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  • Things to Watch For: Kentucky v South Carolina Edition

    Editor's Note: The regular feature by KSR basketball editor Tyler Adkins will return soon. Tyler is with a family member in the hospital. Good thoughts and prayers are appreciated for Tyler and his family.




    After a disappointing loss, Kentucky returns to the hardwood anxious to get rid of the bad taste of being swept by the Arkansas Razorbacks. By most accounts, it was a much poorer effort than the loss at Arkansas, and surprised many Kentucky fans. Dwindling hopes of a high seed in the NCAA tournament were dashed, and Florida clinched the Southeastern Conference regular season title with Kentucky's loss. The Wildcats travel to Columbia to be hosted by the Gamecocks, who are mired in last place in the SEC, and would like nothing more than to give Kentucky a two-game losing streak. Many thought UK had turned the corner with an impressive 84-70 win in Oxford, but then needed a late rebound basket by Julius Randle to avoid being swept by LSU. So with that having said, this is what we'd like to look for today.

    * Mix of 3-point FGAs and 2-point FGAs. Against Arkansas, it appeared that the new "drive at all costs" offense eschewed even "good" 3-point attempts in favor of drives to the basket. Many times the drives were effective, either on their own, or with an offensive rebound, but many believed that Kentucky knocking down 6 3-point goals against Ole Miss in Oxford led UK to their best performance of the year, and 19 total 3-point FGAs out of 48 total FGAs (39.6% 3-ptrs) represented a better ratio than the 11 total 3-point FGAs out of 76 (14.5%). For today's game, we'd like to see a number between 25-30%.

    * Dominate an inferior opponent. South Carolina is 10-18 (3-12 SEC), and by all rights, should not be able to compete against a much superior team. But there will be 18,000 screaming fans and every SEC team plays harder against Kentucky than they do anyone else. Can Kentucky get up early, and sustain the lead throughout the game? If they dominate the game as they should, they can.

    * Help from the bench. Against Arkansas, the Cats had 3 players play 38+ minutes, with others adding 30, 29 and 24, comprising most of the minutes in just six players. No one else played double digit minutes, even though it was a 45-minute game, while Arkansas had 9 players in double digit minutes, and no player with more than 32 minutes in the overtime contest. For tonight's game, we'd like to see no player play more than 33 minutes, and help from the bench from at least 3 players in double digits.

    Your comments and thoughts on things you'd like to watch for today are appreciated. In the meantime, Go Big Blue, and keep the Adkins family in your thoughts.
    Comments 4 Comments
    1. blueboss's Avatar
      blueboss -
      Based on Cal's comments after the Arkansas loss it appears he's losing his patience, he made a comment about him making a mistake by not sitting 2-3 players and going to the bench. He also referenced the "horrendous" guard play from three players, so I would expect he'll have short fuse today for lack of effort and we might see him go the deepest he's gone and for longer all year. With a sub-par USC team this might be a good time for Cal to impose his will in answer to lethargy.

      Just a thought, but then again he again forget to put some other players in.....
    1. BigBluePappy's Avatar
      BigBluePappy -
      As much as I would like to see that, until I do see it I say more of the same.
      Still love 'em.
      Still support 'em.
      Waiting to embrace 'em.
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR -
      I am not going to do another one of these lol.

      Dominate? What was I thinking?

      via mobile app
    1. BigBluePappy's Avatar
      BigBluePappy -
      Thinking with your heart and no your head as we all do Mr. Cartwright.
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