By: Tyler Adkins
Coming off the loss to Baylor the Cats will look to rebound (literally and figuratively) against a Boise State team that could potentially be UK's best win RPI wise thus far in the young season. Boise State is 32nd in RPI and UK's best win is currently Providence that is ranked 88. Now all this will change, but UK needs top 50 wins down the road for seeding purposes. Tonight is the night that the UK team has to win and has to be a different team. This team has been labeled as the "greatest this" and "greatest that" since they committed and they now are facing some real adversity from the national media and even UK fans. They are now facing the other side of playing at UK, when you struggle you face fire like nowhere else. This team needs to figure out what is going on and tonight is the time to do it.
With that, let's get to the things to watch for:
*Offensive identity
Is this team a team that relies on scoring down low? On the perimeter? In transition? Slow down and grind it out? The answer to all of those questions can currently be no, but in order for this team to find an identity, they need one of them to be a yes. They have to figure out what they want to do on offense. I hate doing this because they have done a great job at UK, but this is on the coaches. The coaches have to decide if they want this team to walk it up and grind out possessions all game or to fly up and down the court shooting the first open shot they get. It seems as though the coaches want the former, but the players want the latter. Calipari has always been a slower paced offensive coach looking for maximum efficiency. I am not saying he is Bo Ryan, but that is just how he likes his team to play. This team seems to want to push the ball. The Baylor game was the most telling sign of the struggle to find the identity. Early in the game I saw Calipari screaming to "GO" when UK grabbed a rebound and to push the tempo. This lasted about half the game and then, out of nowhere, Calipari started trying to slow the ball handler down and wanting to run the "circle" play for the rest of the game. Immediately following this change in philosophy UK went without a field goal for over 6 minutes and Baylor had time to set up their zone and stifle UK. The loss isn't on Calipari, I am not saying that, but they have to figure out what they want to do on offense and set their identity. Calipari has always slowed the game down in the second half with the team leading, but there seems to be more searching this year. Whether they play fast or slow, I just am looking to see the players and coaches on the same page.
*Rebounding
UK was out rebounded by 15 rebounds against Baylor. The fact that this team could be out rebounded is incredible given the size and athleticism of the team. Some of the rebounds were long rebounds and were not a product of slow reactions. However, a lot of the rebounds that were given up were because Baylor wanted to win, and UK didn't want to lose so they halfway went after the ball instead of attacking it. This team has to out rebound Boise State by 10 tonight.
*Free Throws
Make them. It is that simple. Without fixing any of the above, UK would be undefeated if they made free throws. They shot roughly 50% in the losses and also missed some front ends of the one and one's. UK has to be able to make 70% as a team during games this year. That is not a high percentage, it is only 7 out of every 10. Players with this talent level have to be able to make free throws. I just want to see 70%.
It is time to see the potential turn into production for this team. Go Big Blue.
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