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Transylvania coach Brian Lane knew better than to say this Kentucky team is better than the team two years ago that won the national championship. However, he also knew it would be foolish to say this team could not eventually be that good — or better.
“I think the national championship team is the best team. This team has potential to be there if they listen to what he (UK coach John Calipari) says as they break down a lot of tape in the next few weeks,” Lane said after UK’s 76-42 win Friday night. “I think t his team has potential to be as good as they want to be. I love their body language ... There's no bickering between them. They're an all-business team. I think they have a world of potential.”
Lane felt UK’s defensive play from the Blue-White Game earlier in the week to this exhibition game was much better.
“You will see a much improved defensive team in their next exhibition game, too,” Lane said.
Lane knew Kentucky did not look as sharp at times playing his Division III team as a team ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll might have been expected to look. But he said there was a reason for that.
“The thing that is difficult in an exhibition game like this is that we probably played a defense they have not used, nor would they play with the athleticism and size they have,” Lane said. “They are very, very big. The tough thing for them, and what kept us in the game, is that they were having to guard guys that they will not have to guard the rest of the season.”
Kentucky broke the game open with a 20-2 run to start the second half.
“Their defense was much more intense. We couldn’t score in the second half,” Lane said. “You could see the intensity in their eyes. They were much more interested in making sure we didn’t get any closer.”
Lane said he knew Kentucky’s athleticism could overwhelm his team, and did at times.
“The thing that we had to do was try to neutralize that athleticism. There weren’t many times when we’re in help that they were able to get to the basket. From a strength standpoint, it’s so awkward when you’re playing with smaller guys, it just makes you look at times, they were throwing up some shots that they probably haven’t been throwing up all preseason because they haven’t had a mosquito at their knee trying to swat their shot,” the Transy coach said.
“When they get out in the break, obviously we weren’t trying to win the game. I’m not that stupid. But the teams that are going to try to win the game ... every time we shot it, we sent two guys back on defense. I don’t know that we got any offensive rebounds. They must have just come right to us because we wanted to take away that transition game. Teams that are going to try to win the game are going to send three or four, the shooter is going to stay and the one guy is going to get back.
“When we shot it we were running back on defense because we knew that they could come so quickly, three seconds. In the Blue-White game, they were getting from one end to the next in three seconds and there is no way we could do that. We couldn’t do that in a car.”
Kentucky didn’t have a transition basket or a lob dunk in the first half. That changed in the second half when UK got to the basket much more regularly.
“I think they started posting up a little bit harder in the second half,” Lane said. “There was a stretch there where you could tell they were trying to go inside because our defense, they swung the ball and then they got the drives. The thing that happens with the dribble drive is as you continue to keep going, you will find the weakest defender.
“Unfortunately, with the defense that we played to not extend, it’s like a traffic jam. We were guarding (Julius) Randle with five guys and he went for 16 (points) and 12 (rebounds). Every time (James) Young was guarding one of our guys that had the ball we said pass it to somebody else because he was just going to take it from them, a tremendous on-the-ball defender.
“They’ll be a lot better. Once (freshman point guard) Andrew (Harrison) gets back (from his knee bruise) I think that will make their offense click that much better.”
Lane predicted that Montevallo, UK’s exhibition opponent on Monday, likely will be in for a much more difficult game than what Transylvania had against No. 1 Kentucky.
“There is so much learning that has to take place with freshman and I don’t care how good they, and how talented, and how big — it just is going to take a little time,” Lane said. “I tell you what; they will come out — when is the next exhibition game? I feel sorry for that team because you will see a much more energized (team). Not that they weren’t energized but people were saying that it was going to be as bad as it is score wise. That’s hard. It’s hard to get up for a game like this. The teams they play at the Division I level, there may be some teams that struggle just as much as we did.”
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