays throws a lob to WCS, who is fouled. He makes 1-2 FT, and the Cats lead 25-24.
But not for long. RM comes back with a layup to take a 26-25 lead.
ReplyDeleteAnd then UK throws the ball away. That's nine turnovers for the Cats, compared to only four for RM.
But then Goodwin creates a turnover at the other end, and UK gets the ball back.
ESPN points out that UK has 8 FG's and 9 turnovers.
ReplyDeleteBut then Mays hits Hood under the basket for a layup, and the Cats lead 27-26.
RM comes back and draws a foul. They make both FT's to regain the lead, 28-27 with 1:27 left.
ReplyDeleteMays misses a three-pointer, and RM gets the rebound. They call time with 1:02 before the half.
ReplyDeleteRobert Morris 28, Kentucky 27.
RM misses, and UK gets the rebound. The Cats hold for the last shot, but their possession goes awry. Polson has the ball stripped with about 4 seconds to go, and UK never gets off a shot.
ReplyDeleteUK's end of the half possessions are always terrible.
At the half, Robert Morris leads 28-27.
Calipari says that RM is being physical, and that UK has to be tougher. "It's all a toughness thing, and when we lost Nerlens that's what hurt us more than anything else."
At the half, UK is 9-17 from the field, including 1-5 from three-point range. They are 8-12 from the line. Goodwin leads all scorers with 8 points. Wiltjer and Mays have combined for 0 points.
ReplyDeleteRobert Morris is 10-24 from the field, including 3-10 from three-point range. They are 5-5 from the line. Their leading scorer is Russell Johnson, who has nine points.
I still think my 62-52 prediction looks good. UK's defense in the second half has been pretty terrible all year.
ReplyDeleteOn the UK message board, they're having a fairly interesting discussion about whether this team is worse than the Gillispie team that went to the NIT in 2009. Somebody wrote, "That team had no coach. This team has no players."
ReplyDeleteOn the message board, they are enraged at Wiltjer, who has been terrible. He is 0-1 from the field with 0 points. But I like Wiltjer, and I believe he can get better. I like all of them, and I think they could all get much better. (Except for Mays, who is a senior.) I just hope they do.
ReplyDeleteOne other person on the message board argued that UK fans have to be the best in the country, because no one else would watch this type of basketball. He has a point there.
ReplyDeleteOK, the Cats get the ball to start the second half.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin drives to the basket and draws a foul. But it's not a shooting foul. UK ball.
Goodwin tries again and is called for a charge. RM ball.
RM comes down and quickly scores to make the score 30-27.
ReplyDeleteI think that once the Colonials got that big lead in the first half, they got lazy and took some bad shots. They're back to playing with focus.
After an exchange of bad possessions, the Cats have the ball when Anthony Myers-Pate, a guard for RM, collapses on the floor from cramps. The game stops with 17:57 to go. RM still leads 30-27.
For better or for worse, this is going to be the Archie Goodwin show in the second half. RM is playing a tight man-to-man, and no one else for UK can get off a shot.
ReplyDeleteMyers-Pate is finally carried off the floor. The guys on ESPN say it is extremely hot inside the gym.
Goodwin hits a pull-up jump shot to make the score 30-29, but RM gets their usual layup at the other end to make it 32-29.
ReplyDeleteMays tries a long three, which misses. RM comes down and hits a runner in the lane. 34-29.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin responds with a jumper to make it 34-31. It's Goodwin against the Colonials at this point.
RM was about to make its usual layup, but Hood is called for a foul instead. The Colonials lead 34-31 with 15:32 to go, but they will get two free throws after the TV timeout.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin has 12 points. WCS, Harrow, and Polson each have 5. No one else for UK has more than 2.
ReplyDeleteRM did not get free throws. Hood's foul was on the floor. They miss. Poythress takes a very silly shot on a drive to the basket that fails. RM hits a 3 -- and is fouled by Wiltjer.
ReplyDeleteThey make the subsequent FT, and now lead 38-31 with 14:49 to go.
Harrow tries to drive to the basket and is called for a foul. He looks surprised, although that happens to him all the time.
ReplyDeleteNow RM knows they've got this game in the bag. They are playing with confidence. They get their usual layup and lead 40-31. UK calls time with 13:49 left. I have no idea what Cal could possibly say at this point.
Now at this point, I want to comment that there is some adjustment that other teams have been making at halftime all year, and I don't know what it is. But there have been many games this year where a team just explodes on UK offensively in the second half. And it's happening again tonight. RM had 28 points at the half, but they've already got 12 points in this half.
ReplyDeleteKentucky is down 9 with 13 minutes to go, but they still have time for the usual 20 seconds of pointless passing around the perimeter. Eventually, Polson drives and is fouled. He makes 1-2. Hood gets the rebound.
ReplyDeleteOn the next possession, Goodwin beats his man to the basket -- and misses a layup. 40-32. RM ball.
The Colonials miss, and then Polson and Hood try the most awkward give-and-go of all time. Hood is called for charging.
ReplyDeleteRM hits a jump shot in the lane to make it 42-32.
ReplyDeletePoythress comes back with a basket from in close. 42-34.
RM gets their usual layup to make it 44-34 at the other end.
ReplyDeleteA dunk from Poythress makes it 44-36 with 10:43 left.
Another layup from RM and it's 46-36.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin is fouled on the subsequent possession. TV Timeout with 10:04 left in the game.
What bothers me the most about this game, is that if any program deserved the chance for an easy home win over UK, that program is Murray State. A victory like this would have been huge for the Racers, and they deserved this game a lot more than Robert Morris.
ReplyDeleteSee, in the first half, RM went away from running their offense, and just settled for jump shots. That's how UK got back in the game. If RM just runs their offense, they can get a layup almost every time. They just spread the floor, drive past Polson, Hood, or Harrow, and then either pass or score, depending on what WCS does.
ReplyDeleteUK quickly turns over the ball, and now RM is going to run some clock.
ReplyDeleteCan the Cats score 50 points?
UK's offense is just about gone. They commit another turnover, and RM responds with a three-pointer to make it 49-36.
ReplyDeleteRM may ease up now. They let WCS have a dunk. 49-38 with 8:15 to go.
RM waits 35 seconds, shoots a 3, and misses. UK comes back and Mays is fouled at the other end.
ReplyDeleteTV timeout with 7:44 left. UK trails 49-38.
The Cats are 14-25 from the field, including 1-6 from three's, and they are 9-14 from the line.
ReplyDeleteRM is 19-39 from the field, including 5-15 from three's, and they are 6-6 from the line. There is an enormous difference in turnovers, but I don't know what it is.
OK, can the Cats score 12 points in the last 7:44 to reach 50?
People can complain all they want, but the simple fact is that without Noel, this team is just too limited on offense to be competitive. And their guards cannot defend anyone.
ReplyDeleteMays makes 2 FT's. 49-40.
RM misses a jump shot, but UK is called for a foul. RM makes both FT's, and the lead is 51-40.
ReplyDeleteRM is 8-8 from the line tonight. For the year, UK's opponents made 71.2 percent of their FT's. We were 278th in the country in that category.
Polson hits a jumper in the lane. 51-42.
ReplyDeleteBut time is still ticking away. 6:48 left now.
Poythress is called for a foul. RM makes two more free throws. 53-42.
ReplyDeleteSee why I don't live-blog games?
ReplyDeletePolson hits another jumper to make it 53-44.
ReplyDeletePolson was the hero of the opening game against Maryland, and he's ending with another good game.
RM turns it over with 5:40 left.
Wiltjer misses a three-pointer, but RM turns it over again. 5:09 left.
ReplyDeleteUK has 14 turnovers. RM has 7.
With 5:01 left, Goodwin is fouled. UK gets the ball back. Mays hits a 3 to make it 53-47.
RM misses a 3. UK ball with 4:09. Wiltjer hits a bank shot to make it 53-49.
ReplyDeleteWith 3:52 to go, RM calls time.
As they did in the first half, RM went away from what was working. Coming out of this timeout, they should be able to get their usual layup.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that Wiltjer scored.
ReplyDeleteRM tries their usual offense, but Goodwin steals the ball. He has an easy run-out to the other end, but is cold-cocked by an RM player. That is literally one of the dirtiest plays I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteThe referees call an intentional foul. We get the TV timeout with 3:49 to go.
I mean, the guy for RM actually took his arm and clothes-lined Goodwin as he was going in for a layup. It would have been a personal foul in football, much less basketball. That was horrible.
ReplyDeleteI don't that I've ever seen one team called for two intentional fouls against UK in the same game.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin goes to the line. He makes the first. He makes the second. 53-51.
UK ball. They try a lob to WCS, and it doesn't work, but Goodwin puts in the rebound. WE ARE TIED!!!
But now RM is back to running its offense. They get in position for the usual layup, but draw a foul instead. They make both FT's, and lead 55-53 with 2:51 to go.
ReplyDeleteLucky Jones, the guy who hammered Goodwin a few minutes ago, has been ejected.
With 2:47 left, Calipari calls time. Robert Morris leads 55-53. UK has the ball.
ReplyDeleteGoodwin has 16 points for UK. Polson has 10.
RM's leading scorer was Lucky Jones, with 15.
Polson tries a running jump shot, which misses. Goodwin misses the tip. RM ball.
ReplyDeleteThey set up for another layup. Instead, they get a dunk. 57-53 with 1:41 left.
WCS responds with a basket. 57-55 with 1:23 left.
ReplyDeleteRM comes back and calls time with 1:16 to go.
I don't know why they called time. They get dunks or layups on almost every possession.
ESPN points out that RM is 10-17 from the floor in the second half.
ReplyDeleteBut this time, as the RM player is going in for the usual layup, he LOSES THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS. UK ball with 59.7 seconds to go.
Wait. There's an official review. The UK coaches noticed that there should be 1:01 left. The clock is corrected.
OK, here we go.
Goodwin drives and scores. 57-all with 47.5 seconds left.
ReplyDeleteNow it's RM's ball. They mess around, and call time with 5 seconds left on the shot clock, and 12.3 seconds left on the game clock.
I don't know why they didn't just run their usual play.
RM ends up wide open in under the basket, but WCS presses, and the RM player misses the layup. As usual, however, RM gets the offensive rebound and is fouled.
ReplyDeleteUK calls time with 8.7 seconds to go.
RM makes their free throws and lead 59-57. They have gone 14-14 tonight.
ReplyDeleteOn UK's last possession, they do not call time. They don't give the ball to Goodwin. They don't give the ball to WCS. They don't try to get the ball inside at all. Instead, they have Wiltjer shoot a 3 for the win.
Of course, he misses, and the game is over.
It is almost impossible to overstate how badly UK played the last 10 seconds of this game. They did almost everything wrong.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, UK lost a game in which the Cats made 55.3 percent of their shots. The Cats went 21-38 from the field, including 2-9 from three-point range. They went 13-18 from the line.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, the Cats were 19-29 from two-point range. Why didn't they try a two point shot at the end?
Goodwin finishes with 18 points and 7 rebounds. Polson had 10 points. Wiltjer had 2.
ReplyDeleteRobert Morris went 20-43 from the field, including 5-16 from three-point range, and they went 14-14 from the line.
ReplyDeleteIf they had played with more focus, they would have won by a bigger margin. Every time they really needed to score, they did score.
I was going to wrap up the season with sort of final thoughts on the year, and what happened, and what it meant. But I've already said most of what I think in this live-blog.
ReplyDeleteI'll just make five final points.
First, it was total jive to make UK play this game on the road. If they had been able to play at home -- or even at Memorial -- they would have won. In fact, I think they would have had a good chance to win three home games and reach the NIT semi-finals. That would have left a different taste in people's mouth, but it would have been the same team.
Second, the loss of Nerlens Noel probably hurt this team more than almost any Wildcat injury I can ever remember. He was the heart of UK's defense, and he was their emotional leader. When he went down, Ken Pomeroy had UK ranked as the 18th-best team in the country, and I thought they were coming together for a run in the Sweet 16. After he left, they lost every game they played outside of Rupp Arena.
Third, regardless of some of the snarky comments I made tonight, I liked these kids and I feel sorry for them. They shouldn't have had to be out there by themselves. They probably should have had Jones, and Lamb, and Teague, and Noel out there with them. If they had had those guys, they would have looked much better. As it was, they just weren't good enough or strong enough to beat well-disciplined teams on the road.
Fourth, I don't think we can say anything about this season until we see what happens next season. After Florida won it all in 2006 and 2007, they went to the NIT two years in a row. After UNC won it all in 2009, they went to the NIT in 2010. After Pitino took Louisville to the Final Four in 2005, the Cards went to the NIT in 2006. These things happen, even to great programs. The question is: will UK bounce back next year? Personally, I think the fact that this season ended so badly makes it more likely that Calipari and company will come out loaded for bear next year.
Fifth, I personally wasn't all that great a fan this year. I enjoyed the off-season too much, and I found it hard to get back into the grind of regular-season play after all the fun we had last year. But now I'm hungry again, and I'm already looking forward to next November.
GO BIG BLUE!!!
It makes me very, very happy to read this comment. I agree with all of your points.
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